The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-02-18
JOHN RUSSELL YOUNG.
United States Minister to Picking.

The United States Government
has been named as not unlikely to be
| called upon to arbitrate between
France and China in the unfortunate
| dispute between these two countries,
which has resulted in the present
war. Serious fighting has occurred,
to the pref Udice of commercial inter
! ests outside of those belonging to the
| belligerents. While the United King
| dom and the British Colonies have
| the bulk of commercial intercourse
with China, so far enjoyed by for
| eigners, such is the state of feeling
prevailing between the people of
| France and Great Britain that media
! ton between China and France by
| the British Government would prob
| ably not be acceptable to French SEN
sibilities. AS, therefore, the United
| States comes second in the amount
of trade with China, is interested,
next to Great Britain, in the restora-
ton of absolutely peaceful relations
| between China aud France, and is on
| perfectly good terms with both these
countries, there is propriety in the
| suggestion that the Government at
| Washington should employ it's eff
| forts for peace between them. In
| 1882 the trade of the United States
with China amounted to about ST.
100000 worth of goods imported from
| hn ITnifnI
| $4,000. 900 exported to it. The pres
ence of American meu-of-war in
| Chinese waters at this juncture is
! evidence of the Importance placed on
! the United States commercial inter
course with China by the Govern
ment, arbitration by which would
| probably be acceptable to both
France and China, and at the same
time subserve American business in
terests. These considerations give
strong possibility to the report, now
and again repeated, that the U. S.
| offices will be sought in mediation;
and bring into prominence the man
who represents her in Peking. The
Z. S. representative to China has the
rank of Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister PlenipOtentiary and upon
him, in the event of American arbi-
tration, would fall diplomatic duties
of great Importance. Fortunately his
career gives confidence that he would
be found equal to their adequate per-
formance.
John Russell Young is a native of
Philadelphia, and is now about forty
five years of age, more or less. He
was of humble parentage, and re-
ceived only such education as the
public schools afforded. How he
was employed for some years after
leaving school does not appear, but
before he was twenty-one he filled q
subordinate position in the business
office of the Philadelphia Press, at
that time owned by John w. Forney.
This gentleman was pleased with
Young, and advanced him to the edi-
torial department, where he rose
steadily in the newspaper profession,
as guided by the friendly and judi
cious hand of his employer. He soon
stood among the men at the head of
journalism in Philadelphia, leading
editor on the Press, an excellent
writer on political subjects and bril-
liant war correspondent. Soon after
the war he attempted to establish a
daily paper in his native city, which
he called the Morning Post, but failed
/ in the experiment. He had no better
luck in another enterprise of the same
sort, namely, to establish a daily
newspaper in New York City. 1t was
, called the Standard, and was modelled
after its namesake published in Lon
don. These two serious failures led
to his resumption of saIaried engage
ments. AS a member of the staff OF
the New York Herald, he gained the
esteem and confidence of its pro
prietor, and when the younger Ben
nett succeeded his father in the
ownership, Young was continued in
favor with the Herald management.
AS a member of its staff he accom-
panied ex-President Grant in his trip
: around the world, and still retains a
connection with it. The State De-
partment is said to look upon Mr..
= Young as one of its most capable
representatives abroad.
Personally, he is popular and highly
respected. His private life has been
saddened by bereavement. He is a
widower the second time. The hOnors
of his office are accompanied with a
salary of SO. 600 a year.