New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-23
THE PETITION or SIAM.

The situation in Farther India is perfectly
simplc. There arc no diplomatic complica-
tions. no disputed boundaries, no historic
claims There is on one side ownership, on the
other desire and the Power that owns Is weak
and the Power that desires Is strong. From
time immcmoral the boundary between Anam
and Siam has been a mountain range midway
between and parallel with the Mekong River
and the China Sea this, as lar south as the
junction of the Scsong River with the Mekong,
where the line turns to the southwest and cuts
across to the Gulf of Siam. Thus the entire
Mekong Valley north Of the Scsong up to China
belongs to Siam; and all south of it to that
Dart of Anam known as Cambogla. Concern
ing these facts there is no dispute.
A few years ago, however, the French took
possession of Anam, including both Tonquln
at the north and Cambogia at the south. This
was a good beginning for a colonial empire.
But the ambitious and enterprlsng gentleman
who now is Goycrnor-G cncral of the whole
territory was not satisfied herewith. Seeing
that the lower reaches Of the AckOng, already
in French possession, were important and valu-
able. he determined to secure for France the
upper reaches Of the same stream, and all its
enormous basin as far as the Chinese bom-
Diary. No claim was put forward that this
vast region ever belonged to Anam. lie was
too honest to make any such shifty and base
less excuse He simply said that the Mekong
basin was coed region to have, and therefore
France should have it and that a new boun-
dary of his own marking, was more scientific
than the old one, which had been accepted on
both sides for centuries, and therefore it should
be adopted. France wants more land. and she
proposes to get it by annexing forclbly about
one-third of Siam. That is all.
Now it might be rcckoncd wrong for man
in such manner to increase the area of his
farm, or of his city lot at the expense of a
weaker ncighbor. But if We Judge nations by
the same rule, what strong Power shall be held
blamclcss? Land grabbing is the order of the
day, and has been in all time Columbus him
self was mighty land grabbcr in the name
of Leon and CASTLE. 80 were all the colonists
in the Americas. France and England both
grabbed at India and England got il. Russia
has grabbed, in the most barcfaced style. the
bulk Of Central Asia and is still grabbing.
And as for Africa and the islands of the sea,
have not half dozen Powers been grabbing
with both hands, until now scarcely n handful
remains unappropliatcd? There are even those
who say that the United States has not, in
dealing with the Indians always observed the
law of mcum ct tuum. 80 who shall say France
nay in this latest grabbing enterprise? China
might, but before her sleepy manda'inS can
act the French will be opening bouleyaIdS and
printing newspapers and singing the Marscil-
laisc from one end OF the Mckong To tho
other. Besides China is not likely TO try to
fight France on the Mckong and Russia on the
AMOR at once. As for England, She may do
something, but it will more probably he to
grab all Of Siam that France leaves than 10
keep France from grabbing any. II would be
"A sight for gods and men To sec England send
a force from India, which she grabbed long
ago. across Burmah. which she has only just
grabbed To make France. whom she cuchrcd
out of Egypt, keep her hands off siam. There
is no other Power in position to interfere, or
even seriously 10 demonstrate.
SO France seems likely TO have free hand
in her work of absorbing lndo-China, until
the last remnant Of bufcr-state" has dis
appeared. One Of these days the big fishes
will have swallowed all the little ones Russia
and England will meet in the IImaayas, and
France and England will meet somewhere in
what is now Siam. And then?