The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-17
new TREATY WITH JAPAN
Recognized for the First Time as
an Equal Power.
MARKS.A TURNING POINT
An Important Step for All the Nations
of the Far East-Interior Of Japan
Thrown Open to Foreign
Residents and Capital.

Washington, July ia new treaty
between the United States and Japan
goes into effect tomorrow, at which
time also new treaties between Japan
| and nearly all Of the countries of Eu-
rope and some of the South American
republics also go into effect. 1t is an
event of far-reaching Importance in the
| relations between Japan and the Unit
ed States. as it does away with the
treaty methods which have been in
vogue for nearly so years and substi-
tutes an entirely new method of proceed
ure The same is true in the relations
of Japan with other countries. Taken
| as a whole, the many new treaties
which go into effect tomorrow will
place Japan on an entirely different
footing with the world at large, as she
Is recognized for the first time as an
equal in every respect. The treaty with
this country was made Nov. %. 1894, in
Washington between Secretary Gresh-
am and Minister Kureno, who then rep
resented Japan here. The changes 1T
| made were so far-reaching that it was
determined the treaty should not go
into operation until July II, 1899.
Jutaro Komura, the present japanese
minister in Washington, was seen at
the Japanese legation to-day and gave
an interesting outline of the more i'm
portant features of this arrangement.
He said:
The 18th of July marks the turning
point in the diplomatic history, not only
of Japan but of the Oriental countries
in general 1t will be the first instance
| in which the Western powers have rec
ognized the full sovereignty of an
Of has
lightened nations of Europe and Amer
lea shows that if any country Is ready
to assume a full share in the RESPONSE
bility and affairs of the world at large,
these old and enlightened powers are
ready to admit such a country to full
comfy among nations So we regard
the advent of this treaty as very i'm
portant step, not only for Japan, but
| for all the nations of the East
THE countries with which Japan has
| made new treaties are the United
| States, Great Britain. Germany,
France, Russia, Austria, Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Denmark,
| Sweden and Norway, Switzerland and
| Peru. All of these go into effect to-
| morrow except those with France and
! Austria, which are deferred until Aug.
| a. With most of these countries Japan
had treaty relations before, but they
were crude and unsatisfactory.
ITO understand the change 1t is neces-
| sary to look at, the system under the
| old treaties. This was essentially based
| on two principles-frst, that foreign
| residents in Japan shall enjoy the priv
| ileges of extra -territorialityS that is,
| they should be amenable to the laws
| and jurisdiction of the consul of their
own countries and not to Japanese ju-
| risdiction; and, second, that foreign
residents in Japan shall be confined to
| certain open ports outside Of which
foreigners could not reside, own prop
| erty or engage in trade. The result was
| in effect about Is or Is systems of
| courts in Japan for the purpose of try
| ing foreigners who committed offenses
| in Japan. Furthermore, most of the
| powers claimed that Japanese laws
were not binding upon foreigners. For
| instance, take our quarantine law.
| While 1t protected US against our own
| people, yet there was no protection in
| the case of an infected foreign ship. The
only exception to this refusal to recog-
nize Japanese law was the United
| States which recognized from the first
the binding force of the Japanese law.
| Zone of the bad effects of this system
was that foreign residents had entire
immunity from taxation. The Japanese
| paid all the taxes. All this has now dis
| appeared and foreigners have the same
privileges as well as the same obliga-
tions as the Japanese citizens no more
| and no less. The first step in the new
| system is to put an end to the old fic-
| ton of extra-territorfality by which for
| eign citizens were judged by different
| standards from Japanese.
| 1.-THE second essential thing Is the
! opening of the entire interior of japan
| to foreign residents and trade. Until
| now there have been only fve treaty
| ports-Yokohama, Nagasaki. Kobe, Ha-
| kodate and Nigata. In those places for
| eigners had been able to live, to pur-
| chase property and to trade, but out
| side of there they could not even travel
| without special permit. These five
| places are an insignificant part of ia
| pan. Henceforth the entire interior of
| the empire, with its populous cities and
| inviting fields of industry, is thrown
! open to foreigners. They may live any
| where, engage in any kind of business,
| and will be assured of the same protec-
! ton to life and property that is given
to the Japanese.
I'm bringing about the new system Of
treaties, Japan naturally feels most
| friendly toward the United States, be-
| cause she always has shown a most
| sympathetic interest in Japans desire
! to adopt modern methods and to deal
| on even terms with the rest Of the
| world The messages of several Of the
| presidents have spoken in most friend
| iy terms of this matter. And so, as the
! States have taken such a friendly in
| terest under the old system, 1 hope and
| believe the United States government
| and people will take q most friendly in
| terest in the carrying out of the new
|