The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-10-31
FRANCE IN

Our press dispatches oil q day O.
two ago gave an account Of the kill
ing of a number of unarmed AMMAN.
ties by the French. If the account
be true, Of which there is doubt, 1t il
an exhibition of barbarlty which
will not escape the severe criticism
of the civilized world. It is claimed
the acts were committed to terror.
ize" tho Annamites. This cannot be
true. If the poor defenseless hea.
thens were really massacred the deed
was committed by a drunken sol
diery. 1t Is hardly possible that a
French officer In this age would de-
~liberately plan a butchery Of men,
women and children. In the alb
sence of a motive for the deed the
account will be accepted with no lit
tie hesitation as to it's truth.
But that France is in Tonquin to
stay there can be no doubt. Her
presence there may lead to a protract-
ed war with China, still France will
assert her authority and maintain it
no matter how long and how bloody
that war may be. She has gone too
far to back down now. Ever since
the treaty Of 1874 there has been an
irreconcilable conflict of claims be-
tween the two powers which has
threatened to eliminate in war. BY
that treaty France Is bound to main
tain y pr~otectorate over AMMAN
which can be exercised only by over
throwing the suzerainty Of China.
On the other hand the latter power
claims the treaty is Of no force,
being invalid from the fact
that no act of a dependent power can
affect her own supremacy. Here lies
the conflict of claims between the
two countries. France claims the
right to exercise a ~protec.orate over
the Annamites and China claims the
people a her subjects.
1t would seem that at this point
the affair has passed beyond the
reach Of diplomacy. One or the other
must back down or both must fight.
China cannot in honor relinquish the
sovereignty she has enjoyed for ZEN
turtles, and France cannot give up the
protectorate she has bound herself to
A collision Is inevitable
unless the matter can be passed over
to the hands of a third power for
arbitration. It is evident from the
efforts of Minister Tseng that China
does not desire war. She has her
hands full now IN time Of peace, in
holding together the feeble members
Of her overgrown empire. Her l,eo-
pie are restless and rebellious. They
want a change aud in the insurrec-
districts the moment that
declares wal against France
will be the signal for their uprising.
And then again the Chinese can't
fight and their rulers know it. And
they further know that a war with
France would end in defeat and per-
maps send the lettering throne of the
to the ground. Hence they
lesire peace. But emergencies arise
with nations as with individuals
when they must fight, or yield not
'nly their honor but their substance.
It would seem that this alternative is
orced upon China.
France also desires peace. She can
,aye no wish to sail half round the
world to fight a semi-barbarous ene-
ny. Even should she conquer him
10 glory attaches to the victory and
lefeat would be the deepest humilia-
ion. She needs to husband all her
finances and all her strength for use
learer home. Still she will fight rath- {
r than relinquish her authority in I
Eonquin. But she will be compelled !
o conduct her warfare according ;
0 the rules Of civilized nations. |
he will not be permitted to l
ngage in massacres to 'terrorize" J
ler enemies. Great Britain does not !
AXE kindly to her attitude in Ton
uin and has already given warning !
hat her trade with the Orient must 1
'ot be interfered with by her neigh /;
or across the English channel. The '
ther European powers have shown !
heir teeth but have said nothing. =
t requires. however, only the knowl- r
dye that France has engaged in a '
utchery instead of a war to render 9
1e position oftaat nation at home as o .
'ell as in Tonquin extremely un- +
The teeth which have a
cen shown may then bite. \
A Toronto, Canada, man claims to y
ave invented a continuance to pre- =