New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-29
TUF END or CHINA.

Tho ond Of China seems 10 he al hand. The
noljcv of Great Britain toward her has entered
upon a new and probably final stage IL is one
that NAV seem harsh. II also seems incv-
table and il asSrrrdly is justihable by the
rcmorsclcsS logic of imperial conquest we
NAV welcome il. also on the ground that II
means peace All talk Of conflict between
Great Britain and Russia is dismissed Inc
Lion and the Bear will lie down side by slde
and the Tlowcry Kingdom will provide their
coucb Neither OF them wants to fight; where
fore they say. each To the other: INSTEAD Oh
fighting each other, let us both spoliate TINS
"bcpless China" And 10 that task they SET
themselves with all avidity. Why not! IL
must come sooner or later and Ii Is better That
II should come now. without a blow. than here
after with an Notwithstanding war. That is
not cynic!sm: 1t is comm0n-sense philosophy.
Doubtless it woud be very nice to preserve
Chinese independence and 10 conduct that en-
plre in It's political integrity to highest clViliza-
ton. But doubtless no such thing can be done;
not. at any rate, under the present constitution
Of mankind The dying nations must give way
to the living and the only question is how the
change can be effected with least trouble and
disturbance.
Now this Is what has happened, and Is hap
pcning and is going to happen. China made
certain business contracts with Great Britain.
Russia tried To persuade or bully her to break
them Great Britain urged her not to yield to
bullying promising To protect her against any
harm that might be threatened because OF her
keeping faith But China finally decided 10
Weld 10 Russia At first Great Britain thought
of resentment against Russia. But why? Rus
sin had done only what Great Britain herself
might have done: she had simply cxertel Dtu-
cncc upon China and China had yielded. just
as she had formerly yielded. more than once
or twice to Great Britain. So now Great Brit
ain thinks better Of IT, She will not quarrel
with Russia but she will make China pay the
penalty for breaking the contract. She viii not
resist Russia's aggressOns in China. but herself
become aggressive. not against Russia, but
against China. She will not try 10 prevent
Russia from Selling the northern provinces Of
the empire but will balance the account by
herself Selling the central provinces And then
if France takes some Of the southern provinces
and Japan and Germany gather in few frag
mcnts here and there. everybody will be salts
fled and "everything will be gracefully con
Guided"
That as we have said. will be the end Of
China. save as n geographical expression. Sen
timentally that is TO he dcplorcl but scarcely
otherwise. 1t will be only one more added 10
the long list of empires since the time Of Baby
Ion or before that have fallen and been divided
generally for their own good. In our own
time we have seen Turkestan conquered, and
know il 10 be better off than II was The down
fall OF the Mogul dynasty in India seemed
pitiable but how much was thereby gained for
India itself. The final passing Of the Turkish
Empire will be a blessing 10 mankind. II we
go further back. there were the empires ~
Charlcmagne, Of Rome. of Persia, OF Egypt. OF
Assyria OF Alexander. OF Babylon. and how
many more? All IN their turn have fallen.
Now. latest Of all may fall the oldest Of them
all the empire that antedates Elan. that
old when the Shepherd Kings invaded Egypt,
and venerable before Ramcscs came 10 the
throne. Yet us fall will far less disturb the
world than that of any Of It's predecessors: so
much has the world outgrown il and so dead
even in life has it long been. And the chefest
consideration In this colossal crisis IS one Of Joy
that tho menace Of European war over y has
all but entirely been removed.