The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-09
The Infant in the China shop.

The Infant in the Chinn Shop.
The threatened breakage of China is a
subject which appears not only to agitate
missionary and military minds, but also
TO excite to alarming activity the mental
processes of babes ani stockings. Appar-
entity also. it appeals to the business sense
of local newspaper. long famous for its
charitable feeling toward Ambassadors
with bank accounts.
1t is in the editorial columns of such a
journal that We find a remarkable essay
on our dutyoto China, written by little
grandson OF General Grant. The editorial
introduction thus describes him:
Mr.. Sartoris is English on his father s
side and comes of fine Old stock in that
direction. but he is also scion of an Illus
| trious American house, and, as will be
| seen, he honors its traditions Then the
| infant phenomenon makes his bow as fol-
| lows:
| ut is sometimes we'll when crisis such AZ
the present enc in China presents itself to thin;
over what some Of our great men who nave stucie
the question would advise. Ii may. therefore.
! be interesting TO your readers 10 Know that
Gen. L. S Grant than whom better friend
| TO China ever lived, once told a distinguished
Chinese Statesman that China must look to her
self and not other countries 70. development mt
| Che did not even except his own; otherwise that
she would almost surely be ensufed, on one pre-
text another, BIZ the great powers OF the civil
| lied Christian % world. This has nearly been
| brought about the general forcsaw it would
be, but there i; yet time TO prevent such piece
OF folly
The late General Grant was indeed a
prophet, and no doubt the grandsire Of
| another According to the latter he was
perfectly accurate in his prediction, and
China is trying to follow his advice. She
is seeking development without the aid
of other countries. and, in fact. is knitting
and disembowelng all foreigners wherever
and whenever such means Of independent
evolution are practicable. The wisdom of
the cradle does not stop with a mere dag
nosis of the crack in China. 1t offers the
invisible cement Of an infallible infantile
specific for the trouble. Maste. Sartoris
continues:
1.-The United States l. untrammeled and FREE to
act Why should not the crowning act of Presi-
dent Mckinley's administration he worthy OF
the great results already accomplished, and let
him net only refuse TO take part in the destrue-
| clara to the world once and for all that any a;
| tempt TO divide up China by any all Of the
| powers would be regarded an unfIicEdly act
! to the Unitod S;ates as. indeed il would be?
| Such action the Presidents pan would simply
/ put an end TO all this quite unnecessary trouble
and in the near future he productive OF almost
| incalc1iable benefits to this country. The tnin-
csc have ever been grateful people, and siicn
a policy would secure Tor commercial supfem
acy in China. do not believe il is too much
to say-in fact firmly believe. in the iigit Of
the intense interes; which General Grant always
manifested in the Far East. and c.pecialiy IN
China. which he regarded the greatest of East
ern Empiros-that were he holding the helm Of
state today such is about the course he would
steer, always rendering necessary protection to
citizens in danger and making Is in tact, Is WIZ
in name, great power in the East-great, too.
in way worthy of the traditions OF liberty
loving people. The President has chance. Let
Kim improve il.
All the foregoing is funny enough, but
not as mucF SO as the framework of COM
ment in which the dissertation is set by
our local contemporary. That luminary
is fully in accord with the gurgiing views
of its little correspondent. II proof
whereof:
I've can only say that Mr.. sartoris is. in our
opinion. weh advised at all points in this
happy controversy. For the United States to en-
list in the pfhpased invasion and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF China world be to rival the barbarism of AttiI
and to exceed the rapacity of I-sftte and Kidd.
DO want peace and goodwill with China
the holy consummation which the Saviour preach
the Chin. & 0ss not want
What, then, is grievance against China?
Why should We join with the gathering ,4polia-
tors who now consult together for her ruin? Let
US call back missionaries-the Chinese will
open their arms 10 let them go-and let us set
our face against the piraticai hypocrisy which
would lay waste nation and destroy a people
under the faIse and wicked pretext of uphoding
Christianity"
By all means. let US withdraw tie gospel
from China; that the rapacity Of mission
aries like the pirates Lafitte ami Kidd
may no longer prevent the consummation
of that everlasting peace and good will
under the Empress Dowager. (which the
Saviour preached" but in no instance at
column rates.