Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-09-16
ATTITUDE
Of Russia In the Settlement Of the Chinese
Question.

Great Britain regards Russia in Chi
ma with suspicion. That is no novelty.
Such has been the habitual British at
titude toward Russia fer many a
year; since long before the Laureate
proclaimed the Northern Power "a
monstrous liar" We need not spend
much time in considering the justice
or injustice of the estimate. The Tar
tar mind, which is dominant in Rus
sia does not always observe the same
code of ethics that Anglo-Saxon phil
osophers commend and at times, be-
yond doubt, Russian ways have been
tortuous and deceptive. 1t is an inter
esting question to what extent they
form the crux of the present situation
in China. Some are saying that Rus
sia's withdrawal from Peking is part
of a purely selfish trick. Perhaps it
is. Russia and Altruria are different
countries. Perhaps Russia is aiming
to postpone the final smash in China
until she has finished her Siberian
railroad and is able to rush in troops
more rapidly than at present. Never
theless, that cannot be helped, unless
the other Powers proceed at once to
the partition of the Chinese Empire.
which is the very thing they profess
not to want to do.
1t is said, too, that Russia means to
grab Manchuria. She says to the
Powers, elf you will withdraw from
Peking l will quit Manchuria." If they
do not withdraw, then she will remain
in Manchuria. And even ii they do,
it is pointed out that her conquest of
Manchnria is proceeding apace There
is little room for surprise at that. |
Russia gained a footing in MaHehnria |
more than four years ago Under the
treaty negotiated by Count Cassini in
March, 1896, China gave Russia .
lease Of Port Arthur and TalienWan,
and concession for building a rail-
road thither from Siberia, with the
right to establish garrisons along the
line and a regular military and civil
administration. That meant Russian
occupation of the very heart of Man
churia, from north to south. The
treaty was concluded and made public.
There was no protest against it. The
world tacitly accepted it. The Rus
sian occupation of Manchuria is an es- !
tablished fact.
That is a matter of considerable i'm
portance to the United States, for the
practical reason that very large
share of our commerce with China is
with the Manchurian provinces. which
are, by the way, among the richest
provinces in the whole Empire. 1t is
highly desirable that the Russian con-
quest Of them shall not be permitted
to abolish the open door to our trade.
At present the door is open, and Rus
sia seems glad to keep it open, be-
cause she urgently needs many things
which We alone can supply, or which
we can, at any rate, supply more ad
vantageously than any other country.
Russia is importing vast supplies for
her Siberian railroad from this coun
try by way of Manchuria. But when
that railroad is finished and she wants
nothing more for it, will she be as
willing to keep the door open? We
shall see. That is a ploblem of the |
future, and it is a supremely import
ant one; but the determination of its |
answer may not belong entirely to the
future. 1t may be decided by our do
ings in the recent crisis at Peking.