NEW JAPANESE TREATY RATIFIED BY SENATORS

Western Men Interpose No Objections, Despite Fear That Bars Will Be Let Down to Coolie Labor.

PRESIDENT TRUSTS IN HONOR OF ORIENTALS

Believes That Prompt Acceptance of New Agreement Will Promote Feeling of Cordiality Between Nations.

WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 25. -- The next step to be taken to make operative the new treaty of trade and commerce between America and Japan is to gain the approval of the Japanese emperor and the imperial privy council. It is not necessary that the treaty should be ratified by the Japanese diet.

Then will follow the exchange of ratifications, that will take place in Tokio before May 21, making the period of three months allowed in the treaty for the exchange. The parties to the ceremony will be the Japanese minister of foreign affairs and Thomas J. O'Brien, the American ambassador to Tokio.

As the Japanese government is anxious to begin the arrangement of its fiscal program at the earliest possible moment, it is presumed the exchange of ratifications will take place almost as soon as the documents can be transferred from Washington to Tokio, that should be in a month. The last step will be the issue of proclamations by President Taft and the emperor of Japan formally declaring the new treaty in operation.

WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 25. -- The new Japanese treaty of trade and navigation was ratified last night after a two hours' executive session of the Senate. While the apprehension of Western senators that the treaty might let down the bars to coolie labor was not entirely removed, these senators contented themselves with expressing their solicitude. They interposed no objection to ratification.

The action, in promptly confirming the new agreement, is expected to do more to prove the feeling of cordiality that this country has for Japan than anything done for many yeas. It is regarded as a manifestation of highest confidence in the advanced civilization of that nation. The effect will be to permit Japan to enter at once upon a reorganization of its financial system and the making of new tariffs with all nations.

All Treaties Expire.

Japan's treaties with other powers are to expire July 17. That with the United States, by reason of its later ratification, would have continued until the same date a year later had not this government consented to its expiration at the same time as the others.

Failure to have ratified the new treaty would have delayed the operation of the Japanese program for a year beyond the time when it was planned to put it into effect. It would have meant much loss of revenue to Japan and continuance of the existing treaty with the United States for another year would not have benefited this government according to the representation of the state department on the subject.

When the new treaty was received from the President on Tuesday, it immediately became the subject of wrangles. Pacific Coast senators feared it might have an effect on the labor situation on the Western Coast, by reason of the omission of the clause in the treaty of 1894, which it supersedes, recognizing the right of this government to pass an exclusion law. Friends of the treaty explained that the diplomatic notes accompanying it definitely pledged the Japanese government to prevent an influx of undesirable coolies through the rigid scrutiny of passports.

No Menace to Labor

An alien without a passport would of course be liable to deportation. The California senators, it is said, became satisfied early that the change would not menace the labor situation in their state.

Several other Western senators became alarmed, however, at what seemed to them unseemly haste in pressing the Senate to act. They desired sentiment to crystallize in their states and therefore prevented action for three days.

Supporters of the treaty endeavored to show that the presence of the clause on the subject of immigration in the treaty of 1894 was obnoxious to the dignity and pride of the Japanese empire, especially as neither it, nor any similar clause, is in any treaty with any other country. It was argued further that the existing treaty would have expired in another year and this country could not hope to induce Japan to sign a new treaty containing such a clause.

After a full discussion, the Western senators said they would not stand in the way of ratification, which was accomplished without a roll call.