Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-30
Mr.. HENDERSON'S POSITION
CLAIMS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY.
Trouble in China is but the Beginning
of a War Between the Great
Powers.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

without pretense of law, are to be placed
under the command of the German en-
peror. who openly proclaims against the
Chinese the war of Israel against the ANAL
exile. Amalek is a heather, and the Lord
will have war with Amalek from generation
to generation On the successful entry of
the allies into Pekin will begin the struggle
OF ravenous beasts over the prey; and IL
our people fail to protest at the polls in
November next we shall be one of these
beasts
And upon this quotation you proceed to
say: He (the writer thinks it an act of
Imperialism for the President to send
part of the American army to China to
rescue the American minister and those
besiez'ed with him at Pekin from outrage
and murder. He finds no constitutional
sanc' on for such wanton aggression on the
part f the President, and likens this act to
the exercise of autocratic power by the
Car of Russia. Perhaps the American
people will forgive the President this act
of aggression! They may even applaud 1t.
The American people sentimental when
it comes to defending the honor and integ-
rity of their government and protecting
women and children from outrage and
slaughter. To denominate the ready re-
spCnse of the President to the helpless call
for succor which came from those who
were bravely defending themselves and
their families from brutal, murderous saw
Imperialism in most attractive light"
Relying upon your usual Willingness to
hear the other SIDE let me ask, If the army
really sent to Pekin to rescue our min
lister. why does the army remain there
after the minister and all his family, his
friends and his visitors have been rescued,
not only alive, but without wounds or IN
jury? But when you say the President
sent the American army to China not only
to rescue our own minister, but also the
ministers and representatives of European
powers "besieged with him at Pekin, let
me again ask if, in your judgment, the
President has the constitutional authority,
without an act of Congress- to wage war
upon a friendly nation with view either
to protect or avenge the representatives OF
other powers. or to assist the rulers or
these powers in their undisguised purpose
of partitiOning another country among
themselves
And if you believe that such act by the
President is permissible under our ConSu-
tuition, let me ask why the war is to be
further prosecuted, when all the ministers
of these European powers. together win
their families and friends, have been found
alive and we'll
We have written Constitution. 1t Is the
only charter of our liberties. the sole guar
anty of public and individual right. Under
the provisions of that instrument Congress
alone has authority to declare war. And
Congress alone has power to appropriate
money to carry 1t on The projected war
against China means debt of $5oO,O0O.O 600.
Is inevitably involved in Chinese war,
means another debt of thousand miiilon
dollars. 1t means increased taXation-aye.
taxation beyond reasonable endurance. 1t
means an annual pension list of 500 900, 600.
1t means widows and orphans and untold
miseries to all classes of our people. Shall
these calamities be precipitated upon us by
the act of one man-and that, too, in the
face Of our Constitution? Have not our
mobs killed thousands of Chinese? Did
China declare war against US: and had
the murders been ten times greater would
she have been justified in doing SO? Shall
the government of a country be attacked
and its innocent and peaceful supporters be
butchered in war because uncomfortable
mobs take human life? Behold our own
mobs now raging alike in New York and
New Orleans, in Ohio and Kentucky. And
our government powerless to suppress
them.
originally sent to Pekin by the allied pow
ers were killed, permit me to ask why were
the marines sent there at all? If the Chi
nese government were bent upon the de-
struction of the ministers what protection
could be afforded them by 500 soldiers
against nation of 1000, coo people? And
II the mob were powerful enough to over
throw or overaWe the government the pro-
lection of few marines would be equally
futile against the mob. Could Europe send
marines TO Washington to guard obnoxious
ministers? Remember Genet and West
The truth is that either unWittingly or
through deliberate purpose our government
has been brought into an entangling aIli-
ance with those powers of Europe which,
by long series of plundering aggressions
upon the rights of China, have driven it's
people to desperation and frenzy. The
Chinese have no malice against Americans
and l doubt not Mr. Conger and his family
would have been better protected outside
the English embassy. We have never rob-
bed them of their territory. Their only
cause OF complaint against us is that We in
meddlesome and officious manner, insist
upon taking them with us to our heaven
although we refuse them our association on
earth. And even in this they more readily
forgive us because they greatly prefer
their temporal isolation In this world, and
from all they have SO far seen of Chris
tian nations they seem perfectly willing TO
trust their future salvation to the religion
of Confucius. who is said, at the least 10
have practiced what he preached.
Why should we assist England in China?
England forced upon China the damnable
opium trade, and when the Chinese in the
interest of their health and to yindcate
their Independence cast into the sea the
opium, as We cast her tea into Boston har-
Dor, England carried to them, as usual her
shot and shell, and finally seized and held
Hons Kong as indemnity for an unrght-
eous and accursed war. A pirate was prop
erly killed a vessel flying without au-
thority the English flag The sanctity Of
the English flag must be guarded whether
floating over pirates or Christians. The
result was new acquisitions of territory.
many or Japan? Napoleon III joined Eng
land in defense of the pirate flag and Ton
quin was taken by France. Russia seized
TurkestGn and England advanced her lines
from Burmah An English guide seeking
favorable lands for seizure in Younan prov
ince killed, and while England was
enforcing her indemnity of a quarter mil
lion dollars for this guide France seized
Cochin China. Finally, in 1895, Japan,
without plausible pretext, waged upon
China a fierce and relentless war, taking
Formosa, Corea and a money indemnity
ten times the cost of the war. Russia hav-
how took the larger part of Manchuria,
Port Arthur and the rich peninsula of
Lao Tung. England then took Wei-Hai-
Wei Germany seized Kiao Chau, and hav
ing waited a reasonable time for the death
of another Catholic missionary, was con-
strained, without excuse, to take a large
part of the Chang Tung province, the rich
est and most beautiful of the empire. In
this province whole villages were recently
destroyed by German troops because Chi
nese citizens asked compensation for lands
taken for railroads, and a Chinese youth
protesting his rights was Drained by an
imperious and brutal railroad engineer.
The 500 armed marines sent to Pekin are
said to have roamed over the city with the
insolence and arrogance of superior beings
Then came the wilful and preconcerted at
tack on the Taku forts, in which, all honor
to Admiral Remey, the United States did
not participate. This assault was an act