Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-22
Lord Charles Beresford Describes the
Celestial Empire.
DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
The Eminent British Investigator
Suggests important Measures.
AN EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW

Lord Charles Beresford, with hts secre-
tary, Robin Grey, and a valet. IS a guest
at the Shoreham. He arrived yesterday
and will depart for New York tomorrow
whence he viii sail Saturday on the Cam
pania for England. He has recently made
extensive Investigations In China as the
special commissioner from the associated
chambers of commerce OF Great Britain.
and will make a report upon conditions
there when he returns home. Lord Berrs-
ford was entertained at dinner last night
by the Secretary OF State the other guests
being Rear Admiral Schley Senator Fair
banks, Senator Foraker Senator Lodge.
Senator Gray. Senator Morgan. Senator
Hawley. Senator Wolcott. Senator EIkius.
Mr.. W. II. Bliss of New York. Mr.. Charles
H. Allen. assistant secretary Of the navy:
Mr.. Andre, Belgian consul at Manila; Baron
Sternberg of the German embassy and Mr..
John A. Kasson.
A Charming Personality
Lord Beresford was visited by a reporter
for The Star this morning at the Shoreham
and the callers card was followed imme-
diately by an invitation to come TO his
apartments. A short. weii-built well-pre-
served gentleman. whose smooth-shaven
face impressed one with strength of pur-
ptst anu SleauidStneSS OF character. greet
ed the reporter with cordiality
1t is no intrusion | assure YOU" remark
ed, his lordship in response to his callers
apology for seeking an interview from one
who had been so beset with interrogaiions
from the Pacific coast east. THE newsna-
pers meet the demands of the public for in
formation regarding that in which IT is in
terested Some people declare | am ad-
vertising myself by my willingness to talk
but they could say / was seven feet tan
and IL wouldn't be any less friIe
Il believe in the newspapers. Suppose
my country Is at war and my brother Is
engaged in it. l pick up my newspaper to
See what he is doing. Some man must tell
about it. If the general In command keeps
that man at the rear the newspaper will
be worthless for my purposes.
Yes" he continued. II have been max
ing very exhaustive studies in the trade in
China. Its total trade is now f55noO.Ug a
year. OF this Great Britain gets - per
cent and the United States Il per cent The
United States trade there is developing
more in proportion than that Of any other
nation. Now in regard to Manchuria
American manufacturers comprise II per
cent Of the whole trade. There are some
English merchants who claim that the
American trade which | speak of is really
English trade, but ] do not agree with
this. English merchants buy American
cotton, WOODS, yarns and such things and
send them to China in British bottoms. The
Germans do the same thing. | call this q
British trade interest. but really ii Is
American trade in fact. The British mer-
chants. in a word, act middlemen be
tween the American manufacturers and
the Chinese. They do this all over the
world and always will.
characteristics of the Chinese.
China, with its 400oo0.oe0 people" con-
tinued Lord Beresford. sis the richest coun-
try in the world. The lack of development
there is lack of security. Capitalists and
hnanciers are the most nervous people in
the world, but when they are convinced
that they are secure they will place their
millions. The Chinese are most docile
and honest people. There is not a single
banker in China who will not tell you
Chlnamans word is as good as bond. In
their migrations elsewhere they have been
charged with immortality. hut this is be
cause they did not take heir women with
them. / learned many incidents showing
the strict probity of the Chinese. One mer-
chant told me of a transaction he had with
a Chnaman involving f25WO worth Of SILK
There was no written agreement. hut
simply a verbal one. The purch tsar found
afterward that he would lose heavily on
the venture. but he paid the f25.Oo0. | could
tell a score more of similar incidents.
Open Door and Equal Opportunity.
China will be bankrupt in four years."
declared Lord Beresford with much en-
phasis. MY proposal for meeting this in
evitable result is to have open door in
China with equal opportunities for trade
lOI every NAHUM III the NbTlO NJ liAltS-
rity of China must be established in order
to secure this open door Only proper
military and police system can guarantee
this. Some of the officers and non-commis-
stoned officers of the United States. Great
Britain. Germany and Japan should offer
their service TO China to help to put her
army and police system on its feet.
II do not include Russia and France any
mere than | do Switzerland and Italy I'm
this consideration. because neither Russia
nor France have any import trade with
China. / intend no discourtesy to these
countries, | assure you j do not blame
other countries for looking out for their in
terests. Russia and France must follow
their own ideas, and no other nation can
tell them what they should do. So far as
the talk about Russia and France dividing
China between them is concerned, that Is
all bosh. Russia and France want more
territory. The other countries | mentioned
do not. Great Britain has too much terri
tory, and | know would be very glad 10 get
rid of some of ii. The duties of the four
countries / speak of in regard To securing
the integrity of China are paramount. be-
cause they have all the trade III China
splits up all nations will seek separate
spheres of trade. Where would America
come in? Why, she would not mix up in
the scramble, because her trade Is not
more than e. 00OO coo. and she couldn't af-
ford it. but she could come in through the
open door with ms.
Chinese Respect for Authority.
The danger, indeed, is not so much from
foreign aggression in China, but that the
empire VIII split up because of internal
disturbances, ans that all nations. in the
defense of their interests, will declare
military domination and more or less ter
ritorial rights for themselves separately.
This would, OF course, shortly lead TO war.
"A good army and good police system
organized as l have suggested would mini
mize these dangers. The Chinese have an
idolatrous respect for authority, and there
is authority there now. but the system Is
vicious. How would this country of TO-
oo0,o0o people get along if everybody who
had office not only not paid salary,
but compelled to pay to secure their places2
That's the condition in China, and the
authorities squeeze. 1t is, in a word, the
east. There is no army to keep down dis
turbances. and hence no security. Then the
system of taxation is vicious. The Chinese
are not heavily taxed, but the rich ara not
taxed and the poor are.
An Example Quoted.
What England has done for Egypt"
said Lord Beresford, in conclusion, THE
four nations controlling China trade could
do for China. Save for its strategic adj
vantages, Egypt has not been worth a
shilling to England. She sacrificed lives