New-York tribune., 1899-07-17
AMERICANS IN CHINA.

Tho determination of the Government at
Washington to protect American capitails's III
the enjoyment Of their concessions IN emma VIII
probably not be pleasing TO those persons WHO
wish TO limit the activities Of the United states
absolutely TO its own territories ana are not ell
trely satisfied that that field Is not too large as
the result of previous criminal enterprise on the
part Of our citizens The voices that are no"
most loudly calling for the preservation OF Amer
icanisn have for years been our most notorious
and bitter critics of everything they saw ABOUT
them which they regarded as distinctly Ameri-
can. Our politics was corrupt our trace system
barharic, our intelligence low. our average SO
ciety so crude that not one man In ten changed
lis shirt once a week or had the tastes ana
habits Of gentleman. Now suddenly that crude
society and bad government of an unintelll-
gent people become SO sacred in their eyes mat
we must preserve them tenderly boxed up from
all contact with the world. These same reform
ers have always been urging us 10 broaden our
interests develop trade and let nothing interfere
with IT, but never has there arisen question OF
looking abroad to see that our merchants rights
were protected but that they raised the cry OF
Lingo" and denounced the Government for tax
ing up the cause of adventurers and making pri-
vate quarres public concerns SO 1t was when
we tried TO protect our seal herds. SO 1t has
been whenever q lumberman's or flsherman's or
sugar planters rights have been invaded beyond
our border SO, doubtless 1t Will be now that
the Administration lets the claims Of American
citizens interest 1t In matter that may possibly
involve differences with some European gov
ernments
Nevertheless the Government Of the United
States is doing what Is right, and what any
government must do If IL is TO command the re-
spect of other nations and indeed of its own
citizens. Too long has it been the complaint OF
Americans residing in foreign countries partc-
ularly in the East and In semi-cviliZed lands,
that we were slow to protect them against In
jurv and that they were frequently obliged TO
depend on the diplomatic charity of other ma
tlons. especially England for the support which
was their due The result has been that our
commercial pioneers were at a disadvantage.
The English flag protected an Englshman no
matter whore he was and therefore Englishmen
went everywhere When an American invoked
the protection Of his flag the chance was that
somebody here would exclaim that he was only
an adventurer, and that the Government should
not risk making Wall Street nervous and there
by perhaps injuring the trade Of thousands for
the sake OF saving the property of one man and
incidentally teaching a lesson of respect for the
United States. Happily that school of lassez
faire philosophers Is so busy abusing the Gov
ernment for defending the lives Of American
soldiers who were attacked while stationed at
Manila that they have not much influence left
10 prevent the proper performance Of n nations
duty with respect TO the foreign contracts Of It's
citizens
American interests in China are large, and
American trade there Is rapidly growing 1t Is
therefore most fortunate at this time, when
other nations are making such efforts to estab-
lish themselves there that we have an Admins
tratlon both able and willing to stand up for
American rights. We are not seeking TO force
concessions or to restrict anybody else In legti-
mate enterprise. We are not seeking points OF
dlscord. But we are determined that neither
European force nor native craft shall be per-
mitted TO rob our people OF what rarly and
honestly belongs to them. If this policy places
MS once more beside Great Britain In the indie
pendent pursuit Of common aims, so much the
better. We have no formal alliance. and want