Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-03
Mr.. TELLER'S VIEWS
Effect on This Country Of Chinese
Dismemberment.
ALLOUR TREATIES WITHHER WILL FAIL
The Economic Conditions of the
World Will Be Changed.
GREAT BRITAIN INTERESTED

While men of influential position in Con-
gress are slow to give public expression to
their views on the Chinese question, the
opinion Is spreading among both senators
and members of the House that steps will
have to be taken to protect our interests in
the east and that we cannot rely on our
existing treaty rights if Russia, Germany
and France are to be permitted to go ,;head
with plans they may have for the dismem-
berment OF the empire. Thus far most of
those who are thinking of the matter SER
lousiy have confined themselves to private
expressions OF opinion and to consulta ton
among themselves on the subject. There is
no party nor sectional division. Those feel
ing that something should be done to pro-
tect our interests are among the leading
men on both sides of the Senate and House
An attitude of Indifference Is occupied by
some. but this is passing away as the mat
ter Is discussed. Some Of the leading re-
pubicans hope that the administration will
take strong position in the matter in
dealing with the governments interested,
so that Congress will not have to take any
part IN suggesting or urging q policy In
any aggressive course followed they will
nave the support of the opposition party
on the ground that the welfare of the ma
ton Is involved and that there can be no
partisanshfp In dealing with such a ques-
ton.
Senator TeIler's Views.
Senator Teller today said that he thought
the country should soon see what a seri-
GUS menace was the proposition to dis
member China.
IL this ACKNOWLEDGMENT is permitted"
he said, 'our treaties with China fall
q nd hall
powers who take possession OF the Chinese
territory. Russia will get the biggest
slice. and if she is not particularly a com
petltor or ours now she will then become
one. Germany and France are not likely tc
get much out of the division of the en-
pre- Russia viii be the great power, but.
however ii is divided. barrier will be
erected against our trade. After the dis.
memberment has occurred We cannot say
10 the governments that have taken pos
session of China that we have certain
treaty rights. They will reply that there
Is no China and are therefore no treaties
But that Is not the worst of it, II this
aislhemberment occurs the people of what
IS now China will become the producers
Tor the whole world. A competitor in
production and trade will be introduced
against which We nor no other people can
successfully contend
Economic Conditions VIII Be Chang
ed.
Tine economic condit'r OF the whole
world will be changed. The people of
China have greater power of production
than have any other like number of peopIe
in the world All they need is TO be arous-
ed to the effort and to have their efforts
properly directed. Inspired by enterprise
and energy of Germany and Russia, they
would become the producers for the world.
and. they would produce so cheaply that
mere would be no competition with them
Inc country Is immensely rich in natural
resources. They have great mineral
wealth, territory suited to diversified
products and population capable of the
greatest skill and industry and habituated
to mode of life which would enable them
to do what no other people could Their
laDor and the development would contrib
ute to the wealth and power of the ma
aions possessing the dismembered empire.
Inc commerce and wealth of other nations
would shriyel up. Russia, with her domin-
ion extended over the greater part of
China, would practically overrun the earth
It is against the interest of nations and,
perhaps, even threatening to our civilian
ton to have China dismembered 1t would
be destructive to Great Britain, as it would
be to US. If China goes the entire oriental
territory there will go. 1t is not imDrob-
able that the hand of Russia would extend
into India.
A Failure to Interfere.
when it is said that the United States
cannot interfere 1t should be understood
what failure to interfere will involve
The dismemberment of China means the
cutting off of our commerce in the orient
and the introduction of competitor who
will deprive us of the commerce of the rest
of the world and even supply our own peo-
pie. We cannot permit this without sinking
to the position of third or fourth-rate ma
tion helpless, degraded and without infiu-
ence among the nations of the earth. We
would have to submit to the domination of
an absoiutism among the nations: our own
institutions would take decline, and
the civilization represented by this govern
ment and the English government would
cease to progress. We would suffer more
than any other people. We have more in
volved and would be more directly injured.
1t is folly. therefore. to say that we should
have nothing to say. 1t is our duty to pre-
vent this dismemberment Of China. as 1t is
that Of Great Britain. We should join with
Great Britain IN a notice to Russia and
Germany that the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of China
will not be permitted. Even without Great
Britain We should give such notice. AL
most our very existence a nation is in
volved. We should have nothing more than
a mere existence should we permit it."