The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-06
Secretary Sherman and the Chinese
Question.

q statement in regard to the far Eastern
question. with the general wisdom Of
which we shall not ut present a issue.
But it contains one declaration which
seems to have been uttered without due
consideration, and to betray a very great
misconception Of our interest in China
After asserting reassurinRly that too
much significance is given to the fact that
the armed fleets of Russia, Germany, and
England are congregating In Chinese ports
| and that "there is no evidence that they
are doing SO " for any hostile purpose" the
Secretary adds: again, should it be con-
coded that China is to be partitioned by
the powers, how. pray, is that to interest
us materially The powers would gladly
seize the opportunity to trade with us.
Our commercial interests would not suffer
as far as I can see in the least-quite the
contrary. Therefore I repeat that none Of
our commercial interests being endangered,
Great Britain could not naturally expect
aid from the United States"
This is an astounding statement to come
from an American Secretary Of State, since
nothing could we'll be more misleading. 1t
is known to every schoolboy that one of
the greatest commercial wars of modern
times has been going on in Eastern Asia
for years, and that not only our own conn.,
mercial interests but those of all the great
| European powers are deeply concerned in
the outcome. 1t has been pointed out time
and again by American travellers, Ameri-
can missionaries, American Consuls, and
American Ministers that, while the inter
ests of China would be greatly promoted
| h. fbo a~ta,ofan ~ har nop,n,orca r,ifb tha
United States, which has no designs
against her territory, that while American
engineers and contractors should build the
Chinese railroads, open the Chinese mines,
and develop the resources of the Chinese
Empire, and that, while American states
men should be preferred to reorganize and
reform the Chinese Government itself, the
jealousy and intrigues Of the European
representatives have, even in times ofpeace,
defeated every measure designed to pro-
mote these ends. That Russia, Japan,
France, and England have territorial
possessions within the ancient borders
of China, wrested from her from time to
time, and under whatever pretext, by the
strong hand, is a fact of great Significance.
That Germany has recently taken violent
possession of Kiao Chou Bay, which may
be claimed as lying in the Russian sphere
| Of actual or potential influence, is also a
significant fact that cannot be disputed.
| That none of these powers have ever volun-
tarily given up territorial possessions once
fairly within their control is known of all
men. That the Chinese Empire is a help
less hulk, without mast, rudder or engines.
that any one, even the meanest among the
| n:-sI,oal o,,,ar ~ laa~n;1 how yvsfhn,,f
fear of powerful resistance, has been dem
onstrated beyond all doubt by Japan. And
that any one of the powers may therefore
extend it's possessions indefinitely toward
the interior of the empire, unless inter-
fcred with by the others, is self-evident.
When it Is considered that Russia has
taken the Amur and Usuri valleys from
China, an empire in themselves, within the
last century, and now holds almost undis.
puted sway in Manchuria, it requires no
violent stretch of the mind to predict that
she will seek to further extend her sway,
toward, If not to, the north bank of the
Yang-tse-kiang, as necessity and opportu-
nifty permit. 1t has been suggested that the
movement of Russia into central and east
ern Asia has not taken place under well
defined and formulated policy, but is the
result of forces as unconscious and ~irresist-
ible as those which cause glaciers to flow
| toward the sea. But be this as it may, there
is nowhere visible a will disposed to stay
this movement, nor a force powerful
enough to resist it.
That Great Britain, holding Hong Kong
in the Southeast, and Burmah, formerly a
Chinese buffer State, in the West. should
| .aaL tn axtanl har copfrn1 Nua, tha ;~fa,
vening country as far north as the south
bank of the Yang.tse-K iang. Lord SAILS
BUR- may deny, but all the history of
British conquest in Asia gives him the lieI!
Great Britain must move to advance her
sway il Russia does. Those two are al.
ready the great Aslatic powers which have
divided the continent and split only
around China. If one moves the other
must move also, though she may not want
to do so. 1t is destiny, and she cant help It'll
That France, who has taken possession of
Tonkin and Cochin China within the last
decade, and is credited with recently rails,
ing her flag in Hainan, should seek to ex-
tend her domination in the direction of
Canton and the Shan States, may fairly
be inferred from what she has already done.
| French politicians and French newspapers
do not conceal their desire to build up a
colonial system for the purpose of finding
| an outlet for French n enter.
prise. Neither the savages of the Niger
nor the swamps of the Mekong have been
permitted to stay her advance. Why should
Mr.. SHERMAN suppose that the wealth of a
heather region should prove less attractive
merely because the Chinese Emperor, him
self the descendant of Manchu filibusters,
claims 1t as his own2
And lastly, who can say that the German
Emperor. who helped Russia and france
break the grasp of the Japanese irojen
from the hilt of the Regents sword ON the
Chinese mainland, and as yet has received
no pay for his services, does not intend, on
his life, to hold by the strong hand what
he has taken in the neighborhood of Kiao
Chou Bay, or to get an equivalent some