Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-19
orr ArrLrrnE or NErrRALIrr.

bib Al Iiit iE tf 4NIsN ~ M L.
1t was not to have been expected thar
the attitude Of neutrality in respect To
China taken by this goycrnmen, would
be pleasing TO the more radical cNpan-
siOnists. These do not want the policy
they stand for to halt with the acquisi.
ton of the Philippines. They would
have the United States take a position
with a view TO acquiring, soonc or later,
Chinese territory and which would at
once make this country a party in de-
Gliding the question as TO the future of
China.
An eastern organ of expansion refers
to the position of the United States as a
strange anomaly. 1t says that while we
are consummating the conquest of ter
ritory which will give us a command of
the Pacific ocean that no power in the
world can defy and while the European
powers are plotting a division of China
to suit their own interests, our govern
mcnt announces its "ncutrality' with
an impassiveness which implies that we
have little concern in what is going on
nothing TO lose, win or protect. 1t
says: "Whcn a scheme is being CON
summated for the partition and anncXa-
ton of n vast country whose trade we
are mourning great sacrifices to con-
serve, we stand alOOf, satisfied to
mildly await the cheap courtesy of an
invitation to the councils of the invaders
or to let matters drift whittier they may.
Is it for this we have deprived Spain
of her great stronghold in the Pacific?
Does the occupation of that position in
volve no obligations of defense, no
duties of diplomacy, no assertion of
national policy, rights and power? How
long is this timid inertia to last? That
is the question men of insight and fore
sight are asking with no common
earn%estness." Doubtless this Is the
feeling of the eXpansionists generally.
Yet the paper from which the above
is taken virtually admits that there is
no danger to American interests in
China when it says that none Of the
European powers having interests in
that empire are likely to do anything
in the near future that might lead to
war. 1t observes that a single rash act
by Russia, France or England might
precipitatc Il conflict that would throw
all China into anarchy and preciplJate
a var involving all Europe, which none
of the powers, excepting possibly Great
Britain, is prepared for. England"
says that paper, perhaps is the only
one among the powers prepared to deal
with the situation in any maSterful
fashion and she appears to be in 40
haste. Doubtless England above all
prefers a pacific solution Of the Ques-
ton and not a few factors contribute
to her ability to bring about such a re-
suit. 1t must be conceded" it goes on
to say, that the British government
stands in Il better position than any
other for bringing about such an adj
Justmcnt ana as the other powers are
in no position to encourage Il settlement
through force, it is far from ]inCOnceivi-
bic that Russia, France and Germany
may be found willing to facilitate Il
pacific solution under British leader
ship This being the case there is
WV i'bSiN lO itCtSSlll lOI lue tnllptl
States taking any part i'll Chinese af-
fairs. since the interests OF this cOun-
try are certain to be conserved in any
SOLUTION of the Chinese problem brought
about by Great Britain.
The policy of the administration in
this matter is e%minently wise and safe
and a different course might have ag-
gravated the situation. 1t is a mistake
To assume that because this government
has adopted an attitude of neutrality 1t
eXerts no influence upon the Chinese
question. That position involves no
surrender Of any rights and every
power having interests in China under
stands that we expect our rights to be
respected. There is little danger that
any OF them will incur the displeasure
Of the United States by doing otherwise.
POPULATION or TIE PHILIPPINES.