The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-15
III HUNG CHANG SHEER. Al u.
says n Single japanese ship 'uuid a a
Puget sound ia Wees.

Puget sound ia "a Wees.
William +. Curtis in Washingtou CTS Post.
Senator Squire's remarks aao4t fne H.
fenseless condition OF our coast REM as
me of what Ii Hung Chang said laat saEns
rner on the same subject le reps atetiy
int.mated that the government ~ ne
United States would have iuters"1n4 "a
behalf Of China during the late war if for
the fact that We were AFRAID OF "a IA
He made this remark 50 often t1at Z -
came irr:tated. and asked him III ne vas
serious or merely spoke Ia jest he refliei
that he was entirely serious. that DE- aln-
ceIely believed that President CleVcland's
policy concerning the Hawaiian islands ana
his attitude toward Japan were d-e % a
fear Lest the Japanese government mA@At
declare war against the United safes
| told him that the suggestion was Or POS
ferrous: that no such idea had eNcr enter
ed the presidents mind. and / id not
think that any single member OF The a.
600 o00 that make up the population 0f tbs
country had ever dreamed OF fear OF
Japan or any other OF the As.auc nations.
! asked him how such a thought entered
his mind.
your government and your people are
very unwise." he responded, II they are
not thinking of such things, particularly
since the events that have occurred IN
China during the last year. The japanese
are a very aggressive people. They are a
warlike people They ike TO fight, and
they are proud and arrogant. They Go not
care for the United States except as mar
ket for their SILK and tea, and # your gov
eminent ever inrerferes with their plans
either at home or In the Sandwich islands.
you viii find that their friendship is only
a pretense they keep up 10 encourage your
trade. If President Cleveland had re-
sponded to my appeal for intervention dur
.ng the late war. japan would have sent
her army and her ships from our harb1rs
to your country. and would have taken
possession of your Pacific states. Presi-
dent Cleveland knew that. because he $
far-slghted man. ard, Therefore, would not
show himself the friend of either Japan or
China"
I tried TO explain to Earl II the tradi-
tioral policy of the United States in for
e gn affairs. and quoted for his benefit
George Wash.ngtons warning against en-
tangling alliances. I told him that the
United States was afraid Of no nation on
earth. and was willing at any time to hight
Japan, or England. or Germany, or any
other of the great powers If It were necas-
sary 10 defend our honor or our dignity.
But our people did not believe in war; the
public sentiment Of the United States was
in favor Of the settlement of international
disputes by arbitration, and we always en-
6eavored TO mind our own business. When
ance. or when two friendly nations got into
a row, we usually offered our good offices
to arrange a reconciliation, hut the people
would not approve armed interference in
foreign affairs President Cleveland had
offered 10 act as arbitrator IN the settle
nent OF the differences between China and
japan. Tut he would not take sides with
either nation. not from fear Of Japan. but
because IL would b. a violation of the ira
ditions and the policy of the United States
government
The viceroy sneered IN a contemptJous
manner and said.
Japan has an army OF over 91,0a0 SOL
diers and the best guns In the world. She
has larger and better fleet Of warshlps
tina. the United States. She has ten times
as many torpedo boats as your govern
mcnt and her sailors know how 10 use
them while yolr sailors do not You have
only FIVE ships on the Pacific coast. wien a
coast line Of 300 miles TO protect, and sew
eral populous and wealthy cities that have
TO defenses whatever. You have no forts
al San Francisco that could keep out the
weakest eunooat in the navy Of japan.
and a single ship OF the japanese navy
could destroy every city on Puget sound
without the slightest difficulty in a week.
7 have studied the map and have talked
with people from your country and know
All about It, IT would take YOU six months
20 get any kihd or a Ueet around 10 PFct'rt
your Pacific coast, and you could not load
them with coal enough 10 keep their fires
going during the voyage from New York
20 san Francisco. Your whole Pacific
coast IS entirely defrnseless. and President
Cleveland Is v6ry- w.se n declining 10 he
mixed UP IN a row with Japan. If Japan
should declare war against the United
States she could have every soldier In her
army and every ship n her navy on your
rraEr WITHIN 4 She would take
possession of all your cities and your rail-
roads and your gold and silver mines and
vclr manufactures. and would hold them
until You paid any amount OF Indemnity
she might ask. President Cleveland know
thar az We'll I 90, and for that reason
he d.d not interfere n our war.
/ toi1 the viceroy that while MS descr. -