The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-08-13
NOTICE TO
POWERS
Japan WILL FINISH ROAD
WITHOUT CHINA'S
CONSENT.
Diplomatic Negotiations Have
Failed to Move Chinese to Ac-
cept What Mikado's Govern
ment Claims Are Reasonable
Demands-The Ultimatum.


Tokyo, Aug. TN communion
ton issued today Japan officially mott
fed the powers of her intention to
proceed Immediately with the recon-
struction and improvement of the An
tung- Mukden railroad, without the
consent of China, diplomatic negotia-
tons having failed to overcome the
opposition of that country to the COM
mencement of a work which Japan be
lieves to be within her rights under
the treaty of 1905.
The note outlines the entire course
of negotiations relative to the i'm
provement of the railroad up to the
present time It declares that
throughout the dis cussions China has
had recourse ito her well-known pol
icy of obstruction and representation;
has evaded the just and reasonable
demands of Japan, and raised collat-
eral questions referring to police au-
thority and other Matters" thus de-
laying a settlement
China's reply of June "a is men
toned, and the note declares that
Japan's rights under the treaty of
1905 were disregarded and the provi-
sions of the treaty wholly nullified
thereby. It is charged that China
raised immaterial issues, and declar-
ed in her reply that the work of inn
provement on the Antung- Mukden
railroad must be confined to the ex-
listing track, and that the broadening
of the gauge cannot be permitted"
The communication concludes with
the statement that since June "a,
when the reply was received, Japan
has endeavored to induce China to
reconsider her decision and recede
from her untenable position; but that
the Chinese government has maintain
ed an unyielding and uncompromising
attitude.
Japan's Ultimatum
The final paragraph of the note con-
tains Japans ultimatum, which is ex.
pressed as follows:
I'm this situation the imperial gov
eminent is compelled to take inde-
pendent action and proceed to carry
out the necessary works of recon
struction and improvement according
to treaty rights
The question of constructing the ex-
listing railroad line from Antung, on
the Yalu river, to Mukden, Manchuria,
by Japan is beginning to attract at
tention both here and in China. This
line was built by Japan during the
war with Russia. After the war a
treaty was signed between Japan and
China, under the terms of which ia
pan was to be permitted to recon
struct or transform" the line, use it
for fifteen years, and then turn it over
to China.
The distance from Antung to Muk-
den is about $50 miles. The country
traversed is rich, and the line valu-
able commercially, but one of the
main advantages gained from the re-
construction will be the fact of
through communication from Fusan,
in Southern Korea, to Mukden, and
thence to the main transsiberian line,
and SO to st. Peters burg and London.
European Route Shortened
With an eight-hour sea trip from
Japan to Fusan, thence by the exist.
ing line from Fusan to Antung, the
trip from Toyko to the capitals of Eu-
rope would be materially shortened.
Furthermore, the line is strategically
valuable to Japan.
The matter was first taken up with
the viceroy of Mukden, who did not
take kindly to the changes suggested
by Japan. Then negotiations were
opened with the central government
at Picking, which objects to the change
to standard gauge, declares that the
northern terminal must be actually at
Mukden instead of a few miles from
the city, as the Japanese desire for
reasons of economy, and insists that
the policing of the line shall be left
entirely in Chinese hands and that all
Japanese troops be withdrawn.
This last proposition has been fatty
refused by Japan. Speaking broadly,
japan insists that the changes she
proposes are necessary for the carry
ing out of the ideas set forth in the
treaty.