Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-08-08
UNCLE SAM IS NEUTRAL.
The United States VIII Take No
Hand in the War Between
China and ,Tan1n


Washington, D. c., Aug 4.-The atti,
tude that the United States will assume liz
the conflict between China and Japam
was made public today at the department.
OF state. The attitude of the United
States toward the belligerents in the pres
ent war will be patterned upon our course
at Rio. We will side with neither China
nor Japan, but as was indicated by Mr..
Bayard, our ambassador to Great Brit
ain, who is fully aware of what is gOing
on, the attitude of the United States will
be one Of benevolent neutrality" This
is in keeping with our traditions, and It's
prudence and safety has been amply dem
OnStrated in the past. AS far as our 0v-ls
commerce is concerned we will accord il
such measure of protection and immunity
from interference as my be justly
claimed as Cur rights; but the present dis
position of the state department is to do
this individually or not in concert with
other European nations. In other words,
while we may act as the other powers.
upon that point, we will not be party
to any joint treaty or combination the
object of which is fOrcible interference
in China Or Japan. Doubtless it will de-
Velop that in many points we may act ia
accord with other commercial powers,
but as it remained for us at Rio to adopt
a bold and radical course, single handed,
SO 1t may be III China or Japan that we
snail act independently under a certain
condition Of affairs
A strong denial is entered at the state
department. OF the published story that
the United States has or will enter into
treaty with European powers to fOrcibly
occupy and keep open the treaty ports Of
China. 1t is also denied that any over
lures to that end have come to US from
any other countries When the conditions
were such that war only threatened, the
United States did use its good Offices to.
avert the evil. 1t did so to carry out q
solemn obligation imposed upon US by the
treaty with COrea. whereby we bound
ourselves to protect COrea in the following
items: IF other powers deal unjustly or
progressively with either government the
other will exert its good Offices on being
Informed of the case, to bring about an
amlca6le arrangement: thus showing their
friendly feelings" This obligation was
entered into in 1882, and it was under
it's terms that the President indicated to-
Japan that he would be panied should
she int1lct an unjust war nDOn COrea.
That was as far as the United State;
could go in the interest of our good o.
fees, and besides the shifting of the Wa:
cloud from Corea to China relieved Us
from the necessity of further action.
AT present we are scarcely in q posi-
ton to make much of a naval demOnstra-
ton in Asiatic waters. The entire Unit
ed States feet there consists of two yes
sells, the Baltimore and the Monocacy.
About a week ago orders were sent to
Behring sea to have the Concord and the
Petrol sent over to join the station, and
that is all that has been done in that di-
rectiOn so far. Secretary Herbert. be
fore leaving Washington for Alabama
last night. said that he had given no
further orders for reinforcements, and
Acting Secretary AcAdoo has not moved
in the matter TODAY