New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-16
THE CHINESE TREATY.


The new treaty just signed between INC
United States and China, though 1t contains no
single stipulation of very great magnitude 10
n remarkable evidence of the change III Ciliheso
policy of which Mr.. Burlingame is the heraiu'
II recognizes in the fullest manner that Cnila
is a member of the family of nations, ana en-
titled as such to all the respect and mmuhitieS
in its dealings with the rest OF the world WHICH
are accorded by the different powers Oh CnriS-
tendon toward each other. 1t provides LOT the
appointment of Chinese COnsuls at foreign
norris. and the admission of Chinese pupliS 10
American schools and colleges, without religious
or political tests Whenever the Emperor may
see fit TO commence the construction OF rail-
roads. teleQraphs or other internal improve
ments. the United States will designate en-
ginears but orr Government dsclams the
right TO interfere with the domestic admins
tration of China in any way. American citlzehS
in China shall enjoy freedom OF religious "or-
shin, and shall have the privilege OF MAINTAIN
ing schools in those cities Of the Empire where
they may reside The right of voluntary emil
grafton is explicitly declared, the Coolle trade
is denounced, and there is an article rec0gnH-
ing the importance of a uniform standard OF
weights, measures and coins From this syn
opsis it will appear that the treaty Is more I'M
portant for what it indicates than for what IL
actually establishes. All the points embraced
in il have been covered by separate treaties
with different powers, and no privileges are
accorded to the United States which have not
already been granted to others. Commercial
and special conventions will doubtless be made
hereafter; the present instrument seems de-
signed mainly to establish the place of China
in the international confederation, ana TO ratlIy
the various agreements which she has maze
with our representatives at one time OF anOthcr'
One of the greatest difficulties in the way oil
satisfactory intercourse between China and the
Western world has been the difficulty OF de-
termlnng just how China was to stand IN re-
lation TO the Outside Barbarians But this
treaty removes the obstacle entirely 1t re-
cognizes the equality and brotherhood OF ma
TONS and expresses the desire of China to
enter into close commercial and diplomatic
intercourse with the rest of the world What
results must follow from this wonderful reyo-
luton we need not stop to guess, but they can
hardly fail to be magnificent.
II is gratifying to reflect that American COM
mon sense anu lulI uctllHb HhN' pi""7"' '''''
n change in the policy of the venerable En-
pire of the East which Great Britain and the
other European Powers failed to enforce by
repeated wars. The treatypOwcrs extorted
from China the privilege of trading at certain
ports, of travelling through the Interior OF
sending embassies TO Pekin; but The Saturday
Rcrieic, in "A waspish article on Mr.. Burlln-
games mission, complains that the tayors they
secured with so much pains are gradually
Slipping through their fingers and breads that
they may not be recovered without another
war. The experience of the last few years
we should think, ought to have convinced even
The Saturday Reric,c that the bOmb-shell policy
is bad one, and that if England wishes to
emulate our success she must deal as honestly
as we do English statesmen, at any rate, see
this. and will welcome the Embassy as heartily
and cooperate with it as truly as our own
Government is doing. The oldfashOncd Brit
ish way of entering a foreign kingdom, by
cracking the skull of anybody who tried to bar
the door, we trust has been finally abandoned
Lord Palmerston was its last great representa-
tive; and since his time parties have been
agreed that, if they want fayors which will
not slip through their fingers, they must get
them in the American fashion