Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-10-13

terror of China; but we may more
wisely assume that they are preparing
for emergencies than to assume that
they are ignorant of current events
and Indifferent TO their own future. ii
Hung Chang saw the proposed par"
titiou of China, and he has been en-
gagged in preparations for meeting
that contingency. The people are chill
dren in diplomacy who have been un-
able to understand the trip around the
world which that venerable statesman
recently made. 1t was not prompted
by idle curiosity, nor was the trip
taken for his health.
Ii Hung Chang went forth before
the whole world, and the millions OF
people through whose territory he
Travelled saw back of his travels no
purpose whatever. But he had pur-
pose. He was preparing to meet the
invaders of his empire.
1t would have been impossible for
Ii Hung Chang to go to st. Petersburg
to confer with the czar without the
whole world knowing 1t. The great
statesman could not have sent forth
any one OF his most capable and trust
eG ministers without the fact becom-
ing known and understood by the
diplomatic world. But Ii Hung Chang
could take trip around the world,
and, in the presence of glaring mil
lions, he could communicate with the
czar and form an alliance which would
be beneficial to Russia, and at the same
time give to China a military force
which would prevent her dismember"
ment. And he did it.
Within the past month Great Brit
ain has discovered the fact that Rus
sia and China are dominating northern
Asia, and Great Britain may well be-
ware of the lndiaward progress of ths
czar, The partitioning of China will
not Immediately occur. China is Civ
ing away a few territorial fringes; that
Is all.
Now the question is: "Shall we help
England?" The answer should be-
that, since receiving the moral aid Of
Great Britain during the past year, we
should help England in every good and
laudabe endeayor, because England
aided us in a laudable endeavor. But
England has aided us in no interna.
tional folly; has aided us in no attempt
at national suicide; and, argal, Eng.
land has no right to expect this coun-
try to aid her in any direction which
might mean needless danger to our in
dividual and collective interests. II
it is deemed proper by British states
men to try conclusions in war with
China and Russia; to send armies and
navies against two nations having 700,.
100000 population-and that interna.
tional folly may be committed by
England-it is her undivided privilege
But England has no right to ask us to
close our eyes TO the conditions which
obtain; has no right to ask us to as.
sumo that China is a sick man instead
of wonderful power, although abso'
lutely dormant, so far as the outside
world can see.
The people of our republic fearless
ly faced the dread problem of war, and
the plain people have borne the brun'
Of it with courage anG heroism. The
, administration at Washington is now
endeavoring to solve the perilOui
problems of peace. The territorial eX
J pansion which grew out of the armed
r conflict is causing our best and strong
: est statesmen to pause and consider
: The form of government which shal
, be given 10 Puerto Rico and the Isle o
: Pines, and what form of goyernmen
: shall be established and-maintained fol