Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-19
DOHONOR TOLORD BERESFORD
Rouses Great Enthusiasm by His Talk to
Chicago Commercial Club,
TRADE RELATIONS OF ENGLAND TO AMERICA
Hon. George Adams of Chicago, Re.
spending to His speech, Obscure
ages Formal AIlinncc-Bercs-
ford's Mission at Home.


ages Formal AIiinnce-Beres-
ford's Mission at Home.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1S.-Lord Charles Beres-
ford was tonight the guest of honor at a
banquet given by the Commercial club at
which 200 OF the leading business and pro-
fessonal men of the city we're present. The
banquet was one of the most elegant affairs
Of the kind Chicago has ever seen and the
visitor was given a welcome such as has
seldom been extended to any visitor. Lord
Charles was introduced by Cyrus II. Nc
Cormick and when the distinguished En-
glishman rose to make his address he was
for moment overcome by the cheers that
greeted him. He recovered quickly, how
ever, and bowing repeatedly in acknowl-
edgment of the warmth of the welcome ex-
tended to him, spoke as follows:
Chinn's Resources.
What did 1 find in China? May l say
here that | suppose you ask me to speak
because | have Just come from China, and
have done my best to find out all l could
with reference to the resources of China
to future development of that country. l
found that the natural resources of the
country are simply enormous. They are per-
fectly incalculabe. The possibilities Of
trade of the future are limtless. Whatever
the government of China says, whatever
the feeling of the Chinese people may be-
one thing Is absolutely certain, that China
will be opened up
China is certain to be opened up in the
near future by means Of railways Now
how is China to be kept opened up for the
benefit of all nations for the benefit of the
Chinese themselves, and in the interest of
civilization and humanity? But more than
all, how Is 1t to be opened up in a peace
ful manner with regard to the claims and
wishes of all nations?
My suggestion is this: First and fore
most it is necessary for commercial enter
prise and industry and investment that
China should hold the open door, all
through that empire. The onen door means
merely that the treaties as they exist should
be held to now at this moment and not
altered. The existing treaties are tha. 70
country is to annex territory; no country
Is to have sovereign rights in China. The
open door means, you know, a fair field
and no favor to all nations. That policy
has always been the policy of Great Bri-
tain.
Result of Open Door Policy.
The result of the open door policy is that
there Is not one of our colonies which has
cost the British taxpayers one single shill-
ing. They all work on their own lines; they
work in their own way, but they are of enor-
nous Importance; they increase our trade
ana commerce at home. The great question
is the practical point How we are to keep
this door open? l came to the conclusion
that the opportunities of great trade in
China are certainly gathered by the four
great countries-America, Germany, Japan
and Great Britain. My suggestion was that
there should be some sort of commercial al
lance or commercial understanding between
these countries. Why do / put those four
countries and leave out Russia and France?
l don't want ito be discourtcous to any ma
ton and l never am, but l look upon this
from business point of view, and why,
when Russia and France have no trade, that
Is, import trade--into China, are they, or am
to suggest that they should come into this
sort OF commercial alliance with regard to
trade with these four countries l have men
toned? These four countries are also the
four countries which do not wish to have
any territory whatever What they want is
simply commercial freedom. | do not want
to say anything ungraceful about France and
Russia, but in the past history has shown
us that they are countries which like terri
tory l do not blame France and Russia &
bit. No country ever conducts a policy or
that character without it being converted to
the minds of that country that whs't they
do is for the benefit of their country.
Now the first essential for the open door
would naturally be TO keep China in its in
tegrity and the essential must be that essen
tial upon which every country exists at the
present moment, which is an efficient mill
tary and police. 1t is no use putting out
theoretical propositions that we are to re-
form the finance. reform the government
and do all that sort OF thing unless you have
the first essential in any country-an eff
cient military and police
China's Danger Lies Within.
The danger with regard to China is that
China itself, its upper effete government,
through it's old-fashioned system of admin
istration, may break up owing to the dis
turbances all over that country.
Those countries that have properties in
China and have Investments there and have
trade and commerce there will naturally do
their best to protect that trade and COM
merce, and for the life of me l can see
nothing that can occur If there are disturb
ances in China owing to our having no
army, no police and nothing that will cause
trouble / saw myself signs of internal
disturbance, but did not rest there. May
tell you some of the very important men
in China, barring two, and those Ylceroys
themselves, have told me they are afraid
Of disturbances.
1t is not a question what the foreign pow
ers are going to do that will Smash up
China. 1t is China itself that will be
smashed up to the disturbance of all our
trade and commerce unless we look the thing
in the face and help the Chinese to remain
stable in some way.
Now, as to the quality of the Chinese as
soldiers l don't think there are people
in the world who have got as good charac-
teristlcs as soldiers as the Chinese. But
they have ony got in the whole of China
1000 men who can be called disciplined
men, and they are drilled by the Germans
They are all that can be called an army at
all. The others would be all right if drilled
by competent instructors. They could have
"a mn efficient in detail
Of 200 900 men on the money now spent.
My proposition is merely that we should
lend officers and money to put This army
in order as Chinese army for the benefit
Of the Chinese, for the benefit of their trade
and the security of the trade Of those coun-
tries that at present do .rade with China
and also to help the fu.ure development Of
trade with those countries which now trade
with China
His sneech WAS received with frenuent