Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20
CHINA, RUSSIA AND JAPAN.

| tween China. Russia and Japan constitute
peculiar problem which
Peculiar provokes much interest and
Problem. speculation in all diplomatic
circles in Europe and Amer
! lea. The United States once possessed a
| privileged place in Chna's affections but
| lost 1t, mainly because personal interests
were permitted to usurp those of govern
| ment. Happily, times and customs have
changed" and our foreign affairs. which
| once occupied but small place in our life.
have become vitality important. The capable
| and patriotic heads that now direct them
| may yet retrieve the lost ground and place
| our government in intimate and cordial
communion with China.
An effort is being made to modify the
rigors of the Chinese exclusion act by a
bill recently introduced in the House by
Mr.. Perkins of New York and approved
by subcommittee of the House committee
on foreign affairs which is expected to
relieve the tension. The salient features of
the bill are as follows: The Department of
Commerce and Labor shall cause inspectors
to be placed at Canton and other emigra-
ton centers. who will examine Chinese
who propose to come to America, and thus
prevent those unfit for admission from un-
dertaking the long and expensive voyage.
Chinese, or persons of Chinese descent, ir-
respective Of occupation. holding certif-
Gates of residence in this country, shall be
entitled after having departed to return
at any time, provided they depart through
an established port for the entry of Chi
nese.
All Chinese other than those engaged as
teachers. students merchants and persons
travelling for curiosity or pleasure in the
United States will be compelled to apply
within year to the officers of the Depart
ment Of Commerce and Labor for GER
tifcates of residence. All failing to do so
after that time will be deemed to be un-
lawfully within the country and will be
deported. Pending the disposal of their
cases they may be released awaiting q hear
ing by furnishing a bond Of $500. Certifl-
Gates Of residence shall contain descrip-
| ton Of the person to whom issued accom-
panied by full face and profile photo
graphs" 1t is provided that no teacher.
student or member Of learned profession
! may work for gain as laborer after enter
ing the United States
Il
Meanwhile China is seeking to take over
former concessions and privileges accorded
to japanese and -
Japanese IN Manchufa- With this
Privileges. object in view Pri.->s $500
Chen and Hsu Sink Chang.
special commissioners, recently returned to
! Picking to report to the throne the result of
their mission. Among other recommended
tions Of the commissioners 1t is significant
to note the following: The reorganization
OF the financial system in the three Man
churian provinces. the promotion Of modern
education, the reorganization of the military
forces, the improvement Of national indus
tries and the promotion Of international
commerce.
The Chinese consul general at New York.
| Mr.. Tame Shah. recently addressing the
American Asiatic Association said:
What China now Is. Is not what China
was fifty or thirty or even ten years ago.
t,0e1 yIo Ga ~ 80
events in the orient may ascribe various
! causes to the sudden changes now occurring
| in China; and whatever may be the causes,
no one can deny that it is for the ameliora-
| ton of her very existence. China Is coun-
| try of inexhaustible resources. teeming with
millions of people. Consequently her powers
| Of production and consumption are incon
ceivable when the whole empire shall have
| been intersected by a system of railways
which are the arteries Of her physical sys-
tenn just commencing to pulsate."
For some time there has been consider
| able anxiety In diplomatic circles over the
Russo-Japanese negotiations concerning
| certain vague declarations of the Treaty of
Portsmouth and the execution of a COM
| mercial treaty provided for by article u at
Portsmouth.
Article 3 Of the treaty provides for the
evacuation of Manchuria and it's retroces-
! sion to China. Article 6 contains the en-
gagement of the Russian government to
| transfer and to assign to Japan, without
| compensation. and with the consent Of the
| Chinese government. the railway between
Chand Choun (KouangTchang) and Port
Arthur and all its embranchments. with
| privileges and properties attached thereto.
| The japanese claim that article accords
| them not only the city, but the railway sta
| ton of that name, situated several miles
| from KouangTchang. The Russians OPP
pose the japanese claims, which. according
| to the Treaty of Portsmouth, Is not only the
| property of Russia, but because 1t is the
| Juncture Of the road from Crime, which
arr,no hnr lInty NJ fIa -;
| which remains within the Russian sphere
| Thus there is divergence Of Interpretation
as to article g. and also to the para
| graphs of article 8 concerning the delim-
| itation Of the RuSso-Japanese frontier at
Saghalen.
There is also divergence relative to arti-
| cles IL and II. Article II is thus conceived
Russia agrees to con-
| Further clude with Japan a treaty
Divergence. whereby fishing rights
| may be accorded to jap
anese subjects along the Russian coasts Of
the Sea Of Japan (Okhotsh and Behring)."
The want of precision in the text renders
| an accord difficult The cession OF the
| southern part of the Island of Saghalen
has already caused considerable loss to the
! Russian fishermen who inhabit that region
And If the statistics may not furnish any
| indication of the animal products of the
Okhotsh and Behring seas, at least it is
| known that the southern part of the Sea of
| Japan, reserved to Russian fishermen be-
| fore the war. amounted to about four mil
| lion roubles.
The total abandonment of this COM
| merce alone Is equal to a payment of an
| indemnity Of three millions and a half
| or roubles. Besides, the fisheries were
| the principal attraction to Russians to
establish themselves along the coast
| Article IL, which treats Of the conclu-
| sion Of a commercial treaty, stipulates
| that until the execution of treaty the
| regime Of the most-favored nation is ac-
corded both governments. Thus is brought
up the question of the commercial regime of
all eastern Siberia.
From the Russian point of view Vladivos-
| tok and it's economical hinterland are en-
| dangered. The inhabitants of Vladivostok
| are not interested, except the Muscovite
| merchants who complain. These latter have
addressed to the minister, M. Filossofof,
loud protestations against the free entry of
goods, which strangles their business. The
minister has promised to revive the former
protective regime. which, as may be under
stood, is distasteful to the Japanese who
| enjoy the benefits afforded by a free port.
| Finally the japanese base their claims
! upon the last paragraph Of article of the
Of Portsmouth,.