The age-herald., 1898-01-23
IT IS A WAR OF
 DIPLOMACY IN CHINA
Ry NED BRACE.

me press QlSpatcneS IrOn Cnlnd lncu- cate an alarming situation. It seems that China is like a whale out of water. It is helpless, and it is in a hopeless condition. China gave Russia a quit-claim deed to Port Arthur and the Liaotong peninsula. Japan made objection. Japan objected be- fore Russia agreed to supply China with the money to pay the remainder of the war indemnity due Japan. The payment of this indemnity would mean that Japan should evacuate Wei-Hai-Wei. Japan does not care to evacuate Wei-Hai-Wei at pres ent Such would drive the mikado entirely from China.
 While Russia and Germany have been gaining footholds in China England has been champing at the bit, so to speak. Eng land has heretofore controlled four-fifths of the Chinese trade. The British Lion realizes that Russian and German acqui- sition of Chinese territory would mean cold robbery of one-haf of her Chinese trade. At first England was inclined to drive Russia and Germany back by force. Eng land did use force to maintain an English man as supervisor of the collection of cus- toms in Korea. The Russians, not being prepared to go to war, resorted to diplo- macy, ana llnally perSuduSu Gn6iaHu to allow a Russian to divide honors in the supervision of the collection of Korean cus- toms with the Englshman. This settled that matter temporarily.
 Great Britain feels that she cannot well afford to declare war with the triple al- liance of Russia, Germany and France, in order to drive these governments back from the acquisition of Chinese territory. England has consequently resorted to dl- plomacy. The English diplomatic repre- sentatives have surrounded the court of the emperor of China They have pene- trated the inner circles far beyond the tsung Ii yamen. Everybody knows that the Chinese official, from the emperor down, is susceptible to bribery. England has finally resorted to that which Russia has been indulging in for more than two years. Instead of war with bullets, Eng land has resorted to war with dollars as weapons. The Lion has attacked the em- peror of China, having bribed and fright ened the attendants. And now the Chinese government would rescind its action in concedng valuable territory to Russia and to Germany.
 Thus far the present war in the far east will be one of diplomacy. It will, how ever, be almost interesting gen. uine powder and ball war. It may soon result in such. Japan, having been de- feated in the game of diplomacy many times, is now preparing for actual war. Japan has formed an offensive and de- fensive alliance with England. Japans navy is, in truth under the command of the English admiral Japan has just des- patched nine additional warships to Chi nese waters. The mikado has also sent urgent cables to English shipyards and to Cramps shipyard at Philadelphia to hurry her armored cruisers now being con- structed at these yards
 In the meantime England is making rapid preparations for war. Russia, France and Germany are doing the same.
 The whole matter is a struggle for trade it is a struggle for the inland as we'll as coast trade of China. The court of the Chinese emperor is infested by Germans, Russians, English and Americans, all struggling for rights and franchises to construct railroads through the interior of China. Capitalists of all these coun- tries are behind the movements Big div idends are promised, and men in this age.
 
 dividends.
 The situation in the far east Is o yet critical. Twenty years ago. if the same situation had existed, war would have been declared before this time. As it is now, with modern guns and machinery of war, every nation hesitates and fears to cross swords with another nation. Each one realizes that the results would be fearful. Thus England, Russia and Ger many hesitate Japan does not. The aver age Jap would prefer to die in the glory of battle than to live in commonplace peace. Japan is the dangerous quantity. England on the one hand, and Russia and Germany on the other, could settle their differences automatically and peacefully. Japan, however, may precipitate a war any day or any hour.