The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10
Our Duty in China.

Who pays the newspapers which de-
nounce the assumed intention on the par,
of the United States Government to go tc
the rescue of American citizens in China
Because as Dupuy de LONE once said. he
did not spend thirty thousand dollars g
month in Washington for nothing" must
the noble men and women who have de-
voted themselves TO gospel work in Chine
be doomed to torture, outrage. and MUIR
der?
Let us once and for all raise the Chinese
question out of politics. We are as well
convinced as are the majority Of American
citizens that the Administration-deny the
| fact who willis engaged with England in
| carrying out a secret programme, includ-
/ ing the infamies covered by the Hay
Pauncefote Treaty, the abandonment of the
Monroe Doctrine, the promotion Of the Pan
anna syndicate scheme, and the surrender
OF port and hinterland in Alaska In
view of the situation which confronts us.
We are willing for the moment to eliminate
these considerations, and to fall back upon
the basic proposition that the United
States like every other civilized power, has
God-given duty to perform in China.
Americans can feel only contempt for
the argument that, because we have no
direct concern with the politics of Eu-
rope, or with spheres of influence in the
Chinese Empire, that, therefore, we have
no excuse for lending our influence and
force to suppress conditions which are too
horrible to be described in print. They
are worse than those in Cuba, which forced
us into war with Spain. They are condi-
tons oil Relish brutality and savagery of
which no man can decently speak. Yet
they are conditions to which nearly three
hundred American missionaries, including
their dependents and many other of our
citizens. including our diplomatic repre-
sentatives and our consuls and mer-
chants are exposed. Shall We leave them
TO their fate?
1t is not the Concert of Europe which
ton. The Governments of that continent,
1t is true. may have territorial or other
selfish ambitions in China with which, as
a people at least, We have no sympathy.
We ask neither port nor sphere nor any
thing else inconsistent with the integrity
of China. But we have the right, in COM
mon with other nations, to say tina; great
country, connected with all the civilized
powers by ties of commerce and comfy,
shall not be made the hell hole of the
world.
II It should become necessary for Presi-
dent Mckinley to use the naval and mill
tary forces Of the United States to restore
order in China in conjunction with the
forces of other Governments, he ought to
be backed by popular sentiment without
any reference to our domestic politics. 1t
would be righteous thing for him to Join
with England, Germany, and Russia In de-
throning the she devil who rules In Pekin
and in making China a possible place
for human beings to live in. The trouble
is not with the common people of China.
Like the peasants Of other countries, they
are docile and biddable 1t is only when
they are turned into fends incarnate
by leaders such as head the fanatical
Boxer movement that they become dan
gerous TO mankind. Once the forces of
civilization operate on the leaders, and
hang the last man of them. and then COM
pei the ruling class TO establish a regime
of equity and decency, the trouble will be
at an end.