The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-23

speak disintcrestedly, to take the initiative, and
In so doing secure the peace OF the world me
United States wants no territory in China, and 1t
will exert its strongest diplomatic influence
against land.grabbing and dsmembement II Is
enmeshed in none Of the European intrlgues, and
IL Is unhampered by any previous indications OF
favor or Of hostility to any faction in official
China. II went into China to protect its rights,
and il will remain there solely to defend its
citizens and property, to arrange for the payment
of indemnities and TO aid in the restoration OF
order. That 1t can withdraw its troops with pro.
pricty before ,hese aims have been accomplished
is highly improbable, since in order to make sure
Of its just indemnity claims there must be some
stable Chinese government with which TO deal,
and the establishment Of such government can.
not be assured IL the troops be withdrawn now,
our third quotation is from the Phil
adelphia Press, recognized medium
of administration outgivings:
No doubt longer exists, first, that the empress
was herself personally responsible for the attack
on the legations or SO closely connected with 1t
through her agents that her personal knowledge
and completely must be assumed. Second, all
branches Of the Chinese army werc engaged IN
the attack or in the resistance of the relief col
umn. Third, while Prince Ching, a member OF
the imperial clan, seems to have tnade efforts in
behalf of the beleagucrcd foreigners, they were
unayailing, and the legations emerge from their
siege convinced that they were attacked, il not
by the direct orders certainly with the active
sympathy of the Manchu officials, from the en-
press down to the last "bannerman" fresh from
his Manchurian clan. This intelligence clears
the field at Pein As additional details are re.
ceived it will grow clear that a complete re.
organization must take place at Pekin. Forced
to enter the capital to rescue their legations the
troops Of the powers cannot now be withdrawn.
| l..
| inhabitants, a new imperial administration has
TO be organized, n new government established
| and its head selected The empress and all her
| Manchu officials and appointees must be elimi'
| mated. On this task will depend the future Of
| China, and the United States, which has shared
| in the events which have swept aside a ManChu
| administration violating every claim of hospi
| tality and the immCmorial sanCtity OF enyoys
must now keep its troops at Pekin until the
| work Of reconstruction has reached a stage il
| which retreat is possible without cvadng inter
national responsibilities or pcriling national in
| tercsts. General Chafec and his command will
| remain in Pekin. The American troops on thcil
| way to China will be landed, and if necessary
| add TO the American forces in Pckin. Without
| entangng itself in the plans of other power
or allying itself with their designs, the United
| States will continue to protect its own interests
| and urge on the other powers a course which will
| maintain the territorial integrity and admins
| trativc autonomy Of the Chinese empire. Onl,
this course can preserve the treaties on whcl
| American interests hang Treaties which survive
mere changes of government.
We shall doubtless soon hear from
the Democratic press and orators fierc,
denunciation of this programme. The,
will point to it as illustrative of "im
perialism" and "militarism:" of gov
erning the Chinese without the con
sent Of the governed" of the "poten
Vaccinations of avaricious syndicate
and favored army contractors" and a
foretelling the early demise of ou
free institutions. If they are no
within thirty days charging the Who'll
Boxer uprising to the minions of cor
porate greed. to the octOpuses an
shylocks of Wall street, and to VII
liam Mckinley and Mark Hanna W
will owe them an apology that Wi
gladly be paid. Yet what Is the alter
native? Assuming that the soldier
were removed, how would the Phila
delphia Ledger demand damages fror
a government which runs faster tina
its pursuers or collect of officials VIII
cannot be located? Is the Unite
States to pocket the attack on its lc
cation, the wanton murder and pillaG
of it's citizens and the contemptuou
disregard of it's treaty rights simpl
in order that it may economize in III
cost of maintenance of a few hundre
, or a few thousand soldiers, not one {
whom would vote to pull out befoi
the job had been finished?
The problem is the most difficult an
delicate one that the president an
, his advisers have had to solve, bl
thus far they have displayed ability fl
, beyond the general expectation and
would be nothing more than commc
. decency to let them have their ow
time and way in carrying the tas
: through.