The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
"sPHEREs oF1NrLUESoE"I IN oHINA.
The Dangers or the Empires Partition. and
the Need or the American aoycrnment's
vatohfulneas Over American RiEhts.

The Dangers or the Empires Partition, ana
the Need or the American aovernnoutAs
watohruiness ovor American RiEhts-
WASHINGTON. Fob. 12.-From private intor.
nation received direct from China. It appears to
DO probable that the Chinese Government or
an arrangement by which the spheres OF activity
and influence of the various European powers
in that country shall be defined, 90 that each
shall have n fair share, and that competition and
intrigue shall be minimized. This suggestion is
so specific and precise that 1t would appear to
require nothing moro than the exercise Of a
little reason and cooperation on the part Of the
powers to give 1t practical effect.
OF course the Chinese are ignorant Of tho real
danger they will run IL this is done. They seem
which Is constantly put upon them at Pekin by
tho representatives Of tho European Govern
ments for railroad concessions. contracts. and
trading privileges. IL they divide the country up
In this way, and doncede that the respective sub
divisions may DO exploited exclusively by the
people of tho nations to whom they are assigned.
They appear to be unconscious Of the fact that
a "sphere Of influence" is n very elastic and
poorly defined agency. which in Africa carries
with 1t the idea Of absolute sovereignty over
tho region it covers, whilo in Asia it may
mean only commercial supremacy or monopoly.
Clearly the latter moaning Is the one which the
Chinese who favor this idea have In mind. Tho
danger Of its adoption. In any aspect of the case.
10 obvious to tho independent observer. 1t
would be fatal to American commercial inter-
ests and would In tho end DO ruinous to China.
A moments consideration OF the arrangement
as It would probably be carried out will make
tho danger still moro apparent. 1t would doubt
less be as follows:
!. Russia, having q boundary
with China of something like four thousand
miles. and q protectorate by recent treaty over
the whole of Manchuria. would doubtless lay
claim to all of that part of China lying between
its present border and the Yellow River. This
would give her the provinces of Pechili. Shansi,
part OF Shensi and all of Mongolia, and would
include Pekin. and all the ports on the Cults Of
Pechili, Liaotung. and the Bay of Korea. Korea
itself is now practically a Russian province.
2. Germany, holding Kiao Chou Bay, would
doubtless claim all the country lying between
the Yellow River and the Yangtse Kiang. This
would give her the provinces OF Shantung,
Honan. part of Shensi. sechuen. HOPPE. part
of Nganwhei and part of kiangsu.
3. Great Britain would claim. as she has al.
ready announced. all the country lying between
the Yangtse Kiang and Canton, which includes
part OF the provinces Of Kiangsu and Nganwhei.
all Of Che-Kiang. Kiangsi. Fokien, Honan.
Yennan, and Queichow, and part or all of
Quangsi and Quangtung. These provinces con-
tain the richest country and the most populous
cities Of China, and would DO the lions share.
4. France would extend her borders from Ton
quin, Anam, and Siam as far north and west as
possible. or as Great Britain would permit. She
would certainly claim all those parts of Quang-
tung and Quangsi. and probably of Yennan.
lying south Of the Long River.
1t will DO observed that this arrangement
would exclude Japan from any considerable
"sphere of influence" on the Chinese mainland.
even II she continued to hold Wei-hai-W Wei, as 1t
is now reported she intends to do. or 1t would
bring her at once into conflict with Russia on
the One hand and Germany on the other. the re.
suit Of which could hardly DO in doubt. But
this general arrangement could hardly be car
ried out peacefully without an effective concert
of the four powers concerned, for it will be OBJ
served that these regions come in contact on the
borders, which in certain parts are more or less
difficult to define. and could not be accurately
delineated without "some kind" of q precedent
understanding.
The most important consideration In all this
for our Government is that while 1t would not
In terms interfere with our commerce or treaty
rights, 1t would most assuredly render them en-
tirely valueless. The very purpose Of the pro-
posed arrangement is to give the four European
powers concerned O monopoly of trade and rail-
road building and generally the right OF exploit
ing the country included in their respective
spheres of influence. The practical result would
be to exclude tho Americans and Japanese, pari
pdssu. from all valuable and important business.
Whether the arrangements outlined above
will be carried into effect cannot yet be stated
with certainty. but It Is certain that they have
been seriously proposed and considered, and it
is within the power of the parties directly con-
cerned to put them in the way of exc.
cution. either with or without a concert. All
their actions SO far are in accord with
the Chinese suggestions on the subject, and as
what is possible may soon become probable. 1t
behooves the Government at Washington to be
constantly on the alert. and not to wait too long
for more specific information. 1t should act
boldly and independently for the protection of
our trade In the far East, and to that end its best
course 10 manifestly to make China as well as
the powers understand clearly that the execu-
ton of this plan, wholly or in part, will be
looked upon as a grave infraction Of our rights.
We require no guardian or trustee In the far
East and must stand for our own interests as
against the world. II we can by advice and
moral support. or even through the help of our
private citizens. 30 strengthen the hands Of
China that she can stand alone and maintain
her autonomy unimpaired. that will be the best
way; but in any event We should act firmly and
vigorously till all danger Is removed.