New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-10
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
NO AGREEMENT AMONG THE POWERS
AS TO CHINA
LORD sALIsBURYs WEAK DIPLOMACY-A
NAIVE SUGGESTION TO THE
UNITED STATES
ICopyright. 1860. BY The New-York Tribunel
[nY CABLE TO THE TEIRUNGl

the field. The future of China mas become the
question of paramount importaE &c, not only In
England, but in all civilized countries The de-
tails of to-day's dispatches prove This. English
missionaries have been barbarously hacked TO
pieces: American religious stations are nenaced
with massacre and destruction, Russian chapeis
have been burned, and French consuls In
remote quarter of Southwest China have been
forced retire from their posts. The last de-
tail is particularly alarming since it indicates
that anarchy is not confined 70 the districts
around Peking but that fanaticism is flaming
out throughout he Empire. All foreign In
terests are imperilled, and adnirals and diplo-
matte representatives recognize the common
danger and drawing together in conference
and measures of cooperation
Agents cannot work this difficult problem
without agreement among their principals in the
European capitals and there is evidence
that any Foreign Office knows what TO do The
protection of embassies and railway property by
marines landed from fleets is at best tempo
rary expedient The real work lies in substi-
tuting for the present Imperial Government,
which is in sympathy with the Boxers and is
instigating a civil for purposes of its own,
some stable authority which Will restore order
and protect foreign interests. This might be
done if the European Powers could agree upon
the deposition of the Dowager Empress and the
enthronement of the reforming Emperor in her
is the ablest and most INSCRIPTIONS ruler in the
recent history of China Her deposition can be
accomplished only by united action of the Pow
Her sympathies have been with Russia.
and St. Petersburg knows how useful it is to
have her secret support.
The substitution of an a1niab1e weakIing for
this fierce. strong wilIed amazon can hardly be
made without bringing a revolution which
will end in catastrophe All imperial
thority will come to an end. and the European
Powers will be forced 70 assume responsibility
for the government OF China. with the risks OF
quarrelling among themselves over schemes for
partition and spheres OF influence. The most
practical method of settling the China question
would be the occupation OF Pekng by the mill
tary forces Of a single Power. acting with
mandate from the other governments. The
Daily Mali naTvely suggests that the United
States Government is in position 10 do this
without exciting distrust and that il has troops
available for the purpose in the Philippines.
This would be the ideal arrangement for Eng
land. and it is strange that the imaginative
; editor should be fascinated by so brilliant and
convenient an expedient; but no well informed
dpIomaJist here sUpposes for instant that
Washington intends to relieve the European
Powers OF their responsibilities for protecting
their own interests in China.
Russia is also n a position TO send a large
&
the Dowager Empress favors Russian occupa-
tion and is able control the Manchus and
prevent outbreak OF the rebellion in Man
churia; but there will be imminent danger OF
setting all Northern China on fire. and certainty
Of exciting the resentment OF Japan and bring
ing a fresh COrea- The good
faith OF Russia is distrusted both by Japan and
by the European Powers and a mandate for
the exclusive occupation Of Peking is not likely
To be issued.
Europe in this hour of perplexity looks 10
London, not Washington. for some way of es-
cape from disasters in the Far East Possibly
the present catastrophe has been forecast by
Lord Salisbury, but there is no evidence in his
recent diplomacy that this has been done. His
China negotiations during the last five years
have been as weak and ainless as his diplomacy
at the time of the Armenian nlassacres
Lord Rosebery, when the Liberal Government
resigned. seemed to be very near TO reaching an
understanding with Russia Unless all signs
fail Lord Salisbury has not anticipated the pres
ent crisis and agreed upon a course OF action
for the emergency. If England be adrift and
without definite policy in China. prearranged
with Russia and sanctioned by Germany and
France, there Will be long interval filed with
making ropes of diplomatic sand and with tun-
ing up another inharmonious European concert
The China situation distinctly suggests the
the Sultan. is in sympathy with massacre and
fanaticisnl. and in secret intrigue with Russia
All the Powers are nenaced with the anti-for-
eign movement and are under moral obligations
TO suppress anarchy and religious persecution:
but they cannot agree among themselves upon
a method for providing physical force nor upon
any practical policy. If Lord Salisbury. con-
trary to the general opinion, has some prear-
ranged plan for the dual or triple occupation
OF Peking it will be a brilliant triumph Of far
seeing craftsmanship.
The reassembling of Parliament on Thursday
will be the signal for the revival of political
activity. The Ministers have been silent for ten
days. and the Unionist press is without cues on
the China question and domestic politics The
prolongation Of the campaign in the LydenberS
district and anxieties in the Far East will pre-
dispose the Ministers TO defer a general election
until October. ana possibly 10 a later period
There is no longer any talk about dissolution in
July. 1t is a foregone conclusion that the Union
ist Ministry will be reorganized either before or
after the general election. The polite thing is to
TO be relieved The Unionist Cabinet was not
made up for grave emergencies like the war in
defence of The Empire and the catastrophe in
China. AT least half its members are more dec-
orative in drawing rooms and country houses
than they are useful in national councils vvhara
breadth of mind is required The Liberals are
slowly regaining confidence and are no longer
lntlnldated by the prospect OF a khaki cam
paign.
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman has made
two effective speeches during the week in Scot
land, and Mr.. James Bryce has delivered at
Aberdeen mi rhO1fo yH,tf