The sun., 1900-10-02

no intention Of countenAnclng any further
dsmemberment OF the Chinese Empire.
or any attempt TO overthrow the reigning
Manchu dynasty. On the contrary. we
should assume. we said. that the titular
Sovereign. KwANo-sU, and the Empress
Regent TO whom he has deputed the active
exercise Of supreme authority. had been
msled by evil counsellors, and we announced
that, after tho relief Of the legations should
have been accomplished, We should try TO
rehabilitate the prestige and influence OF
the rulers by inviting them TO dismiss and
punish their bad advisers and adopt prompt
and efficient measures for the restoration
Of peace and order.
That was the only practicable course
II we desired 10 avert an interminable
series Of complications. TO preserve China's
territorial integrity. and 20 keep the vast
Yangtse region and the provinces still
further south free from the connections
by which Chill has been distracted. Had
We sought, on the other hand. To subvert
the present dynasty. or even to annihilato
the prestige and power Of the actual rulers.
We should have thrown the whole Of the
Middle Kingdom into anarchy. from which.
according to historical precedents, we
should have witnessed no recovery for at
least generation.
We have been. In q word. sincere In the
announcement OF our fundamental aim,
and we have been consistent In the measures
designed for the furtheranoe thereof. We
have withdrawn our soldiers from Pekin.
with the exception Of a small force left to
guard our legation. because 1t IL obvious
that the sooner the imperial family Is per-
mtted TO occupy its capital the sooner
will 1t be able TO perform the governing
functions which we wish to see It discharge.
1t is equally plain that the presence of the
Emperor and Empress Regent in Pekin
would much facilitate the negotiation OF
the treaties, in which we desire to embody
precautions against n renewal of the out
break against foreigners. together with
such provisions in the way Of pecuniary
indemnity as China may be able to make
without crippling too severely her re-
sources.
II Is gratifying 10 learn that in these
views Russia, France and Japan concur.
and we can scarcely believe notwithstand-
ing the violent opposition to them evinced
by the Times and some other London news
papers, that Lord SALISBURY will ulti-
mately fail TO approve Of them. The British
Foreign ONCE is no less deeply interested
than Is our State Department In hitting
upon the shortest way possible out OF the
Chinese imbroglio. and this is undoubtedly
TO be found in Strengthening the hands
Of the existing Chinese Government. pro-
vided II subjects to exemplary punishment
the chief authors Of the recent crimes against
international law.
If Great Britain. as well as France and
Japan, shall heartily accept the programme
of which Russia and the United States we're
the original sponsors. it will matter but
little what course may be preferred by Ger
many and the other two Powers cOmpos-
ing the Triple Alliance; because neither
from military nor from a naval point of
view are they strong enough to have their
own way in the Far East II may be un-
pleasant for the Emperor WILLIAM ii. to
see himself constrained TO play a secondary
part. but the other great Powers. which
are vitaly concerned in the future Of the
Middle Kingdom. cannot be expected to
miss an opportunity Of bringing the Chinese
troubles quickly to an end. merely to give
the Kaisers deputy. Marshal VoN WALDER-
SEE, chance OF posing as Generalissimo.