New-York tribune., 1900-08-04
THE CHINESE QUESTION
FREDERICK W. SEWARD ADVISER
AGAINST FURIOUS OUTCRIES FOR
INDIsCRNIINATE VENGEANCE.
To the Edltor Of The TrIbune.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Out Of the maze Of confused and contra.
dictory dispatches we are at last gaining Tght
on the situation OF affairs in China II ssen,,
toIerably clear that the central AUTHORITY a,
Peking lmpelled By desire to check foreign en-
croachments ana restrict foreign influence.
sought to avail itself Of the anti-foregn prefu-
dices Of the uneducated the fanaticaI and tba
criminal classes. 1t sought 70 the Boxer
riots to frighteE OF, divide and paralyze the
Western Powers
II was one Of those plumbers that are. vso--a
than crimes" for IT was the parent Of crime.
innumerabIe II it was Oriental duDlicity." +,
was duplicity Of a very shallow sort. Il was
neither wisdom nor statecraft. but mere cunning
and cunning OF the kind that always over
reaches itself The policy OF encouraging the
Boxers was like internal machine" that
ends by destroying its own inventor Instead
OF keeping the foreigners out. it win bring them
in. Instead Of dividing. it has already united
them. Instead Of leading 70 exclusion. II viii
lead to invasion. 1t hastens. by many years.
that progress Of Western civilization into China
which 50 many of her rulers have 50 long and
persistently striven 20 prevent
We do not yet know how far the Imperial Cow
ernnent Is responsible for all the atrocities com
mitted in its name. W. think we can perceive
that while using the Boxers, it became alarmed
for the consequences Of their acts and for ia
own safety. We can perceive that IL then sought
To repress and restrain them. and would gladly
have US believe now that the murders. lombard
rnents and 1nassacres were the acts of Jhosa
whom it desired TO. but could not control But
whether its share in the ms ter IS much or lit
tie the result is the same. u has united the
Western nations in the determination % put a
stop TO all such methods Of misgovernnelt- Civ
iIizatiOn must end barbarism, or be ended by il.
There is no practical sense in wild and furious
Outcries for tndlscriminate veugea nee We are
not going into China 70 run amUclc like the
Malays FOR to kill and destroy like the Boxers
themselves Such outcries presuppOse a belief
that the whole four hundred millions of Chinese
are au Of one mind. all armed and leagued
against The world Such a notion taxes human
creduIity. No nation ever was or ever viii be
all Of one mind. TIE Chinese, like other nations.
have their active elements and their inert ones.
their good men and their bad ones, their wise
men and their fools, their peaceable families and
their IawIess criminals. Hundreds OF them are
jealous believers in modern progress Thou
sands of them are converts TO the Christian re-
ligion. Many more thousands are engaged in
peaceful labor and trade in their own and for
eign lands. Their more enlightened scholars
and sagacious statesme- are doing their best
to-day to save their country from disinregration
and their Government from the consequences Of
its own blind and stupid folly
Our own National policy has been constant and
unwavering- We have treated the Chinese Cow
ernment with justice and fairness, without seiz-
IRE of its territory or menace 70 its indepen-
dence We have extended again and again our
friendly help and counsel in its difficulties II
other governments have shown themselves vac
illating or unscrupuIOus, no such characters
tics have marked the course of the United
States. None know this better than the Chinese
themselves Secretary Hay and all Of President
McKinIey's Administration have faithfully ad-
hered to our traditional policy, and are setting
an example that other Powers would do well 10
follow.
In the present crisis our immediate duty IS
plain one 1t is to deliver our Legation as speed
iIy as possible from its perls, and 10 insist that
henceforth our Ministers shall enjoy the same
freedom Of communication and personal saIey
at Peking that the Chinese Minister does at
Washington When that is accomplished We
shall be ready to take Up negotiations for IN
deunity and for the future protection Of Amer
leans. whether engaged in official duty or mis-
sionary work, or trade and commerce.
Whatever military or naval force is needed
whatever governmental expense is required
whatever cooperation with European Powers
or friendly Chinese may be found neces-
sary-aH these things II e American people viii
not only sanction, but demand China, sooner
or later will have to follow the example OF her
wiser neighbor Japan. and learn the wisdom OF
respecting the obligations OF international "a"
and of throwing open her doors 10 intercourse
with the rest of the world
FREDERICK ". SEWARD
Montrose- on the Hudson, Aug. 5. 1900