St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-01
between TWO FIRES.
Australia's Attitude on the
Chinese Question Bothers
the Britishers.
The Government Cannot AZ
ford to Offend China or
the Colonists.
Plotters Keep the Balkan
States in a State Of
Eruption.
Tory Lowther Gets to the
Front in the Thanet
Election.
Special Cablegram to the Globe.

LONbON3 ullO llO 4uCotiOli VI
Chinese immigration into Australia has
placed the English government on the
horns of a dilemma from which it is i'm
possible for England to extricate herself
with suffering considerable injury. On
the one hand, England runs the risk of
offending China, and on the other there
is the danger of exciting an unfrienely
feeling against the mother country in
Australia. The treaty obligations of
Great Britain with China are not alto
gether compatible with the action of the
colonists regarding Chinese immigration.
The treaty of TienTZin, signed June
26, 1858, does not appear to contain any
clause that bears upon the question.
But the treaty Of Pekin, signed October
"a, 1860, provides that after the exchange
of certain ratificationS the emperor of
China will proclaim that Chinese chOOS-
ing to take service in the British colo
nieS are at perfect liberty to enter into
engagements with British subjects for
that purpose and to ship themselves and
their families on board any British YES
sci at any of the open ports of China;
also that the Chinese high authorities
shall, in concert with her Brittanic
majeSty'S representatives in China,
PROTECTION OF CHINESE
emigration as above as the circum-
stances of the different open ports may
demand. The general sense of the
clause is that the arrangements affect
ing Chinese migration to the colonies
should be made between the Chinese.
authorities and the British minister in
China. With this intention, the Aus
tralian enactmentS, the Chinese ambaS-
sador claims, are incompatible, and they
ought, therefore, one and all, to have
Chinese government, though it has re-
luctantly opened portion of its domin-
ions to English traders, and was, until
this question came up, on terms of great
amity with her majesty y'S*goyernment,
has never yet opened China to English,
men in the same manner that European
countries are open to them. NotWith-
standing this, the court of Pekin has
thus far refused to consent to any re-
striction apon the emigration of its sub
jectS to Australia. The colonial secre-
tary admits that the question is most
serious one, as it comes at most inop-
perfume moment, when rupture of the
friendly feelings existing between
England and China might prove a Sc
we're blow to the Indian government
and bring
DISASTER TO THE BRITISH ARMY
in Burmah, especially that portion on
the Thibetan frontier. A false step on
the part of the colonial Office might also
land in England in complications which
would forever put an end to the friendly
relations which at present exist between
England and her colonies. In the pres
ent crisis, to force Australia to run
counter to her wishes would be to put
an end, once and for all, to the dream
of imperial federation. That fascinat-
ing idea can never become reality un-
less the principle is firmly grasped that
in all matters of dispute that portion of
the empire whose interests are most at
stake should have the casting vote.
Most Englishmen have an inherent dis
like to the inhospitality of excluding
foreigners from their shores, and in the
present case, after England has forced
China to receive her traders and mer-
chants into her ports, 1T seems peculiarly
unjust to arbitrarily exclude Cinnamon
from her territories. Australia will,
however, be the sufferer from
THE INFLUX OF CHINAMEN.
and it is, therefore, not tor Englishmen,
who sit quietly at home, to preach
resignation and doctrines of high human
ity.
Stringent instructions have been sent
the British force in Siktkim not to cross
the border at present into Thibet, and
also to act only on the defensive. 1t is
now believed that, owing to the action
of the Australians, the mission of the
two high officials dispatched some time
ago as resident Representatives to Shassa
by the Chinese government will prove
failure. A grave state of things
would then arise, which would undoubt-
edly compel the British force at Sikt-
kim to fall back on the main force of
the British army at Burmah, as the
Chinese and dacoits in that district
would join hands with the Thibetans
and make common cause against the
British, not only in Siktkim, but in the
whole of Burmah.