The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-21
OUR CHANGE OF FRONT.

OUR CHANGE OF 'FRONT.'.
The latest published batch of official
correspondence regarding the settlement
of matters in China is somewhat puz-
zling. The delay in opening negotia-
lions for settlement is making many of
these who. have sustained our govern
ment in it's course thus. far little rest
i've The reports which have found sucn
complete verification, of leeting of Euro
pean and American soldiery, aid in Gre
ating a sentiment strongly sympathetic
toward the Chinese on the part of many
who before felt that the hloodshed pro-
voked by the Boxer outbreak should be
severely punished before any steps were
taken to leave the Chinese in peace.
Perhaps the least satisfactory of the
documents emanating from the people
at Washington throughout the difficulty
is the latest published reply of the state
department. to the Geographic letter of
his government to Mr. WI. The plea
embodied in the Chinese request for in
tervention by the United States is almost
pathetic. 1t merited reply in kind. 1t
received one which showed that We are
disposed to act as grudgingiy as the
powers whose chief purpose in China Is
an Enthusiastically selfish one.
The state department. insists that the
Chinese emperor must show that he has
''the ability and power" to punish the
leaders of the Boxer rebellion before
the United States can do anything for
him. That is surely not gracious reply.
Considered in the light of the antecedent
position of this government as dtstln-
guished from that taken by Germany, for
instance, 1t shows that European dipfo-
macy has had, of late at least, a re-
hex influence upon our state department.
officials, If not on the entire admins
tratien
The note to Mr.. WI states that the
United States had taken the Initiative In
Withdrawing its troops. 1t did take the
initiative at least in declaring its pur-
further and showed to Germany and the
other nations that it could not be relied
on to engage in any policy OF reprlsals
for the wrongs that had been done
Why it should contemplate abandoning
that position, as it clearly indicates a
desire to do in this last cemmunfea-
ton, must puzzle even the closest stu
dents of the situation and the most un-
compromising adhefents of the admins
tration in it's Oriental policies.
1t is universally recognized that the
main influence which. has been effective
in having the Chinese shuE themselves
up, at least during the last coupe of CEN
turtles, has been the conviction which has
prevailed among then, that Eurepeansa1e
at best but barbarians. There is much
in the relations between the earliest rep
resentatives of Christian civilization in
China and themselves to sustain such
view; and it is noless than the truth. that
judged lay the greed which has dlstln-
guished foreign governments filed with
TIE Just &C territory, ii their rela ions
with tic Chinese imperial authorities,
within the past quarter of a century, the
Chinese conception of the European sol
der, politician and trader is not far cut
of the way. Even the one forelS2 nation
which might through It's policy convey
different and higher conception of the
character and mission in the Orient OF
the Western nations, now closely APP
proaches the European position. that
bloed is a first requirement TO letting
the Chinese People and their rulers pro-
eeed with the orderly admins tfation Of
the affairs Of the empire freed from out
side interference.
The only real question with which this
government should concern itself, aside
from the giving of proper reparatien, is
the. one of the future policy of the Chin
csc imperial authorities with reference to
throwing the country open to the trade
Of the world. and in removing the bind
restraints and insufferable burdens which
are rlaced on that trade. The punish
ment of the ringleaders of the revolt is a
mere incident, with which a great and
pacific nation like this should not con-
Germ itself, save as far as the immunity
extended to such ringleaders implies W.
willingness on the part Of the emperor
| to meet the plain requirements of the
civilized world that China must as speed
| lily as possible emerge from the state of
ignorance and superstition which now
paralyzes the energies of its people and
I is menace to the peace of the world.