Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1899-07-22
JAPAN STEPS TO THE FRONT
New Treaties Place Her on New
Footing With the World.
RECOGNIZED AS AN EQUAL


between the United States and japan
went into effect to-day, at which time
also new treaties between Japan and
nearly all of the countries of Europe
and some of the South American re-
publics also went into effect. It is an
event OF far reaching Importance in
the relations between Japan and the
United States, as it does away with
the treaty methods which have been
in vogue for nearly fifty years and
substitutes an entirely new method Of
procedure. The same is true in the
relations of Japan with the countries
OF Europe, and some of the many new
treaties which go into effect place ia
pan on an entirely new footing with
the world at large, as she is recog-
nized, for the first time. as an equal
in every respect.
The treaty with this country was
made November %, 1894, in Washing
ton between Secretary Gresham and
Minister Kureno, who then repre-
sented Japan here. The changes it
made were so far reaching that it was
determined the treaty should not go
into opera alton until July IL, 1899.
Mr.. Jutaro Komura, the present.
Japanese minister in Washington,
gives an interesting outline of the
more important features of this ar
rangement. lie said:
1.-The 18th of July marks the turn
ing 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 recognized the full SOW
ereignty of an Oriental state. This
action of the enlightened nations of
Europe and America shows that, if
any country is ready to assume full
share in the responsibility and affairs
of the world at large, these old and
enlightened powers are ready to adj
NIT such a country to full comfy
among nations. So we regard the ad
vent of this treaty as a very impor-
tant step not only for Japan, but for
all the nations of the East.
ITO understand the change it is
necessary to look at the system under
the old treaties This was essentially
based on two principles: First, that
foreign residents in Japan shall enjoy
the privileges of extra-territoriality,
that is, they should be amenable to the
laws and jurisdiction of the consul of
their own country and not to Japanese
jurisdiction; 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 fifteen or sixteen
systems of courts in Japan, for the
purpose of trying foreigners who com
nit offenses in Japan. Furthermore,
most of the powers claimed that Jap
anese laws were not binding upon
foreigners. For isntance, take our
quarantine law. While it protected
us as against our own people, yet
there was no protection in the case of
an infected foreign ship. The only
exception to this refusal to recognize
Japanese laws was the United States,
which recognized from the first the
binding force of the japanese law.
lone of the bad effects of this sys-
TEN was that foreign residents had en-
tire immunity from taxation. The
Japanese paid all the taxes All this
has now disappeared, and foreigners
have the same privileges as well as
the same obligations as the japanese
citizens, no more and no less. The
first step in the new system is to put
an end to the old fiction of extra ter
ritorially by which foreign citizens
were judged by different standard
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 five treaty
ports Yokohama, Nagasaki, Kobe,
Kakodate and Nigata. In those
places foreigners had been able
to live, to purchase property
and to trade, but outside of
there they could not even travel
without a special permit. These
five places are an Insignificant part of
Japan. Henceforth the entire interior
of the empire, with its populous cities
and inviting fields of industry is
thrown open to foreigners They
may live anywhere, engage in any
kind of business and viii be assured
of the same protection to life and
property that is given to the Jap
aneSe.