The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

governments assertion of it's right to hold
foreigners responsible for their acts, Just
as other countries do. l must say that /
do not participate in these forebodings T
nave faith that the Japanese courts will
larry ana honestly try all cases that come
9 9eI9Le them. Should they fail to do So no
6oubt the foreign powers will take up anv
olsputed questions AUTOMATICALLY.
AMERICAN AWAKENING.
Events in the far east have forced us into
position which, it is safe to say we did
not dream of taking year ago. We have
hugged to our bosom the policy of nonin-
PREVENTION in the affairs of Europe, Asia and
Africa, We have been awakened from our
pleasant dreams by the roar of artillery
near at home, and far away in the Philip-
pines
We stood by and saw Germany land a.
force of marines at Kiaochou and seize a
large portion of the province of Shantung.
winch holds the remains of Confucius the
great philosopher of China, and perhaps of
the world
We stood by when Russia seized Port
ArIhur-the second great fortress of China
ana Ialienwan and a large tract of adj
joining territory. England sent twenty-one
war SHIPS to Port Arthur, and she asked
Inat IallenWan, fourteen miles distant,
should be made treaty port. not an open
port, not the open door that English states
men talk about, hut a port at which the
people of all nations should have enuaI
rights, under the law of eXtraterritoriality
to which / have adverted. Russia ordered
China to refuse this request: China obeyed
and England withdrew her ships. Then
russia demanded Port Arthur and Talien-
wan and the adjacent territory for herself
ana she got 1t all. France then seized u port
ana adjoining territory in the south and
England not to be outdone by her neigh
bOrS, persuaded China to cede to her the
other great fortress of Weihaiwei which
Japan had evacuated. besides the islands
and some of the mainland around Hong
Kong. Port Arthur is on the right as you
enter the gulf of Pechili, Weihaiwei is on
the left. and Picking is about eighty miles
from the gulf. These two fortresseS con-
troll the gulf, and the empire
If this inCipient partition had gone on
what would have become of our commerce ?
1t is the second now in Chinas trade with
the world. 1t amounts to about 1872, 900 900,
and is largely increasing. American loco
motives, rails, ties; mining plants, electrical
plants, coal OIL sheeting. -four and many
other things are being bought by the Chi
nese in increasing quantities. If China is
to become a coterie of hostile camps. this
grand and increasing commerce will neces-
sarily wane. under the restrictions thrown
tax in no case exceeds five per cent. and
is often below that sum. What will it be
when China is cut up into discordant ma
tionalities?
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION
1t is we'll known that all the treaties made
by China contain the favored nation
clause, under which all the rights, immuni-
ties and privileges which are granted to one
treaty power inure to the benefit of all
Shall the three great commercial nations en-
gagged in the business of the far east, and
doing the greater part of it-England. Japan
and the United States-stand by silent and
make no protest at the moment that the
treaties are nuuif1ed? Shall we not only
acquiesce in acts of spoiation which will
close great markets to US, but shall also
give up the territory which we hold by con-
quest? Shall surrender all that we have
in the east, and in addition announce to the
world that we take no interest in far east
ern matters?
Between us and the Philippines rolls the
wide Pacific. We are the only great COM
mercial nation on that vast sea 1t brings
our western coast-which is in itself an en-
pire as large as Europe without Russia
closer TO Asia than Europe is; and Asia is
our Eldorado. Here are hundreds or millions
of the human race to be civilized, Christian
lied, if possible, and clothed and fed. The
population of Asia is $40 900 600. It's import
and export trade together amounts to 81 1O0,-
100000. This represents one-seVenth of the
foreign commerce of all the world. The
business of the leading commercial coun-
tries is as follows: England, 5000 100000 a
year: the United States, $500, 600 900; Ger
many $l45, O00 eco; France $i5,O00,O00 / take
these figures from a recent newspaper ar
ticle and they may be accepted as approx
imately accurate.
Missionary work is factor in our rela-
lions with the far East l do not intend
TO discuss the religious effect of the labor
Of missionaries. That is for the pulpit, and
not Tor ldymen. merely WISH 10 point
out the commercial side of the matter.
Wherever the missionary goes. education
and civilization, 10 some extent at least, go
with him. New wants, both intellectual
and physical, are developed; foreign trade
commences. That much OF the development
of China is due to missionaries cannot be
doubted. They are the interpreters. the edu-
Gators. the historians, of the Chinese.
At the point of the bayonet the foreign
powers in 1858 forced China to sign, seal
and conclude certain treaties. There had
been treaties made before but they were
not satisfactory to England and France.
The treaties were repudiated by China,
and in 1851 French and English soldiers
marched TO Peking to force their ratifica-
ton
Then commenced for China the difficult
lesson of learning how to manage foreign
affairs. The foreign ministers came to
reside permanently in Picking. The Tsungli
Yamen was organized, and foreign affairs
were controlled by this new board. The
foreign trade of China began to increase
rapidly. 1t has now reached the figure of
about three hundred millions of dollars an
nually.
In computing the trade of China 1t must
be remembered that the imperial maritime
customs at the head of which is Sir Robert
Hart collects the duties on foreign goods
transported in foreign ships only. 1t has
nothing TO do with collecting duties on goods
transported in native ships. That Is done
by the native customs. and no statistical
returns are ever made There are no
Chinese ships plying to Europe or Amer
foa h,tf 81 eh dining