New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-20

THE DUTY OF THE POWERS IN CHINA.
The military situation in China is not alto
gether clear. 1t is not known what has become
of the legations at Peking if indeed what has
become of Admiral Seymour's relief party. All
the Powers concerned are making vigorous eff
forts to get reinfOrcementS to the scene-Japan
and Russia. however, being somewhat ham
pered by suspicious and jealOusies But one
thing Is quite clear. and that Is the duty of the
Powers and their conception of it. All are
agreed that order must be restored and Sc
curity for foreigners must he established in
China. Every other question can and must give
precedence to that. Indeed no other can be set
tied until that is effected. Upon that point
there is universal acqulescence. Even those
who doubt the wisdom Of missionary efforts or
who call into question the propriety Of all the
missionaries may have done concede that as a
preliminary to considering any such matters
this huge riot must be suppressed. When bar
barians run amuck" any civilized force that
may be available must be sent against them to
beat them into order, to imprison or put to
death their leaders and to impose upon them,
with or without their consent an orderly and
stable government That Is the duty of the
Powers to-day in China.
Hope that 1t will be performed promptly,
without conflict among the intervening Powers
themselves, is growing stronger. We have said
that suspicious and jealousles exist, especially
between two of the Powers. These hamper ac-
ton, but do not prevent it. Both Japan and
Russia are sending troops into China, and the
former officially disclaims any other motive than
the restoration of order and the protection of
foreigners of all nations. Reports come from
various sources, moreover, that Japan will be
authorized by the concerted Powers to send
IorU folxa fha In
China to order. Germany, it is intimated, would
approve such a step, and it is certain Great
Britain would do so, while it is difficult to see
on what ground either Russia or France could
object to il. japan is unQuestionably better able
to do 1t than any other Power in the world.
She not only has better facilities in army and
navy than any other, but owing to her kinship
with China, she could do 1t with far less effu-
sion of blood and far less disturbance of the
political and Industrial conditions of the country
than any other The Chinese would yield to the
Japanese where they would furiousy resist
any other nation. But however it may be done,
there is no doubt that 1t will be done. The duty
of civilization toward barbarism, the duty Of
law and order toward riot and anarchy, will be
inexorably performed
1t should not be too much to hope also, that
the application Of this vast and tragic object
lesson IN other quarters will not be wholly lost.
If it is the duty of civilization to suppress ram
pant and ferocious barbarism in China it was
none the less it's duty to do so in Luzon. If
Boxers who run amuck" must be subdued by
the nearest available force and their leaders
put where they can do no more harm, the same
must be done with Tagals who also run
amuck." IF it is the duty Of outside Powers to
intervene in China and impose n stable and
orderly, government without the consent of the
coolies and Boxers who are thus to be governed
it was the duty of the sovereign Power to do
the same in the Philippines. There is no espe-
cial sanctitv in Luzon that gives its rioters ex-
emption from the fate that Is dealt out to the
rioters of Chilli.