, 1900-07-07
AMERICAS WAY IN CHINA,

There will be no lack of vigor In the
military action of the United States in
China and no uncertainty in its pot.i.-
cal purpose. The advance detachment
OF its soldiers has probably already ar
rtved at the Chinese coast, AM thou
sands Of other soldiers will follow
these. With the landing of the Ninth
regiment of infantry in China the nj il
tary connection of the United States
with the Chinese wal begins. General
Chaffee, who is designed 20 command
the American troops on the mainland
OF China, is on the way to his destina-
ton. The expectation in the first place
was that 1000 or 5000 soldiers was AL
that the United Stats would need, but
events IL the past few days show shat
this number would be much too small.
The present indications arc tina. frcm
10000 to $1,000 will be sent. Whatever
number will be necessary to rescue the
Americans whose lives are in peril and
to protect other American interests in
China will be promptly furnished.
But it must be understood that the
United States will from the outset Jp-
pose all attempts by any of the Euro
pean powers to partition the Chinese
empire or to enlarge their sphere of
influence in that country. The United
States does not seek and will not &C
cept any territory in China, and it will
not sanction any appropriation of ter
lritory by any other nation. This coun-
try would be glad to see the former en-
peror restored, or to aid in establish
ing any sort Of regime in Picking which
would preserve the empire and at the
same time insure the triumph of the
reform influences which were dominant
before the potentate was deposed by the
Dcwager Empress An. There will be
difficulty in carrying out this purpose.
The murder Of the German minister in
Picking very naturally arouses a spirit
of revenge throughout Germany, which,
for a time, may place that country with
Russia and France, the nations which
are credited with a purpose to divide
up the empire. Prince Tuan, the usur-
per, who has deposed the empress and
proclaimed his son emperor, has virtu-
ALLY ordered n holy war against all
foreigners. and this, Of course, adds to
the gravity of the situation.
China itself is placing formidable OBJ
structions in the way of its own preser-
walton. The reactionary elements which
are in control at Picking are making the
American program more and more diff
cult every day, but Americas purpose
is exceedingly likely to succeed. The
the open door, which all the nations in
terested in the trade of China promised,
each for itself, to maintain in its own
sphere of influence. A division of the
empire between the nations which seek
a division and which want the other
nations to take a share in the spoil
would end the open door policy and
would shut out the United States from
the whole of China, except that portion
which the robber nations would set
apart for this country as a price of its
acquiescence in dismemberment. Amer
lea will Oppose a division of the empire,
and standing with us on this policy are
England and Japan, and probably also
Germany. The side which the United
States is taking in the Chinese crisis is
the side of humanity and progress. If
it be maintained in%telligently and reso-
lutely-and undoubtedly it will bet
will be certain to succeed even though
the madmen who are at present at the
front in Chinese affairs are putting
weapons into the hands of the enemies
of their country and making the en-
lightened purpose of the United States
more and more difficult of accomplish
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.