355
France and Russia have signified their approval in
principle, und, on the 1st instant, a Telegram was re-
ceived from our Ambassador at Tokyo stating that Japan
while complaining of China's failure to observe the
Treaty of 1903, however agrees in principle to the pro-
posal and will not make its criticism & conuition pre-
cedent.
In the opinion of my Government the contemplated
discussion is the first step toward securing financial
reform which must necessarily be precedent to, us well
as coincident with, administrative reform, and it be-
lieves that it is particularly desirable at this junc-
ture to welcome China's proposal and to implement the
provisions of the British, American and Japanese Trea-
ties. My Government feels that in the suggested Con-
ference it might be stipulated that foreign consent to
the increase of the Customs Tariff must be concitional
upon China's promise to inaugurate at once the desired
reforms.
(Signed)
I have &c.,
J. H. Carter.