The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-09
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHINA.


China for themselves viii find an answer in
the fact that its territory would make 134
Indianas and its population was ia times
that of this State in 1890 China proper
contains 1,556o0O square miles and has a
population of 350,O00OO0. 1t is the most
densely populated and the most productive
country in the world. If its people could
earn money enough to purchase as do 9TH
er people, China proper would be the great
est market in the world. AS it is the
Chinese are limited consumers of the prod
ucts of other countries 1t is a vast, dense
ly populated country, without railroads or
highways, whose people know few of what
even the poorest of European peasantry
know as the necessaries of life. Within
a few years railroads have been introduced
in a limited way, but sufficient to dispel
some of the superstitions of the masses.
Should the interior of the immense and
densely populated country be opened to the
world by railways it would awaken the
civilization which has gained little in
q thousand years to an appreciation of the
progress of this period. When this shall be
for the commerce of progressive and strong
nations. 1t viii. take many years for the
Chinese to attain to the intelligence and
energy of Japan, but the progress of the
latter is a promise of a less progress in
China-a less progress because the Japan
people to the Chinese.
This vast country and population is now
at the mercy of any Caucasian nation that
is permitted to capture it, Fortunately for
US, no one of the European powers will be
permitted to seize China. Each may per-
nit the other to take few ports, but all
are so greedy that no one will be permit
ted to seize undue portion of China to
the exclusion of the others. just now it is
evident that the rulers of China will show
favor to the European government which
will loan it the largest amount of money.
So anxious are the powers to obtain what
ever advantage may be derived from loan
ing money to China that several of the
powers insist that it shall be joint loan.
In this matter Great Britain seems to have
the lead, as it does in most matters af-
fecting the Orient.
To no country can the future of China
be of greater Importance than to the
United States We are nearer China and
Japan than other controlling nations. The
voyage from San Francisco to Yokohama
is now but twelve days. The center of the
United States is nearer China than was
New York TO London when the colonies
became a nation. Now that railroads are
building, mines opening and factories being
built in China, our location gives us an adj
vantage which should be made use of. The
invasion of China by modernism has begun.
The Emperor recognizes it by calling to the
direction of affairs Ii Hung Chang, the
only statesman of China who has made
tour of Europe and America to take notes.
These conditions force upon us most i'm
portant questions. Shall the United States
as a government take heed of the
projects of European governments to APP
propriate China? Shall it display a lack
of interest which would dictate that we
have no care for the commerce which is
sure to await the nations which are seek
ing to control China? There are those who
will answer these questions by asking if
our people favor the Selling of the ports
of China and insisting on being in the
deal if China is to be cut up and par
celed out to other nations. The rejoinder
is that holding to commercial rights in Chi
Ma does not necessarily involve the posses
sion of a part of the territory of that ma
ton. We can insist upon what is for our
interest without planting our flag upon the
soil of China. We are in a position to in
sist that nothing shall be done in regard
to China by European nations that will
check the development of our commerce in
that quarter
Here some one will doubtless quote the
warnings of Washington and other fathers
of the Republic regarding entangling alli-
ances with European nations. We have lis
tened to and observed those warnings a
long time We seem to have forgotten that
when those warnings were uttered the
United States was a small and isolated ma
ton struggling for existence. We desired,
above all things, to be let alone. To have
taken sides at that time with the changing
coalitions of Europe would have involved
us in ruin. Furthermore, we had no cause
to be involved in European contentious, be-
cause we had neither anything to gain nor
lose by such meddling. In hundred years
the situation has changed We have be-
come one of the greatest nations, in popu-
lation, position and material wealth. Steam
has made us neighbors of Europe; broaden
ing civilization has made worldwide mar
kets which we need as do other nations
To obtain them we must take an active
part in the settlement of all questions per-
tanning to them. Our representatives, as
the representatives of one of the controlling
nations of the world, must have seats in
every conference where the worlds mar
kets are to be disposed of. If Washington
were alive now he would favor such pol
icy, because it does not mean war or the
ACQUISITION of territory in distant quarters
of the globe, but a fair chance to obtain
share of the worlds commerce. in short,
we must not forget that the great changes
of the last century demand equally radical
changes in national policy.
AN INDIAN MOSES.