Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-07

these northern provinces have been COW
eted by both Russia and Germany, to say
nothing of Japan and England: although
1t has been understood that IL the Prov
inces fell to the share of Russia and Ger
many. England and Japan were prepared
to seek compensation elsewhere. Thu
United States stood alone as the power
which had everything to lose and moth
ing to gain by partition. Evidently the
object of American statesmen should be
to postpone partition to the last and, If
it comes. to take care hat America holds
a position so commanding that her in
terests cannot be ignored. TIL matter
which interests us just now is how Mr..
McKinley's administration has dealt
with this delicate and important situa-
| tion.,
uWhen the insurrection broke out last
/ $bring a war resulting in ACKNOWLEDGMENT
2emed inevitable. This catastrophe our
government undertook to prevent. and
succeeded in preventing. From the out
set the president declined to recognize
that hostilities existed between us and
the Chinese government. and by so do
ing restrained other nations from TAX
Ing any irreparable step. In the next
place he assume the terrible responsible
ity of insisting on an immediate ad-
vance on Pekin, before the allies could
concentrate their full strength, and be-
fore the could gain control of
the allied army, as they fully proposed to
do. The responsibility assumed was very
great. the risk run was appalling, but the
event justified the Judgment of the cab
met. and when Pekin fell and the Legal
tons were relieved, America had won it's
victory. If any American president ever
deserved the name of statesman. Mr.. Nc
kinley deserved it for his energy and
decision at that crisis. Since thai mo-
ment Mr.. Mckinley became master of tho
situation.
BY August it had become plain that
Russia could not obtain the loan it
sought in Paris. and that without the
loan it could not undertake a campaign
unless it was prepared to risk insolven-
cy. After a short struggle at Petersburg
between M. de White and the military
party, NJ. de White prevailed, and Russia
declared herself unequivocally for peace.
No man in the least acquainted with the
condition of affairs within the czars' do
minions can now doubt that this declara-
ton Will be observed. The retreat of
Russia left the government at Washing
ton with only Germany on it's hands to
attend to, Ior Japan and England were
prepared to accept the existing status
provided the existing status could be
maintained.
AS all the world knows the Germans
sent out a large army organized for an ex-
tensive campaign, commanded by Count
Waldersee, the emperor's personal repre-
sentative. Count Waldeleee, on MS ar
rival. forthwith took steps 70 precipitate
hostilities by making demands on China
which could not be granted. Our gov
did not hesitate. Mr.. Mckinley
declined to accede to the German propos-
al, and instead his intention
of withdrawing from China, at the same
time that he ave unmistak able evidence
of his intention to concentrate a strong
military and naval force in Luzon. The
movement implied no threat, and yet it
checked a German invasion. It checked
a German INVASION of China because.
with such a force intrenched in her rear,
Germany could not be sure of reaping
the fruits of victory, ever in case she
should prevail, and a repetition of Jap
ans experience was %uninviting. The log
ical effect Of the presidents action has
been the Anglo-German convention,
which is substantially an agreement to
coSNtpI IL <AiIlellCdU pOIlCy dIlt ulp con.
sequences of the adoption of this policy
can hardly be overestimated.
America is growing more rapidly than
any other power, especially or the Paci-
fc. Surprising hat China is not now
closed to us by conquest, the probability
is that China will be. developed by us,
and becomee part of our economic sys-
tenn under whatever government it may
ultimately fall. Our energy. our mechan-
tcal resources, our system of ~transporta-
ton, our geographical position and our
enormous capital seems to render this re-
suit. humanely speaking, certain, uppos-
!, Ing We can have time. Mr.. Mckinley's
diplomacy assures us time.
Such craftsmanship may we'll cause
satisfaction to every American, but 1t is
also we'll that Americans should recognize
their debt to the men who have conduct
ed their affairs, not only for the results
achieved, but for the manner in which
the work has been done. During these
/ negotia tions our relations with foreign
countries lave steadily improved.
l unhesita tingly say, and 1 believe most
men acquainted with recent diplomatic
history will agree with me, that no min
lister of foreign affairs in any country
OF he world, within the present genera
tion, has won SO brilliant a riu1nph as
Mr.. Hay, while the result achieved for
the country by Mr.. Mckinley will prob
ably rank in the future as one of our
great national landmarks, side by side
with the acquisition of Louisiana by
Thomas Jefferson.