The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-19
JAPAN NOW IN THE FAMILY.

With the present week Japan has en-
tered into a new era so important that
it deserves special consideration. On
Monday treaties with the United States,
most of the European powers and one
or two South American states went
into effect, which radically alter the
international standing of the empire,
and place 1t nominally on a level with
the Christian powers of the world. The
to applied to all oriental countries, is
abolished, the consular courts cease to
exist, foreigners are made amenable to
the native laws and courts and eligible
to all the privileges of trade and occu-
patton enjoyed by the Japanese them
selves. In short, the entire empire is
now open to foreign residents, as COM
pletely as the United States or any
European country.
Under the old system, foreigners were
not allowed to reside, hold property or
trade outside Of certain designated dis
tricts, and in case of legal trouble, they
had recourse to courts held by the con-
suls of their respective nationalities
The laws Of the land did not cover
them. Not even the quarantine laws
were respected by foreigners, save only
by the United States government Now
all is changed. Foreigners and natives
are upon the same footing. Both are
liable to taxation, and both may go
a hnut tho ay,ny1ira q = mill yHTbona e..
merly only five treaty ports were open
to foreigners, namely, Yokohama, Nag
asaki Kobe, Hakodate and Nigata, now
every city in the realm is lawful place
of residence and trade for Americans,
Englishmen or what not.
1t need hardly be said that the con-
cessions thus granted are quite as gem
erous on the part of foreign nations as
on the part of the Japanese. Some
think the powers have taken large
chances, for they have surrendered inn
portant privileges, and it is not clear
that they can Immediately enjoy all the
concessions made in return Japan now
has modern judicial system, but new
courts for the dispensation of justice
are not to be set up and put into oper-
alton in week or a month, like ma
chine Time will be required to enable
the ordinary judge to comprehend the
law, and under the new regime, the for
etgner will have no protection against
native ignorance, prejudice and hostil-
ity. Furthermore, Japanese prisons
hardly come UP to the standard of the
western world, and the government, in
asking for the use of consular ja1ls for
the confinement of foreign prisoners,
shows discrimination and causes native
discomfort. Finally, though foreigners
are nominally entitled to complete free
dom of trade and commerce, it appears
that they are debarred from the inn
portant privilege of owning land, and
this may well be deemed an obstruction
to the erection of manufactures by for
eign capital.
1t Is unreasonable to expect all things
to move on as smoothly in young
country as under long established
government and for all practical pur-
poses, Japan under it's new civilization,
is young country. There will be both
surprises and disappointments, and
possibly International friction may re-
suit from this latest and most radical
change. Nevertheless, a beginning
unjust be made, and the significant fact
is that a majority OF the powers were
so far convinced Of the reality and sta
bility Of japanese progress, that they
were willing to enter into these new
agreements, and admit the empire into
the family Of civilized nations. The
renascence Of Japan is without parallel
in history.