Daily camera., 1900-11-01
OUR RIGHTS IN CHINA
Translation and Study Of the United
States Constitution.
An International UnAerstanding
Brought About Through Tfans-
actions Between Our Gov
ernment and Denmark.

The relation of the United States
TO the responsible government OF
China is, in some respects, different
from that of any other nation. AT
the present horrible crisis all is con
fusion and chaos. In the future a
lasting settlement is to be made. 1t
Will be full of difficulties. but America
holds place of vantage. The follow
ing paragraphs explain, in part, why
tins is so-why the high officials of
China understand us better than they
DO any nation of Europe. When the
first Chinese legation to the United
States settled in Washington it was
accompanied by very intelligent and
cultivated attache, by name Tsai Sih
unS. He came of an ancient Chi
nese family one of whose members
had been prime minister of the en-
pire-a very unusual post for a pure
Chinese to hold under Manchu Tar
tar dynasty. He was a graduate of
DIR. Martins college at Peking and
had also taken his bachelor's degree
in the Chinese examinations During
his residence in Washington he formed
close friendship with DR.. Edward
S. Holden. then one of the astrono-
mers of the United States naval OBJ
servatory. In one of their conversa-
tons Tsai was asked the object of
the coming of his legation. "Why.
l,n
country" "And how is treaty
made?' 1T is a written agreement
between your president and our en-
peror." Nothing more?" 'No. moth
ing more than this" 1t transpired
that Tsai, and his minister as well,
was totally ignorant of the treaty
making functions of the senate: and
they were thrown into CONSERVATION
when they heard the story of the re-
lection of the treaty with Denmark
by the senate after President Grant
had arranged for the cession of the
Danish West Indies, and after the
con7ding Danes of st. Thomas and
Santa Cruz had formally voted to ac-
cept American citizenship.
Out of this conversation, says the
New York Sun. grew a project to
translate the constitution of the
United States into the Chinese Ian
guage. For many months the China
man and the American met daily.
Each provision of the constitution
was carefully explained and discussed
81.
mentary; on a subsequent day the
Chinese translation was rendered
back into English and again discussed
until all was clear. Doubtful points
We're referred to Frederick W Whit
ridge, Esq, of the New York bar.
in writing. or, occasionally to Mr.. JUS
tice Bradley, of the supreme court.
Finally the document was completely
and satisfactorily translated with
marginal commentary and sent as an
official dispatch to the tsung-li-yamen
in Peking a copy of it was deposited
by President Holden in the library
of the University of California, where
it now is. On Tsai's part it had been
a labor of love and on his return to
China it won for him official adj
vancement in rank and place. His
American coadjutOr was glad to give
a portion of his time every day for
nearly year to this public service
which has resulted in making the
high officials in Peking understand
the United States of America as they
understand no other country. They
are themselves literal. people and
are used to relying on the written
word. They know the organization
of Great Britain or of Germany in a
very different way from that of our
own country, and we are, according
ly, trusted as no other country is.
Our opportunities at the present
crisis are unique. Every European
government is distrusted by all the
high officials at Peking-by those
friendly to foreign inventions as well
as by those who hate and despise the
foreigner and all his works. When
the time comes to adjust "A final and
lasting settlement for the future it is
in the power of America to take a
high stand. The constitution of our
government is understood. 1t is
known that we desire no territorial
acquisitions We desire and we mean
to have the freest opportunities for
trade, and above all things the fullest
protection for our citizens in foreign
parts 1t may be necessary for our
troops to join with those of Europe
and Japan in punitive expedition.
1t may even be necessary to raze the
walls of Peking to the ground, to
plow the site and SOW it with salt, as
the Tartar Chief Jenhiz Khan was
used to do with the rebelliOus cities
of Bokhara and Turkistan. All this
will be understood as a deserved pun
ishment for acts which even the Chi