The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-28

the landscapes by painted Lettering, jlst as
much business would be done and the cs-
thete would be happier.
The Administrations Chinese Policy
1t may be that the policy OF the Admin
istratlon with regard to China has teen
consistently that OF playing the jackal to
the British Lion. in which case We can
understand it. Otherwise it has rather the
ear marks of puerility. AS q European and
a world power Great Britain is obliged to
! offer a stern face to the rest OF creation,
! and to assume the aspect of an uncom1To-
missing ally of the Continent in the punish
ment of China But Great Britain has not
mixed up in the affairs of the Orient fer
couple of centuries without becoming more
or less infected with Oriental guile. 1t is
not stark. Berserker Anglo-Saxon straight-
! forwardnezs that always actuates Albion in
| her Eastern policy and conduct As. posi-
bly, on the present occasion, we may j-sti-
| fably suspect her of desire to hunt with
| the hounds and run with the hare.
| Such thing like ell double pays and
generally feats Of leserdermain, would be
impracticable without a confederate; and it
| looks very much as if that confederate in
the present instance were the United
States. As partially "disinterssted third
party without notice" it is possible for US
to block or partly block the wheels of tie
concert by assuming the bona fides o, Oh ma.
and adopting the opinion that the only rea-
son why the Ministers in pekin are silent
is because the Chinese Government fears
that they might say something they would
be sorry for afterward On these hypo-
theses Mr.. Mckinley is able TO take the
position that we are at peace and on
friendly terms with the Flowery Kingdom,
and that We ought to sympathize with and
assist the charming and virtuous Empress
Dowager at a time when her Empire is rent
with the disorder and rebellion which she
has stayed mp nights to produce.
Much is being said by friends Of the Ad-
mlnistration concerning its nobly indepen-
dent and philaEthropic course. in refusing
10 believe that any massacre has hap
pened in Pekin, or that the hideous tor
lures and tnassacres Of civilized people,
which unquestionably have taken place in
many portions of China. have been perpe-
trated in anything but the most cordial
shirt OF amity This view is in high ac-
cord with the British jackal policy We
refrained from sending the troops to
Taku carly in June, which might, and
probably would. have succeeded in escort
irs the foreigners in Pekin cafely to the
coast. because England held that that
would furnish Russia with an excuse TO
IN no
great was the desire to play second hand
to London that. after arranging for the
despatch of brigade from Manila, our
authorities declared that in no circum-
stances would a single American soldier
be landed on Chinese soil. British inter-
! ests having undergone a change. within
( short time we shall have ten thousand
there.
We have presented to US the spectacle Of
an American Executive exhaustng its
( ingenuity. and the capacity for opinions
/ possessed by Magoon. in an effort tc con-
duct foreign war in alliance with Great
Britain, and in a way to escape the duty
Of calling Congress together in extraordi-
nary session. Were the war-mai.ing power
of the Government assembled. it might in
slst upon some truly independent Amerl-
! can action. which might not be dictated
from day to day by the Interests of Lord
Salisbury's Government. In such an event
the iackal who. as the Snowman says, al
ways goeth before the lion to perwide his
provisions, perwiding there are any 20
perwide." would DO useless supeTiulty.
50 Congress for that. among many other
reasons. must be kept out Of the reckon
ing; il, indeed. it can be.
There is a logical difficulty in refusing
10 call it together. War has been con
structiyely declared by China in edicts
Of July 3 and July 10, and directly in the
firing upon the Monocacy at Taku. the
murder or Imprisonment Of our Minister,
and the butchery Of American citizens in
various places in China. 1t cannot be said
that "a state OF war which has been thus
officially notified to the world does not ex-
list. 1t does exist, and since it does be-
yond any sort OF question the constitu-
tional right Of the Executive to handle the
emergency has ended We are at the
present time, al war with the De tacto
imperial Government Of China. Yet we
have not a shadow Of right to accept its
| challenge and go TO war without the au-
| thority OF Congress. In taking the con-
| trary view. Mr. Mckinley is doing what
even Andrew johnson would never have
/ dared to do. If he had dared, under like
| conditions, the history OF his Administra-
| ton would read differently.
Education in Art.