New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-27
pnLICIES IN CHINA.

| II must be admitted that the recent steps OF
| this Government in Chinese matters have nor
! commanded as entire approval as the earlier
/ ones whether abroad or at home But il must
| be recognized that the situation is extremely
/ perplexed and difficult Even to seem to aban
don American citizens and missionaries ana
! their converts is most repugnant. Yet TO re-
main in Picking at the risk of foreign entangle
ments the certainty of seeing American troops
serve under a foreign commander and the proo
ability of being drawn into great protracted
war on the other side of the globe is equally
antagonistic TO American ideas traditions and
wishes.
Foreign criticisms natural but not wholly
iudcious Thus. one Of the most weghty and
sober of the critics The London Standard
thinks the Washington Government must nave
"a very exaggerated estimate of the goodwill of
the Chinese rulers" If our memory serves us
Alright similar comment made upon Mr..
Hays "credulity' in accepting the Conger dis
patch as genuine and upon his exaggerated
estimate of Chinese good faith" in taking Mr..
WI and others at their word. Might II not be
possible that our estimate of the Chinese dis
position is no less correct now than II was
them Nobody can doubt for moment that
punishment of the Boxer leaders by the
Chinese themselves would he UNNECESSARILY
more efficient as a restraining example than
any melted ont by foreigners. The only question
is whether the Powers or whether the United
States, if it alone in the matter, prevail
upon the Chinese Government to perform such
an act of justice.
During the siege of the legations the United
States adopted the policy of assuming that
the Chinese Government was telling the truth.
That policy was successful Now it assumes
that the Chinese Government will obey the
plain requirements of justice. In that il may
he equally successful AS for The Stand
ards" fear that the action of the United
States will tend TO weaken the moral infiu-
ence of the allies" it may be dismissed as
quite unfounded. Granting that any such moral
| influence exists. should think il would be
| strengthened rather than weakened by frank
assumption of good faith There is little moral
! suaSon in beginning a controversy by telling
! your opponent that you deem him liar and a
! knave. and that you expect him to deceive and
! cheat you if he can.
! 1t is by no means sure. however, that such
moral influence exists. In order 10 create and
/ to maintain 1t there should be a complete accord
/ Of the Powers in unsefsh purpose Unhap-
| PLY there is not. and there has not been such
accord. Even when the lives of the foreigners
in Picking were in deadly peril the Powers
!
even less in agreement. Nor is their unselfsh-
ness of purpose conspicuous. One has from the
! beginning been openly and cyncally self-seek-
! ing. Others have frankly made it clear
| that If any are self-seeking they all will be At
| best they have striven for the maintenance of
J Chinese integrity not because that is China's
| right, but simply because of their own Jealous
! desires to keep each other from gaining any
| thing. 1t would indeed be exaggerated credu-
! lily" to imagine that the Chinese do not under
! stand perfectly the jealousy. selfshness and
similar motives which underlie the poIicies of
the Powers. But as we have said not even
! in these things is there unanimity A little
| while ago Russia proposed to "scuttle" out of
| Picking. This Government presented to the
Powers counter proposition somewhat differ
emit To that Germany has responded with a
third proposition, radically differing from both
the others. The other Powers are yet to be
heard from formally. but it is made plain that
there is no general agreement with any
that have already spoken. There is little
| ground for moral influence" in such state of
affairs AS for this country, it may well be
mindful Of the old fable of the man who tried
10 please every one and succeeded in pleasing
no one II is obvious that the United States
cannot please all the Powers; and if il pleases
some by accepting their policy it will pretty
surely displease others. In such case 1t NAV
well be the part Of wisdom for it to please itself
by adopting its own Independent course and to
! let such others agree with it as are pleased so
TO do
This view of the case is emphasized bv the
developmentSof Russian policy now reported
From the beginning that Power greatest in
political ambition, though one of the least i'm
commercial interests has manifested an unmis
taxable disregard for the desires and policies of
the other Powers and for anything like con
certed action. While others aimed to relieve
! Picking Russia poured all available troops into
Manchuria While others sought to antagonize
| the Chinese people as little as possible Russia
would seem 10 have Unfortunately massacred
J men, women and children by thousands Her
| revenge for the killing of some Of her people
| If any were killed-at Picking is wrought by
butchering on the Amoor some thousands Of
| inonensive nOncombatants who probably had
! never heard of the outbreak at Picking. And
now, while other Powers are arranging for the
I opening of negotiations with China for the pay
! ment of indemnity and the settlement of oues
/ lions at issue, Russia is said to have annexed
! Manchuria out of hand. After that. what *
J the use in talking of a concert of the Powers"