The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-17
Germany Gives China Good Advice.

Germany Gives China Good Advice.
We learn by cable that the Berlin Govern
ment has rejected China's request for me
diation, on the ground that no such proposal
has been made by Japan. It appears, fur.
ther, according to the Berlin correspondent
OF the London Standard, that China's rep
resentatives have been advised TO apply d..
rectly TO the power with which the Middle
Kingdom has seen fit to engage in war.
Why should Germany seek to arrest the
struggles Simply because China has got
beaten It is plain enough that IL the
Chinese, or, rather, their Manchu rulers,
had proved successful in the present contest,
they would not I've securing the earth in
search OF a mediator.
TIL Germans know by their own expert
ence in 1901, what to think OF the at
tempt now making in certain quarters to
rob the Japanese of the fruits of victory.
The Franco-German contest began with a
declaration of war in which the French
Legislative Chamber almost unanimously
concurred, and the same spirit of exultant
confidence found vent in the shouts of "On
to Berlin ~ which resounded through the
StIttIS Vi IdTlS' pOIle nlOUJnS later, Wnen
the French were beaten, NJ. THEIRS under
took his pilgrimage in quest of some medi-
atory power, and was everywhere informed
that, in the absence of proof that Germany
also desired mediation, no overture to that
end could be properly made. In other
words, he was made to understand that war
would I've a farce IL the moment one of the
parties were worsted it could by an appeal
to outsiders, shirk the consequence Of de-
feat. So THEIRS went home, and he and
JULES FAvRE between them got the best
terms they could from BISMARCK.
Ii Is a pity that our State Department did
not adopt the same strictly neutral and dis
interested attitude which, as we see, is
maintained by Germany. Through his
proffer Of mediation, unsolicited by the
Toxic Government, Secretary GRESHAM has
caused this country to be viewed with not
unnatural suspicion by Japan. In the ma
ture of things such an offer, unless respon-
sive to previous applications from both
sides, Is made in the interest of the van
pushed, and may be justly regarded by the
victor as oficious and impertinent. The |
pretence that it is made in the interests Of
humanity is, in this case at all events,
ridiculous. As we have pointed out, the
of the Manchu dynasty at
Pekin Is fervently wished for by the masses
OF the Chinese people and it ought also to be
noted that, wherever the Japanese soldiers
have gone, even in Manchuria, they have
been welcomed by the inhabitants. There
is. moreover, n special reason why the
Ministers may we'll look askance
at an overture emanating from our State
Department. They are not likely to have
that at the outset Of the Corean
imbroglio, Secretary GRESHAM went out Of
his way to publish his hasty and ill-founded
opinion that china had the right and Japan
the wrong side of the controversy. Under
The circumstances, it required extraordinary
on the Secretary's part to presume
hat the Japanese would accept him as an
impartial mediator. For such a role he had
disqualified himself in advance.
We can tell the Government and people of
Japan that in their contest with the rotten
dynasty at Pekin they have the
hearty good will Of Americans, and, indeed, of
I'll well-informed and right feeling observers
he world over. II they failed to obtain the
ympathy of Secretary GRESHAM, ii was be-
'ause he knew next to none of the facts, and
ecause both he and his master take their
opinions second hand from London. In this
they have few followers among
ound-hearted Americans. Japan, therefore,
nay, without the least fear OF affronting the
itizens Of this republic, give GREsHAM's
OF mediation the cold and %distrustful
reception which it deserves. He and the
British Foreign Secretary will have to con-
some more plausible scheme for rescuing
he Pekin Government from the conse-
Iuences Of its folly, and thus upholding
highlands commercial ascendancy in the
fiddle Kingdom.
Japan should decline all suspicious offers
I mediation, and wait until China takes
iermany's advice, which is dlsinterested,
nd plainly, was not inspired by England.