The evening times., 1899-03-10
FRIDAY. MARCH 10, 1899.
, serious Chinese situation.

4 serious Chinese Situation.
While we are glad to hope that the re-
sources of diplomacy are yet adequate To
avert any real danger of war between civil
lized nations over the situation in China,
it must be confessed that the indications
in that quarter do not make for peace as
much as one could wish. England per-
emptoriIy demands of the Pekin govern
n;ent the observance of certain concessions
and pledges which, il appears, cannot be
fulfilled without incurring the enmity OF
Russia OF course this may merely mean,
as indeed has been suggested, that the
Gar viii not proceed to extremities
against the British but make his objec-
tioas the basis for further material or per
haps territorial demands upon China.
English naval re-enforcements are being
hurried TO the East but that fact alone
does Tot necessarily involve a hostile
movement against Russia. The internal
conditions of the Mongolian Empire; the
many evidences that its whole fabric, 80
long kept together by British influence, is
about 10 fall in pieces, ought TO be sufii-
cient TO account for the dispatch of power
ful fleets by all the leading nations. The
general belief that the collapse Of the Tar
tar dynasty. and China as a state, cannot
longer be postponed, seems TO us TO be in
the interest of an amicable understanding
between the maritime powers rather than
otherwise. Once let it be conceded on all
hands that the hour of doom has arrived,
and that il is necessary TO partition China.
hcth TO save its trade to the producing
peoples of Europe and the United States,
and 10 prevent a regime of hopeless an
archy. blcoished and universal devasta
lion, and there ought to be common ground
for agreement among the nations which
could be reached without much friction.
and surely without war.
The spheres of European influence in
Chinese territory are plainly suggested by
The present position of the various states
on the Asiatic coast. A fair division might
be made. after allowing a port and some
area to this country, that should sat
isfy the utmost greed of all concerned.
Russia would not be likely to ask more
ihsn Manchuria and 2 strip OF territory
thence TO and including Port Arthur and
its vicinity. England and Germany could
easily satisfy themselves and each other
in expansion from their present bases
France already has practical possession Of
more land. in Tonquin and elsewhere. than
she viii ever develop to any good purpose.
Austria and Italy no doubt would be con-
ceded something by common consent.
Nobody need be exactly out in the cold,
The United States could have reasonable
consideration almost for the asking. and it
is suppOsable that the dissolution OF China
being certain. even Japan might be per-
mitted to acquire a foothold on the main
land
1t seems % US feasible to accomplish all
these things without a quarrel which
should il begin, might involve the whole
world in terrible strife and confusion.
The settlement which must be arrived at
in some way. could doubtless be reached
by a congress of nations to meet in Ge-
neva, or, better still, in Washington.
When country of vast extent and with
three hundred million inhabitants is to BE-
parceled out, there ought to be enough TO
go around and give everybody satisfac-
tory slice In any event, it is cheaper 10
'rade than fight, and general agreement
10 join in and be bound by the action of
an international congress would be OBJ
riOusly in the interests of civilization.
Aside from the main object of such n
congress. its conyocation would afford a
much needed opportunity for the discus
sion and determination of several impor-
tant questions of international law and
usage which are still unfortunately open
IL may be said that the proposition
is premature Perhaps it is. But nothing
is more certainly apparent than that the
FloWery Kingdom is bound to split into
fragments before anyone is much older
and that whenever that shall happen there
must follow a division of its territory by
agreement or as the result of war. II
would appear, therefore. that the chief
cirilizing powers, England, Germany and
the United States. might do worse than
get together and arrange some plan to
which Russia, France. Austria and italy
could agree, for general congress to con-
slider and decide in detail the fate of what
is yet called the Chinese Empire.