New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-16

,oo tho ror Iavs came into force. II, then,
the Mikado, who claims divine Descent anu d"
! lament combine to set the new laws ~ uei''''o'
and to ignore them. how is 1t possible 10 D'anne
foreigners for entertaining very serious uouo'S
az to whether they will be honestly adheieu w.
| interpreted and put into executions Ihere 10
No fault whatsoever to find with the new laws
of Japan but the question OF their apphca'ion
and administration furnishes much ground LOT
uneasness.
PRISONS NOT FIT FOR WHITE FOLK
Az have stated tomorrow the jursdic-
ton over all foreigners In japan Is Trans
ferred from the consular tribunals to the native
courts. and a striking demonstrations Vi u,
nrematureness Of this grave step Is turhisheu
bv the fact that even the japanese Government
has itself been compelled to acknowledge tna'
! the native prisons and penitentlarles are az
solutely unsuitable for the incarceration Oh
| Americans and Europeans, in consequence or
which the foreign consular prisons at the Varl-
ous norris have been taken over by the MlKauo
officials. and will be used exclusively Tor the
detention of foreigners. This step IS eXcl'ih5
no end OF criticism in the japanese press whch
asks whether the foreign Powers will be WILING
n accord similar exceptional treatment 10
Jaranese thrown into their prisons. why, IL
IS asked should Japan make such specal as
tinctions in favor OF foreign prisoners "heh
her own people in foreign jails are supJecteu
to precisely the same hardships AS the convicts
who are natives of the country In which the
prison Is situated?
THE CONSIDERATION" IN THE CASE
II will naturally be asked what quid pro quo
the foreign Powers are receiving for their sur
render to Japan Of their prerogatives of extra
territoriality and Of Jurisdiction over those OF
their citizens who may happen to be residing
in the dominions OF the Mkado. The "consid-
| Grafton" in the case-to use hnanclal term
was the concession by Japan to foreigners OF
| the right to enter. travel and trade IN all paris
OF the islands instead Of being confined TO the
half dozen treaty ports as has been the case
until to-day. And it was further stipulated at
| the time the new treaties coming into force to-
morrow were negotiated that foreigners should
enjoy identically the same rights and preroga-
! tives as the native japanese Unfortunately
: however the Toxic Government has by some
means another secured modification oil
J these conditions and foreigners are to remain
debarred from the important prerogative OF
! owning land in Japan. This it need hardly be
pointed out, renders the right OF the foreigner
70 establish manufactures or warehouses wholly
| llluSOry, since IL Is obvious lHdt -
and merchants will not to invest capital
to any extent in the establishment of ware
houses or factories or in mining, when the sole
tenure Of land conceded to them is an Insecure
leasehold Of twenty years Another modiiica-
ton in the same direction Is to be found in the
imminent enactment, in Difference to public opln-
ion in Japan decreeing that, whereas foreign
| ers NAV be admitted as shareholders in Japan
csc companies they will he legally debarred
| from all right to hold office directors or to
I vote in the election OF directors. Foreigners in
fact while permitted to contribute to the fund
OF a japanese joint stock company, are to he
deprived of all voice in the employment of that
fund.
NO SAFEGUARD FOR THE FOREIGNER.
need hardly point out that these dsad-
vantages to which the foreigner will now be
subjected in the Land OF the Rising Sun are not
in any sense in keeping with the spirit mani
tested by Japan several years ago when she
first obtained from the Western Powers the
! reluctant promise to abolish eXtra-territorial
/ jurisdiction and to abrogatc the old treaties on
I July II, 1899, and l cannot help thinking that
there is cause for regret that the foreign gov
crnments did not insist on carrying through
the stipulation put forward by those Of their
| experienced ENJOYS at Toxic who began the
treaty revision negotiations, TO the effect that
/ for period of fourteen years no addition.
amendment or repeal Of any statute Of the new
japanese code should be made without Japan's
having previously obtained the consent thereto
o. the various treaty Powers. The japanese
/ dcmurred at this and their diplomatic repre-
/ sentatives abroad protested so bitterly that
a condition Of this kind would constitute so
! humiliating an infringement Of tn independence