Evening star., 1899-08-12
Foreigners Now Subject to the Au-
thority Of an Oriental Power
ENFORCING TIE new TREATIES
Reading Between the Lines of the
Imperial Rsscript.
INDEPENDENCE OF JAPAN
ipecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.

YOKOHAMA, July IL, 1899.
Today American and British subjects re-
siding i'll Japan no longer enjoy the privl-
leges of eXterritoriaiity which they have
hitherto enjoyed, but, for the first time in
history, become subject to the laws and
authority of oriental power. Other
Europeans have also forfeited that right
today, and French, German and Austrian
subjects*wfll lose their national protection
on and after the 4th of August, when all
foreigners residing in Japan will be subject
to the same laws and taxes as the Japan
eSe are.
The Imperial Rescript.
Al imperial rescript was published in the
Official Gazette on the 1st of July, of which
the following is a translation:
I'VE, the Emperor of Japan, by the glory
of our ancestors, have been enabled to en-
large the scope of officiau organization and
of enlightened government to bring about
the growth of national prosperity and to
extend our amity and friendship with for
eign powers. The revision of the treaties
with all the treaty powers, which had been
our long-cherished desire, has now been
accomplished after repeated efforts. 1t
causes US heartfelt qualification to see that
while the responsibility of the empire will
become greater on the coming into force
of the new treaties, our relations with the
foreign powers are in a state even more
friendly than ever. We desire that our
loyal subjects who are ready to work for
the sake of the welfare of the country will
bear our wishes in mind, and will observe
the policy laid down at the time of the
opening of the country, combining in their
hearts to cultivate friendship with strang-
ers, and thus maintain the dignity of the
nation and promote the prestige of the en-
pire. 1t is also our wish that our officials
Will hold themselves responsible on our be-
half for the putting into force of the new
treaties, and try to supervise their subordi-
mates in order that they may discharge
their duties conScientiously, SO that all the
people, japanese and foreign, may equally
share in the benefits of the new treaties,
and so our relations with the foreign pow
erS may be maintained.
Other rescripts have been issued by the
cabinet, by the various government depart
ments and by the chief of police, all
couched i'll similar, but in several cases
much stronger, language enjoining the
people to treat foreigners in a friendly and
just spirit, whenever and wherever they
may come in contact with them.
Official Notice to Foreigners.
However, so far no foreign representative
with the single exception of the United
States nnnister-has issued any comnuni
cation to his nationals. or in any way in
formed them of any charge in the condi-
tions under which they are living. And
even on inquiry at the British consulate
here no further information was forthcom-
ing, except that newspaper proprietOrs, edi-
tors, publishers and printers would have to
deposit bonds for the security of their
good conduct. But this Information had
already been supplied to US by the Japanese
police, and not in a way to create that con-
hdence which is elaborated in the imperial
and other rescripts, for ordinary consta-
BILE was sent round to the various foreign
newspaper offices, with notice in japanese
in his hand who tackled the first Japanese
boy he met in the office, told him of his
mission, requested him to write down in
Japanese a copy of the notice he had
brought. and left the various Offices to
which he had been sent without inquiring
for any foreign member of the staff or as
suring himself that the japanese to whom
he had delivered the notice would deliver it
to the proper quarter.
The Insulting Policeman.
This was the first direct official intima-
ton from the Japanese to a foreign COM
pany or concern, as to any change in their
condition far as the new treaties We're
concerned, and, as 1t was made fully fort
night before the new treaties came into
force, in order to protect these newspapers
from suspension on the date that the
treaties were to come into force the uncom-
plimentary way N which it was done had
not very exhilarating effect on the staff
of the foreign press of Yokohama and re-
minded US once again that the Japanese
policeman is only in his element when he
can be obnoxious or insulting, and that al
though foreigners have implicit faith in the
good intentions of the emperor, In the
higher officials and the better educated of
the Japanese, they have no respect or ad-
miration for these lower officials who per-
sistently endeavor to assume powers they
have no right to, both with Japanese and
foreigners alike. whenever the least neces-
sity for their services can be assumed.
The Notorious Soshi.
Besides, there still remains in Japan an
element which has for a century or more
anti az
countries, the soshi similar to the notori-
Gus bravi of Italy, who, in the last century,
seem to have died a natural DEATH How
ever in Japan they are at this very day
a most powerful body, defying all law or
der or authority, and can be hired by any
unprincipled persons to intimidate their
opponents and frustrate the even flow Of
law and justice often resorting to extreme
violence, and in some cases actual murder,
but seldom being punished, or If so, very
slightly, by those whose duty 1t should be
to administer the laws of the land and see
that they are properly and justly carried
out, even at the risk of an armed conflict
with the officers of the law and these bands
of hirelings and cutthroats. 1t was from
a bomb thrown by one of these men that
Count Okuma, the late prime minister, lost
his leg, more than ten years ago. But, not
withstanding this, there has been no di-
minution of the Soshi since that time nor
in the power they hold in the country. AL
though their aid is generally sought by
Japanese in disputes among themselves
there have been occasions in which they
have been employed against foreigners who
have obtained a verdict against Japanese
in their own courts, but who have been un-
able to enforce 1t in consequence of the
threats of these gentry. But now that for
eigners are entitled to reside wherever they
may desire and make use of the whole
country for their pleasure or profit, the
emperor himself, together with the mem
bers of the cabinet and the heads of the de-
partments of state, realizes the responsible
ity he has assumed and the difficulties for
eigners may encounter, If we are to rightly
interpret the wording Of the imperial re-
script.
Independence of the Japanese Empire
But, if we read between the lines, there
is another and even more serious inference
to be inferred from the woraing of all the
reseripts that have been published, and that
is that the laws that have been framed
and the alterations which have been made
have been not with the ichief object of
bringing the Japanese to an appreciation
and desire for the benefits of western
methods of thought and civilization, but
mainly with the object of restoring the
complete independence of the Japanese en-