Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-08-20
CHINA AND JAPAN.
THE TREATY or PEACE NEGOTIATED
AT sHlMoNoSEkI.

Ex-Secretary Foster, Who Was the Con.
fidentiai Adviser of the Emperor OF
China. Tells Of the Work Done by II
Hung Chang.
General Foster, who accompanied Ii
Hung Chang on his nilsson to negoti-
ate peace with Japan, In the capacity
of confidential advister to the Emperor
of China, contributes characteristic
sketch Of the Chinese .vicerOy to the
Century. Concerning the treaty OF
Shimonosekl, Mr.. Foster says:
While he thus bore the most impor-
.ant trust ever committed to him by
the emperor, it was by no means task
10 his liking. He was by nature high
spirited, and his military and political
success had made him naughty and
imperious. He was proud of his coun-
try, of its past history, and of its instl-
tutions. He partook Of the national
feeling of contempt for the japanese,
and he felt keenly the humiliation
which the war had inflicted upon
his people. He knew the mission to
which he had been assigned would
make him unpopular, and expose him
to fresh indignities from his partisan
enemies. He felt that he was taking
his life in his hand when he should
place himself on Japanese soil, and he
so expressed himself to the incredulous
foreign diplomats at Peking; but he
dared not shrink from the duty which
his sovereign had imposed upon him.
Seldom. has public man, under such
trying circumstances, borne himself
with such true and patriotic devotion.
A high-spirted and proud man, he
went to the land of the despised but
triumphant enemy to sue for peace;
and yet he never failed to maintain
his accustomed demeanor or his coun-
try's dignity. And it is due to the Jap
anese plenipOtentiaries who were des-
ignated to receive and treat with him
at ShimonOseki, to state that they ex-
hibited toward him the highest marks
of respect, and during the entire nego-
tiations allowed no word to escape
from their lips personally offensive to
their distinguished guest He had the
good fortune to conduct negotiations
with two compeers, men of marked
ability and worthy representatives
of their government and race. Mar
Quis Ito, the prime minister, is
a typical member of the progressive
party, educated in Europe and trained
in modern political science and meth
DDS of government, but an ardent and
patriotic Japanese. He had valuable
colleague i'm Count Mutsu. minister of
foreign affairs, who had been long in
his country's service ut home and
abroad. Marquis Ito, ten years before,
had been sent by his government to
Tientsin to arrange with the Niceroy
Ii settlement of Corean affairs; and
the same subject brought the viceroy
to Japan but under changed conditions
for the negotiators.
The defeated party always negoti-
ates at n disadvantage, and the viceroy
did not fail to appreciate the situa-
ton; but the Judgment of the impartial
observer is that he came out of 1t with
as much credit as was possible. and it
is quite certain that he obtained better
terms for his country than any other
Chinese official could have secured
This was due in part to the personal
consideration shown him by the Japan
csc negOtiatOrs, but mainly to his own
diplomatic experience and his thor
Ough knowledge of his own govern
meut.
Japan was robbed of large meas
ure of her triumph by the interpositiOn
of the European powers, and it has
been stated that the vicerOy consented
in the treaty to the cession of the Liza
otung Peninsula only because of his
knowledge that these powers would
compel its return to China. But this
is not fair statement of the facts.
Neither the viceroy nor his government
had received any information from
Russia or other power. before the trea-
ty was signed, as to its action on the
subject; but he had been a close stu
dent of European politics for many
years, and his action was based upon
convictions born of that study. He
neither reads nor speaks any foreign
language, but he has secretaries
charged with the duty Of keeping him
Informed Of current events, and has
had much intercourse with diplomats
and other intelligent foreigners; and he
well knew that Russia, If no other ma
ton, would not allow the domination
Of Corea by Japan, or its permanent
Judgment on the continent so near to
Picking and Russia's own possessions;
and he was willing to make the Liza
otung cession in order to escape other
harsh terms.
But the viceroy's craftsmanship and
strength of character were most con-
spicuous in his conduct after the trea-
ty was signed and he had returned to
China. He sent urgent telegraphic rep
reservations to the emperor and to the
foreign office. calling for prompt ratifi-
cation and exchange of the treaty In
spite Of the foreign influence and the
national clamor. His personal enemies
were actively exerting themselves
against the treaty, led by Viceroy
Chang Chi-tung, who had written the
highly laudatory address on the occa-
sion Of his birthday celebration, and
who to that end was fomenting the re-
bellion in Formosa, and supplying the
rebels with arms from the imperial ar
senal at Shanghai. 1t greatly rebounds
to the credit of the young emperor that
In such grave crisis he followed the
advice of his venerable counselor and
ratified the treaty.