The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-25
Our DUTY in Pekin.


| PressD
~ HE DRAMATIC occupation
of Pekin and the rescue of
Il Minister Conger and his as
soCiates complete the inn
mediate purpose of the relief expedl-
tion but it does not end its task or the
object for which the United States
| landed its troops. This was not mere
| ly to rescue certain citizens in danger,
! but to protect all our citizens In China
and all our interests there. These re-
main to demand both the presidents
attention and the presence of our sol
| diers in the Chinese capital. Any de-
mand that congress should be called in
| extra session is based on exactly the
same misconception as the earlier cry
! for a like step, and, like that earlier
cry, Will utterly disappear Congress
should declare war, but war is as dis
! tant as before. Congress can DO moth
ing else. 1t Is for the president 10 pro-
tect American rights and enforce trea-
ties, a part of the law of the land
which he has sworn to uphold. 1t Is
as much his duty to use all necessary
and proper means to see that an
American citizen has all his rights un-
der treaties as under any other law on
the statute-book.
The United States has a treaty right
to diplomatic relations with China, 10
the free and secure residence of it's
| citizens, to the safe prosecution of
| troJo mr. Of opv Colltper in Nrhi0h c
citizens may be engaged, and to the
collection of a treaty tariff, and only
a treaty tariff on our imports into
China. These primary rights are sus-
pended over one-fourth of China. In
four provinces our citizens have been
murdered or have fled to avoid this
fate, their dwellings have been burned,
and in some places a mob and in others
| officials bar their return. Our trade
| is wholly interrupted in the northern
treaty ports, and in the ports to the
| south it suffers from widespread dis
| order. In Pekin itself our minister has
only been saved from massacre by our
own troops. and owes his safety 10
their presence, while the officials TO
whom he presented his credentials and
with whom he conducted business,
have fed the city because they and
| their associates directed or abetted the
attacks of regular Chinese soldiers on
his legation.
The "open door" in China we de-
manded from Europe six months ago,
and we do not propose to have it
closed either by a mob or by an en-
press and officials faithless to our
treaties. With the precise adminlstra-
ton at Pekin or with the imperial sue
cession we have never busted our
selves. Any government which will
protect our citizens, enforce our trea-
ty rights and pay for their recent vio-
lation will be satisfactory to us; but
! such a government we must have If
our treaties are to be more than mere
waste paper, and our duty will not he
over in China until such a govern
ment is established.
1t is not our duty 10 establish such
a stable government. This Is the duty
of any officials of the Chinese admin
istrat tion in Pekin who, like Prince
| Ching, have labored to enforce treaty
| rights, and that of Ii Hung Chang
and the viceroys and governors in the
south who have maintained treaty OBJ
legations. But It Is our clear duty to
see that this work is so done that our
future rights shall be safe and our
current claims for damages respected
and settled. This duty the president
is discharging by keeping our soldiers
at Pekin until the next step is clear
and he does this for exactly the same
reason and along the same line of
policy which led him to demand the
pledge Of the "open door" last winter