Evening star., 1898-12-03

to Pekin and Corea. one Of them had l<iao-
Chow and the other Port Arthur the most
important strategic points as regards the
| control OF those approaches. This will serve
very well as the diplomatic version Of the
fable Of the OK and the bull
The position Of Russia in Talieu Wan
and Port Arthur is peculiar. The under
standing is that the territory has not been
ceded to her absolutely. but merely tha
usufruct for a term of years. That leaves
Chinese ownership intact. and, coincide ally.
the extra territorial rights which foreign
nations have under their treaties with
China.
How Russia AbsOrbs Terrftory
To the minds of many intelligent obs,rv-
crs the problem OF Russia's designs pre-
sents the most serious feature OF ;ha pres
ent situation In Chira- Manchuria f. rni-
Nersally conceded to be hers: although as
already pointed out Il is not actually
known whether or not she has received tbs
cession of one foot Of the territory Never
theless. the general Impression remains
! that she is only hiding her time. and that
she will absorb one strip OF Chinese terri
tory after another. until she has it all or
al save what she comedies to her ally.
France. on the south. aud something. pos
sibly 70 her other ally, Germany This
forecast is accurate in one respect-that s.
Il We can judge the future by the past.
that is 10 say, in so far IL represents
RnSSlas advances as probably being slow
and gradual That has always been her
mode "t progression I'm her acquisition II
territory In Asia. She moves toward her
chosen goal deliberately, not suddenly or
Violently, ahstaining from arousing ami
mosIies amCng the tribes and pcoplcs
whom she brings under her SWAY and
being careful even to respect their fnihI.s
and pTelud;"es. IL is true that her terri
toTial acquisitions hitherto have consisted
largely of vast tracts OF country spaI-sly
Inhabited : Tulg and Il lac Ah
will change her methods as she approaches
the dcnsely inhabited regions OF populous
China: hut il the past is any criterion of
the future, no immediate act OF aggression
on her part toward China is probable. or,
TO put il upon even surer ground. no cf-
fectire act Of aggression is possible lust -
present. for Russia Is not ready. aud eau
, not be prepared TO begin this onward
march OF absorption. admitting that she
ccutcmplatcs 1t. until the Siberian and thu
Manchurian railways are completed. ana
that will not be for some years to come.
In the meantime. il is only right and lust
tha, we should credit her assurances that
she has no ultimate designs against the Ia
tegrity of China in what she has already
| done and 10 ulterior object beyond the le-
gitimate development Of her territories.
! Then she. her part. can have no right
to complain II other nations. having as
valid an interest as herself in the CONNER
! cial and Industrial progress of China, do
what they can to safeguard their interests.
solution of the. Problem.
There is one solution Of this question
which would be as advantageous 10 China
as it would be to every power having com
mereial relations with her, and thar would
be the opening of the whole empire. With
| out restrictions and under proper cou"i-
tions. to foreign trade and residence. Their.
would be difficulties regarding the system
of consular. extra territorial. iuriSdtc-
tiCn. but they are not insuperable. lnfor-
I toll iG too Ia
! the recent palace revolution at Pekin. -
expect this concession from Chinese con-
| servatism. even though il offers one ~ taC
strongest safeguards which. under pres mt
circumstances. China could possibly obtain.
| But. happily, palace revolutions. even ina
| China cannot continue indefinitely ths III
stacles to reasonable and sensibl" proSr' g.
| China is coming closer and closer To- the
parting Of the ways, when the dormant
! forces Of progress must arouse thcmseiN -.
! perhaps through the sense OF impending
danger from without the empire. perH7us
| from the hOnelpSSneSS of existing tplrIi-
tions within. The awakening may u" in
disaster and ruin. but fl may be, let us
! hope to national regeneration.
1t is hardly necessary for mo to call 1'-
tcntiOn to :he deep concern which all Tat
| affects China should have for the pcopl" II
| this country. Hitherto our interest iu tHe
affairs Of the far east. especially in tn ,sc
| of China, has been but languid AT best. n
| during recent years that interest has III
creased at all. IL has not been. I fear. Joe
cause the possible fate of the Chimes IL
| pire seemed a matter of practical conc rn
| to US, but rather because the migratory
habits OF tSlnhabitants threatened - ,rD-
ate a troublesome domestic problem in TIE
| United States. Now, however. all that -
| changed. Recent events have brought
| home, even 10 the most thouEhtless Of ms
| a vivid realization of the fact that Nc ate.
| in truth, IA world power, having Interests
on many and in many lands. wheT-
goes the commerce that is 10 make even
more prosperous than already are. b;.-
nowhere greater interests than in our .iH-
| cient neighbor. that vast, but heIpleS~. om-
pire across the broad eXpanse of the Pa
Cific