The San Francisco call., 1899-07-17
NEW TREATIES
co INTO EFFECT
Changes in the Relations
With Japan.
speelal pLgpateh to rhe call.

WASHINGTON, July 16.-A new treaty
between the United States and Japan. goes
into effect to morrow, at which time also
new treaties between Japan and nearly all
of the countries of Europe and some of
the South American republics go into ef-
feet. 1t is an event of far-reaching i'm
portance 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 sub
stitutes an entirely new method OF pro-
cedure. 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
November %, 1884 in Washington, be-
tween Secretary Gresham and Minister
Kureno, who then represented Japan
here. The changes it made were so far
reaching 1t was determined. the treaty
should not go into operation until July
IT, 1S99
Jutaro Komura. the present Japanese
Minister in Washington, was seen at the
japanese Legation to-day and gave an in
teresting outline of the more important
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 recognized the full sovereignty OF
an Oriental state. This action of the
lghtened 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 pow
ready to admit such a country to full
comfy among nations. So we regard the ad-
vent OF this treaty very important step
only for Japan but for all the nations OF
The countries with which Japan has made
new treaties are the United States. Great Brit
ain Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Italy
Spain Portugal, Belgium. Holland Denmark.
Sweden and Norway, Switzerland and Peru
All Of these go into effect tomorrow, except
ferred until August 4. With most of these
countries japan had treaty relations before
but they were crude and unsatisfactory.
To understand the change, 1t 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 jurisdic-
tion 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 property, or engage In
trade. The result in effect about hfteen
or sixteen systems of courts in Japan, for the
purpose Of irving foreigners who committed
offenses in Japan. Furthermore. most OF the
powers claimed. that japanese laws were not
our quarantine law While 1t protected as
against our own people, yet there was no pro-
The only exception TO this refusal to recognize
Japanese law 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 Immunity
from taxation. The Japanese paid all the
taxes. All this has disappeared and for
eigners have the same privileges as we'll as
the obligations 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 -territoriality, by which foreign citi-
zens were judged by different standard from
Japanese.
The second essential thing is the opening Of
the entire interior of Japan to foreign resi-
dents and trade Until now there have been
only five treaty ports Yokohama, Nagasaki,
Kobe, Hakodate and Nigata. In those places
foreigners had been able to live, to purchase
property and to trade. but outside of them
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 it's populous cities and in
yiting fields of industry, Is thrown omen 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 treaties