The record-union., 1897-12-01
GERMANY, CHINA AND THE
HAYTIEN INCIDENT.

China has officially replied to the
but making a counter offer namely:
She will pay for the property destroy
ed, and make reparation for the lives
of the missionaries killed, but she will
not agree to ascertain who We're the
murderers and to arrest them and the
Governor of the province and execute
them. That is as we understand 1t,
the Chinese Government believes that
an impossibility is demanded of it,
since the murders were the acts of a
vast mob, and the fixing of individual
guilt is impossible.
Moreover, China objects to German
occupation pending search for the muir
derers, as that means indefinite reten-
ton of Chinese territory. Nor is China
willing to pay the cost of sending the
German fleet to Chinese waters, nor
does she wish to grant the coaling sta
tion to the Germans in Kiaochau Bay
under German threat, but will diplo-
matically consider propositions of that
order. Moreover, China is utterly op-
posed to the retention of a German
force ir that bay or on its shores.
1t viii be seen, therefore, that throw
ing out the demand concerning the rail-
road monopoly in the Shan Tung Prov
ince, there is sufficient divergence be-
tween demand and refusal to involve
the two nations in war If Germany in
sists. OF course, China would be no
match for Germany. The latter power
can easily close every Chinese port and
occupy every fortification the Chinese
have on the sea coasts. If there is in
sistence, therefore. on the part of the
German Government, the other powers
must submit to see Germany secure
a valuable foothold in Chinese terri
tory. and to retain it, or they must in
terfere, and seek by diplomatic sugges-
ton and advice to bring about an ami
cable adjustment.
Germany does not want that She is
now asking precisely what the late
Confederacy insisted upon in vain, ito
be let alone" The truth is that the
demands Of Germany upon China far
exceed those permitted under interna-
tional law and usage, and pass into the
field into which it Is justifable for 9TH
er powers to step even without invita-
ton. It is a rule Of the law Of nations
that demands for indemnity and repair
alton made by one power upon another
are not matters of concern for other
powers until they exceed what common
justice and fair dealing justify; as
when they ask the performance Of the
impossible the concession of territory
where the dispute did not arise out of
territorial issues
Assurediy the clouds lower ominous-
ly for China The dispatch of a sec
ondary German fleet to Chinese waters,
bearing 3. 500 men under command of
the brother of the Emperor, is a menace
that portends very serious trouble, and
indicates an aggressive movement, from
which the Germans Will not be easily
withdrawn.
In the case of the German demands
upon Hayti In the Lueders case our
Government has been officially notified
OF the action Of Germany. and has been
asked to watch the developmets close
ly. Hayti, insignificant as it is. has
put on q bold front against German
demand, and 1atly refuses 10 comply
with its exactions.
Lucders. according to the Haytien re-
sponse. was subject to the law of place
precisely as were full-hedged Haytiens.
and was punished to the same extent
and in the same manner as those Hay
ITEMS who offended with him. Ac-
cordng 10 Hagtien law as Lueders was
born in Hayii and OF n Haytien mother,
he was "a Hayden citizen and not a
German subject. though his father was
a German. He had offended a year
before the incident that brought on
the present trouble. and his offense was
the same then as nov he assaulted an
officer of the Law and resisted arrest
In this case, LusasTs had trouble with
q hackman. was ar4ant. turbulent and
noisy, refused to be peaceful, was ar