The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-20

ceded, or leased, for ninety-nine years
virtually sale-Talien- Wan and |
Port Arthur, with its great dry dock |
for battleships.
The meaning Of the Siberian railway |
dawned on the mind of Europe. Rus.
sian diplomacy was tireless, resistlcss.
China yielded TO Russia the right to
build railway from the main Siberian
line down through Manchuria to Port
Arthur. And then Russia poured
thousands Of her soldiers-under the
thin pretence that they we're railway
police-into Mauchuria.
To-day Manchuria is in effect Rus
sian province. Inside Of year or 18
months the great Siberian railway,
which runs ,ross the top Of Asia,
with spurs touching Persia, Northern
India and China, will be completed.
China is hopeless. Her Tsung-li-
Yamen is filed with doddering old
Mandarins intent upon blackmail and
careless of the public interests. There
is no national sentiment, practically
no ermy or navy, and no scheme of
defense, external or internal 1t is
the past passively resisting the pres
ent and future. The young emperor
is either dead or prisoner, and the
ruthless empress wields whatever
power she can.
All is confusion, corruption and de
cay in China. Strong European states
men have attempted to save her by
means Of internal reforms; bat they
have had to give up the impossible
task. The Chinese reformer, Kung
Yu Wei-a really enlightened and
broad minded statesman-for few
days got control Of the Chinese throne,
when the young emperor assumed
power. He began to apply modern
principles to Chimes problems in the
hope Of averting the doom Of his coun-
try. Too latel The empress seized
the throne. Kung Yu Wei fed for
his life, and all his friends were
butohered.
The peace treaty between China and
japan opened many Chinese ports.
AS foreigners pressed into the in-
terior the Chinese grew more and more
hostile. Missionary blood was shed.
The German emperor seized Kiao
Chau and Great Britain took Wei Hal
Wei, close to the Russian bases at
Port Arthur and Talien- Wan.
The direct route to Pekin and Tien-
Tsin lies through the Gulf of Pe-Chi-
Ii, past the Taku forts and up the
Peho river. Russia holds one side Of
this gulf; great Britain and Germany
the other side. All are ready to
strike.
Japan has never forgiven Russia for
taking away from her the Manchurian
territory, ceded by China. The Japa-
nese government has almost bank
rupted itself in the effort to build
navy strong enough to resist Russia.
Japan has her revenge in sight.
The United States has interests in the
Philippines and an eye for conquest
or Observation-Disclosures word may
be more acceptable-in the threatened
empire.
And SO the forces of death, greed,
international jealousy and sleepless
ambition are gathering at the gateway
of China. This may be only the pre-
liminary movement. It may be sue
oeeded by months of diplomatic wrang-
ling and intrigue. But one thing is
certain. The pressure on China will
grow greater every day, the riots, and
disorders will increase, the desire for
territory and trade will set the imagi-
nation of all nations on FIRE, and then,
this year perhaps, the oldest empire
in the world will tumble down and
every great nation will have Chinese
colony. Either that, or Russia will
seize Asia.
Tvv poia0ninO Dnisnn uoundo opd