The Detroit times., 1911-02-22
TAFT SUBMITS
new JAP TREATY
Leaves Enforcement of immigration
Laws To 0rientals and Strong OPP
position Is Expected.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.-The text
of new treaty with Japan. designed
to replace that of 1894 and drawn
with the special design of eliminating
,the restrictions on immigration con-
tained In that treaty, was laid before
the senate yesterday by President
Taft.
The essential difference between
the proposed treaty and the existing
convention is that IL omits all refer
ence to such restrictions and leaves
to the national honor Of Japan the
enforcement at ner own ports the
limitations on emigration from Japan
now expressly placed on immigration
into the United States.
The document is said to provide
that either country may denounce the
treaty at the end of six months IL IL
fails to operate as expected.
Because II embodies this radical
departure from the existing treaty
and touches the question of the deep
est Importance and interest to the Pa
cific slope, the injection of this con-
vention into the closing hours of the
sixty.first congress, created a sensa-
ton.
That the new treaty will encounter
opposition seems certain, for even IL
1t should be speedily reported to the
senate from the committee room with
out serious controversy within the
room, the western senators
are expected to insist on opportunity
for debate which will develop the full
extent OF their opposition to the
treaty. Unlike matters OF ordinary
failure Of the senate to
act on the treaty during the remain
der OF this session of congress would
not of itself extinguish its vitality,
which could be kept indefinitely alive
In the executive files OF the senate,
to be taken up at any convenient time.
This new treaty Is one of trade and
commerce, intended to replace the
treaty of 1894 negotiated by the late
Secretary Gresham and Baron Kurino..
then Japanese minister to the United
States. That treaty 10 most COM
prehensive document, comprising 70
articles, dealing with trade, commerce
and navigation, rights Of dwelling, Inn
port and export duties, tonnage dues,
port regulations, desertions, shipping
rights, consular functions. and other
subjects. As So
In article 2 of the treaty q 1894,
following provisions &ecfar1ng the
right OF the citizens OF The two coun,
tries to full liberty OF travel and
residence and trade in both countries
is this qualifications:
1T is, however, understood that the
contained in this and the
article do not in any way
affect the laws, ordinances and regu-
lations with regard to trade, the i'm
migration of laborers, police and pub
lie security which are In force or
which may hereafter be enacted In
either of the two countries
Under this clause the two govern
ments have enjoyed the right to legis-
late regarding immigration, either by
restriction or by total exclusion OF
coolie labor. Unquestionably the
United States government could do
this without any treaty stipulation on
the subject, Just as 1t did in the case
of China when It enacted the Chinese
exclusion laws. 1t Is understood that
there is no disposition on the part OF
the Japanese to deny the existence or
such power. What they do object to
Is the inclusion in a formal treaty,
to which they are party of stipu-
lation asserting that right, which Is
not embodied in any treaty America
has made with European powers and
which serves only as an irritant to
Japanese pride. In other words the
~
would be tribute to the advanced
position which Japan has taken
among the nations without In any de-
gree curtailing the power OF the
United States government to regulate
by legislation.
The presidents action yesterday
created great surprise in congress,
the only persons not being taken un-
awares being the members of senate
on foreign relations, who,
at dinner recently given to them at
the white house were informed by
President Taft of what the admins
tration had in mind. There was 10
opportunity to read the treaty before
II had been referred to the foreign re-
lations committee.
IL is said that that white house
dinner developed some views on the
part Of individual senators Of great
as bearing on the probable
fate of the treaty when 1t comes be
fore the senate for approval. There
was disposition on the part OF some
to apprehend a demand on the part
of China for a relaxation of the rigid
exclusion laws il this concession
should be made to Japan. But II was
pointed out that the government
would not surrender any right OF con-
troll OF Chinese immigration even IL
a new treaty were accorded to China.
Another argument for the treaty
was a production of figures to show
that during the past year Japan had
prevented the departure
OF coolies, SO that the immigration
of that class had been practically
stopped. This was cited as demon
strating that reliance might safely be
placed on the Japanese sense OF
honor.
WILLARD X. BUSH
desires TO respectfully Announce that