The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
United States Takes First Step in Japanese Trade
 Readjustment
TO GET APPROVAL OF
 JAPANESE EMPEROR
New Treaty Will Cement Friendly Relations Between Two Coun- tries-Japan Starts Gen.
 eral Movement

Washington. February 25.-The pronrs action of the United States Senate in stamping it's constitutional seal of ua- qualified approval upon the new treaty of trade and commerce between tIe United States and Japan brought conn ments from official Washington today tending to illustrate the friendship whch binds the two countries.
 Pointing out the fact that the situation augurs well for the promotion of cordial feeling, officials today turned their at. tentlon to the next steps necessary to make the treaty reality.
 The next step to be taken to mako operative the new Japanese treaty is t, get the approval of the Japanese em- peror and the imperial privy council. It is not necessary that the treaty be rati- fled by the Japanese diet. so that no opposition whatever is expected to it's consummation. Then will follow the ex- change of ratifcations, which will take place in Tokio before May 21, which wll. mark the period of three months allowed in the treaty for the exchange. The last step will be the issue of proclamn- tions by President Taft and the Emperor of Japan, formally declaring the treaty in operation.
 The real importance of the conclusion of this new treaty developed today when 1t was learned at the Japanese embassy that the convention is the first of the whole fabric of treaties which Japan has projected to readjust her trade and com mercal relations with the great powers and even the lesser nations with which she has built up trade. IL is true there has been much negotiation on this sub ject and the drafts of as many as a trade treaties have been drawn. but so far none of them has actually been finally ratified and put into operation. United States Lead
 While it was originally expected tlis.t the United States might be a year be- hind the other powers in the conclusion l of new treaty with Japan, by reason l of the fact that the existing treaty would not expire until July. 1912, this country ] has actually gone to the front and acted as pioneer for all other nations which are recasting their trade relations with Japan. For the reason that the United States has not insisted upon claiming the very last year under the present treaty: because it has not. as was expected in some quarters, waited to see what other nations were doing, but. with full confi- dence in the honor of Japan. has led tha
 way in unanimously ratifying the new treaty, the Japanese government and people are deeply grateful and in the opinion of the Japanese embassy this | action will do much to inspire the closest friendship between the two great na- tions
 Secretary Knox's own views are set out in this statement:
 The promise of the Senate in giv- ing it's constitutional consent of the ratification of the treaty between the United States and Japan is especially gratifying because 1t so signally re- fleets the cordial feeling of friendship which America has for Japan and be- cause it will rightly be understood in Japan as one more of the signs of special amity which this govern ment has given from the beginning of Japan's relations with the western world"
 Achievement for Uchida No small part of the. credit which will attach in every one connected with the negotiation of this notable treaty will fall to the share of Baron Uchida, | ton. It Is regarded a remarkable achievement for a diplomatic officer to bring about conclusion such as this after a residence of little more than year in country to which he came as a total stranger.
 Regarding the condition in the pro- tocol of the treaty that pending the conclusion of special arrangement the provisions relating to the treaty of the 22d of November, 1894. shall be main tained," 1t Is stated authoritatively that there will be no effort made in the immediate future to secure such spe- cial arrangement between America and Japan. Instead the business of the two countries will be conducted so far as customs duties are concerned under the terms of the old treaty. America will not be the loser by this, 1t IS stated, for even if Japan should con- clude special trade arrangements with other countries whereby they will se- cure an abatement of import duties on their goods entering Japan, the latter will, under the favored nation clause. immediately extend the same privilege to like imports from the United States and this state of affairs will continue indefinitely, or until the two countries see fit to enter into one of these spe- clal trade arrangements, perhaps on the lines of the Canadian reciprocity | agreement.