The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-17

ties which go into effect tomorrow will
place Japan on an entirely different foot
ing with the world at large as she is re-
cogniZed for the first time. as an equal in
every respect. The treaty with this coun-
try was made Nov. y. 1894. in Washing
ton between Secretary Gresham and Min
lister Kurena. who then represented Japan
here The changes ii made were so far
reaching that it was determined the
treaty should not go into operation until
July IL. 1899.
Mr.. Jutaro Komura the present Japan
csc minister in Washington. was seen at
the Japanese legation today and gave an
interesting outline of the more important
features of this arrangement. He said:
Turning Point In History.
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 recognized
the full sovereignty of an oriental state;
This action of the enlightened nations OF
Europe and America shows that II any
country is ready to assume full snare IN
the responsibility and affairs of the world
a large, these old and enlightened powers
are ready to admit such country to full
comfy among nations. So we regard the
advent of this treaty very important
step not only for Japan, but Tor all the
The countries with which Japan has
made new treaties are the united states,
Great Britain. Germany. France RUSSIA
Holland. Denmark. Sweden and Norway.
Switzerland and Peru. All of these go
into effect tomorrow except those with
France and Austria. which are deferred
until Aug. 4. With most of these coun-
tries Japan had treaty relations before.
but they were crude and unsatisfactory.
Protection For Foreigners.
ITO understand the change. it is neces-
sary to look at the system under the Ola
treaties. This was essentially based on
Dinla first haf
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 ana not
to Japanese jurisdiction: and second, that
foreign residents in Japan shall be con-
fined to certain open ports, outside OF
which foreigners could not reside, own
property or engage in trade.
THE result was to enect about n1teen
or sixteen systems of courts in Japan. for
the purpose of trying foreigners VINO COM
mitted offenses in Japan. Furthermore.
most of the powers claimed that Japanese
laws were not binding upon foreigners.
For instance, take our quarantine law
While IL protected US against our own
people. vet there was no protection in the
case of an infected foreign ship. The only
exception to this refusal 10 recognize Jap
anese law was the United States which
recognized from the first the binding force
of the japanese law.
'.One of the bad effects of this system
was that foreign residents had entire i'm
all the taxes. All this has now disao
peared, 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 friction of extra
territoriality by which foreign citizens
were judged by different standards from
japanese.
Opening Of the Interior.
THE second essential thing is the OPEN
ing of the entire interior of Japan to for
eign residents and trade. Until now there
have been only five treaty ports-Yoko-
hama. Nagasaki. Kobe. Hakodate 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 insig-
nificant part of Japan. Henceforth. the
entire interior of the empire. with its
populous cities and inviting fields of in
dustry, is thrown open to foreigners.
They may live anywhere engage in any
kind of business, and will be assured of
the same protection to life and property
that is given to the Japanese.
In bringing about the new system OF