The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-10-09

whom duplicity is an art to be culti-
waited. A people which is servile when
worsted, but arrogant when it has the
slightest power.
However from the Western point of
view the action of the President is
undoubtedly right ard it is upon West
ern standards that the President will
be judged by his fellow countrymen.
But If the withdrawal of the Ameri-
can troops is actuated by motives hon
est and above board, the withdrawal
of the Russian troops comes from to-
tally different motives Russia is be-
ginning to play with the Chinese court
as a cat does with a mouse. Russia
plays bluff. She wants to counterfeit
the influence of the other Western
Powers and of Japan. She has obtain
ed for the moment what she desired,
Manchuria falls intact into her hands
and she can soon concentrate any force
she pleases on her new frontier, which
will be able to reach Picking in a few
days.
AS far as Russia is concerned if the
allies that remain after her with 1rawal
suffer a reverse, why so much the bet
ter. 1t will only add to the pres
tige of Russia, while if the allies
push the Chinese government hard,
Russia can step in as a mediator and
become persona gratissima with the
Chinese court and the manchu princes.
1t is n clever game, cleverly played.
One of the mistakes of the powers has
been the recognition of the Empress
Dowager as a factor in the diplomatic
negotiations. She might have been ig-
nored, and direct communication with
the Emperor have been established. The
Americans agree that Prince Tuan
should be removed from office, indeed
that is the first instruction to Minister
Conger, but the Empress Dowager is
just as bitterly anti-foreign as Prince
Tuan and is as much to blame for the
massacres of Christians and the indig-
mites offered to the powers, through
their Ministers, as he is.
Being in straits the Chinese court
will disgrace Prince Tuan, in fact it is
reported that his honors and his official
servants have been taken from him,
but we may be sure that just as soon
as the present pressure is removed,
Prince Tuan will bob severely as vice.
roy of some important province, or as
one of the trusted Ministers of the
court. This game is thoroughly orien-
tai. 1t has been played in Turkey, in
Persia in the waning Empire of the
Moguls and it's many satrapies, and
over and over again in China. There
is no reality in the act, it is simply done
for effect, and Prince Tuan knows 1t.
If, however, the power of the Empress
Dowager were broken, if it were stipu-
lated, that she, the main spring of the
anti-foreign feeling should be sent into
Punishment, the Western Powers would
have very good chance of seeing the
reform party, the party of advance
ment, making Roadway at the Chinese
court and would find q very different
China to deal with.
As long as the Empress Dowager re-
iii"il0 III pC"eI, she VIII protect nef
fellow conspirators, will set her face
firmly against any Western innovations
and will sweep every vestige of Chris
tianity from the howery kingdom.
She will bend for the time but she will
rise the stronger and the more bitter
It the Western Powers lose their pres
eHt opportunity, they have lost it for
good and all.