New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-04
serving American interests In that quarter o'

serving American interests In that quarter Oh
the globe.
American interests in China are primarily
commercial Boundaries. buffer States, the bni-
ance OF political power and all such matters
are OF little importance TO us, so long as Chhese
markets are open to American traders on equ'ii
terms with the rest of the world That they
shall thus be open is Il treaty right on the nlilh-
tenance of which this Government may Weii
insist The first treaty between the TWO couh'
tries made in 1914. provided that Americans
trading in China shall in no case he subject 10
"other or higher duties than are or snail DE
required of the people Of any other nation
"vbatever and If additional adyan-
"taccs and privileges Of whatever description
"be conceded hereafter by China to any otner
nation the United States and the citizens there
"of shall be entitled thercupon to complete
equal and impartial participation III the same.
The next treaty. in 1873 provided that shouih
China at any time grant to any nation or lis
subjects or citizens ANY right, privilege or
favor which Is not conferred by this treaty
such right privilege and favor shall at once
freely nure TO the benefit OF the United states
'its officers merchants and citizens These pro
visions have been repeated and re-emphaslZed
In various later treaties They have never beeh
abrogated or repealed They are to-day vald
and binding part of the legal relationship pc
tween China and the United States.
Treaties do not, however. automatically en-
force themselves. There could be no greater
mistake than to suppose that these will do so
in the present case On the contrary, without
strenuous lnsistcnce by this Government the
indisputabc treaty rights of the United states
are likely 10 be ignored and violated for the
benefit OF the moro aggressive European POW
ers For example. China has granted 10 Russia'
BY treaty. the right to build railroads, open
mines establish garrisons and occupy ports. III
three or four OF her no. theastern provinces.
According to the Instruments quoted, the United
States and It's citizens are "entitcd 10 n COM
plcte. equal and impartial participation in those
privileges Yet they do not enjoy such part!cl-
nation. and neither China nor Russia means
that they shall. On the contrary, Russia claims
those privileges as exclusively her own. and is
AZ this moment hurrying troops to the scene to
prevent by force the enjoyment Of them by this
or any other nation. similar violation or
American treaty rights is threatened in Shan
Tung. There have been rumors, It is true, that
Kiao- Chau will he made a free port. but they
seem TO have little foundation. The true in
pressed by the Cologne Gazette'-namely, that
treaties between China and other States have
mo validity there and consequently foreign
Estates cannot appeal to tho most favored ma
"tlon' clauses nor claim similar rights to those
granted Germany" Finally, it is openly in
dlcated that France aims to secure a similar
monopoly FOR herself in Yun-Nan Hai-Nan and
other provinces in the south, from which Ameri-
bon no oil off a =
now is from Tonquln and Cochin China.
Contrast with this the attitude of Great Brit
ain. Years ago she acquired the great Chinese
port Of Hong Kong and made and kept 1t open
to all the world. Last year she prevailed upon
China to open the West River 10 all the world.
Now she asks that several additional ports be
opened not alone to her, but to the United
states and to all the world. on equal terms.
She has contended not only for her own but for
the maintenance Of orr treaty rights. even to
the extreme extent of threatening war II those
rights are abridged In that Just and generous
stand Great Britain must command the admira-
ton and sympathy Of the United States, aud
her abandonment Of 1t, II current reports should
unhappily prove true. would be deplored be-
yond all expression. Certainly II VIII not be
deemed uniting for the United States to take
a similar stand In doing so it Will not merely
be protecting commercial interests. which are
now great ard which premise one day TO be
enormous 1t will be standing for those prin-
ciples Of freedom and equality upon which its
commercial intercourse with all the world IS
founded And 1t will be vindicating the validity
and sacredness Of those treaty obligations which
underlle international law Justice and comfy
and the peace and progress Of the world.