The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-25
Is There a Plot to Dismember China?

as Of individuals, must be deduced, not
from their professions. but from the Oh
vious and inevitable cons, quences OF their
acts. Tried by this test. can the demands
which seem likely to be pressed upon China
by certain powers have any other purpose
than the partition Of that country
"Qui veut la fin veut les moyens.' He
VIII, honestl desires a particular result
will adopt the measures which alone VIII
assure 1t. If all the powers which have
announced q determination to respect
China's present administrative system and
to oppose any further mutilation OF her
territory are sincere, what course Will
they pursue? There Is but one. This
! course may be regarded In two aspects.
AID, from ether point OF view, II may be
defined in a few words. In the first place.
a foreign Government truly desirous OF
! jlstifying its professions with reference
10 China's independence and territorial
integrity will not exact from the Empress
Regent, the recognized active head OF
China's administration the performance
OF acts upon which she could not venture
under existing circumstances without risk
lDk tUt lOb5 VI htl hpShNy, u NV h'i hA'
The treaty powers have a right to ask
tina the Empress Regent shall bring forth
fruits meet for repentance; but they cannot
reasonably wish to drive her to despera-
ton. A demand for the deposition and
imprisonment OF the Empress Regent,
or even for the immediate execution OF
officials in whose custody and control
she now l., would almost certainly pro-
woke a declaration Of war against the
allied powers on the part OF the Chinese
Imperial authorities. All tho rights and
privileges heretofore secured by treaties
would then instantly lapse. and the allied
powers would find themselves involved
In an interminable struggle with the whole
might Of the Middle Kingdom. q struggle
in which the Viceroys Of the vast lanstse
basin would be necessarily arrayed against
the foreigners.
So protracted and so burdensome would
be the resulting contest that. even should
the powers emerge from It triumphant.
they would hsve to content themselves
with territorial indemnities for their sac
rinces, because adequate compensation
would be unattainable In any other form.
II the treaty powers shrink from facing
such a catastrophe alternative. II they
truly desire the maintenance OF relations
ostensibly pacific with the Chinese I'm
perial authorities and q quick restoration
Of tranquility and order in the Celestial
Empire, their demand for the immediate
exercise Of punitive functions by the En-
press Regent will not transcend certain
reasonable limits. TO be fxed by an appre-
citation Of tho difficult conditions under
which she herself must just now act.
Another tombstone OF sincerity will
DO applied when the aggregate OF tho
pecuniary indemnity TO be required from
China shall be agreed upon. Should tho
total amount reach any such sum as $780,
900. 600, the demand will be tantamount to an
admission that no money is really expected.
and that, in lieu thereof. territorial indem-
nifty will be accepted. In her present
circumstances China could not possibly
borrow $500. 900. 900. The interest and sink
ing FUND which such a loan would call for
could not be furnished, unless the present
customs duties and the iikin, or inland
transit dues, should be not only signally
Increased, but also placed unde the ex-
elusive control OF foreign tax collectors.
backed by foreign means Of coercion; it
being, Of course. understood that each
tax collector would act within his own
country's sphere Of influence In other
words, China would rave to be placed In
the hands Of a number OF receivers. whose
interests would be. by no means. at all
times one and the same. 1t is certain that
the Chinese Government and people would
never submit to such a fiscal yoke. except
az the exhausted victims OF a long and dis
astrous war. Nor could we blame them for
preferring to die fighting. rather than to
perish tamely by an act of suicide. 1t
would be as patent to the Chinese. "a 1t Is
to clear -sighted onIookers. that the dele
cation OF exclusive fiscal control over a
great province would prove. in point OF
fact, equivalent TO a surrender Of that
province.
We cannot. then. avoid the conclusion
that those powers which seem to con-
template excessive and inordinate demands
in the way OF pecuniary indemnitics are
secretly prompted by motives irreconcil-
able with their alleged desire to leave in
tact China's territory and present admins
trative structure. and to hasten the return
OF tranquility and order.
Which are the powers who's proceedings
are causing their intentions to he suspected?
We can arrive at their names by the process
Of cancellation. Assurodly. the United
states, 30 far rs we can judge from he
published instructions sent to our Minister
at Pc IN by the state Departm mt, have
evinced no disposition unduly to embarrass
the Empress Regent or to make exorbitant
pecuniary exactions. The same thing may
he said Of Russia and Japan; and We do not
doubt that NJ. DEIC,ssf will eventually
follow the course adopted at ST. Peters
burg. There remain to be considered
only Great Britain and Germany, for these
powers can depend upon the adherence
Of Austria and Italy.
Ostensbly. the Angio-German agree
ment binds the contracting parties TO
oppose a Acknowledgement Of China; but
what does the pledge amount to II the
vindicive demands pressed by these poweu
upon the Empress Regent car. manifssuy,
lsad nowhere except 70 the partition Of ths