Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-06-21

WORLD COMBAT PENDING.
Significance OF Events Now Goinq on in
China

| ~ I'D nv ocoicI IlaI Iuo Slk great
powers of Europe have been steadily
preparing themselves for the breaking
up Of the Chinese Empire. Japan
and tho United States have also
made ready for the collapse of the
Manchu dynasty.
The whole world will feel the
shock of the colossal events which
are impending in Asia, and the spray
of missionary blood which has set
fleets and troops in motion toward
Tien-Tsin, is but the first signal of a
struggle that will probably involve
every important nation.
The assembling of war ships in the
Gulf of Pc-chi-li is not an accident.
1t is part of a plan maturcd long
ago. 1t is the first step toward the
partition Of China and her four hun
dred million inhabitants among the
great powers.
Every important statesman in Eu-
rope has predicted that the political
roof of Asia would crash in this year
or next year, and that tho first out
break against Christian missionaries
would set the process Of dissolution
in motion.
The thing that is about to happen
will change the map of the world.
1t may ovcrturn more than one king
dom.
During my stay in China last year
learned enough to know that civil
lized Europe had officially decrced
the death of the Empire. And when
| reached Europe l found the Amc-
rican ambassadors in the great capi-
tails had been instructed by Sccrc-
tary Hay TO secure from the govern
mcnts to which they were accredited
definite pledges that, in the event of
the breaking up of China, the "open
door" policy would hold in all new
territory acquired by them. 1t was
well understood that this agreement
between the powers of the world,
secured through the efforts of the
United States, was made necessary
by unmistakable evidence that China
was powcrlcss to resist the allen
gulfing movements of Russia.
The fall of Poland gave the Cza,'
window looking out on Europe.
Then began he Russian movement
toward Constantinoplc. The Black
Sea was to be the base of great
Russian fleet. This movement was
checked by England, and the triple
alliance, formed under the prcsi-
dcncy Of the German Emperor, has
ever since resisted the efforts of
Pan-Slavism to force a military out :
let to the Mediterranean.
Russia turned her face from i'm
prcgnablc Europe to the far east.
Her engineers planned the Siberian
railway, steam highway six thou
sand miles long. This was to give
Russia the outlet in the Pacific that
had been denied to her in Europe.
Then came the China Japanese
war. Japan drove the Chinese army
out of Corca, and an army corps,
under Field Marshal Yamagata, oc-
cupied the hermit pcninsular. Japan
crossed the Yellow Sea and invaded
Manchuria. Twcntythrcc. thousand
Japanese soldiers, under Field Mar
shal Oyama, conquered an empire Of
four hundred millions.
1t is true that the Japanese did
not 90 beyond Port Arthur, Wei
lIai-Wci and Ticn- Chwang, but
there is no doubt that Oyama's com
pact little invading force could have
marched from one end Of the Chinese
Empire to the other without meeting
effective opposition. ! accompanied
the Field Marshal and saw every
where complete and unmistakablc
evidence of the military impotency
of China
The treaty of Shimonoscki gave a
province Of Manchuria, including the
powerfully fortified harbors of Port
Arthur and Talien- Wan, to Japan.
Russia, backed by France and Ger
many, forced Japan to waive these
territorial rights on the Chinese main
land.
Then Russia moved swiftly. BY
supporting the Emperor of Corca
against the rough domination Of the
Japanese, the Cars influence be-
came supreme in Corca, which ad-
joins Manchuria, and will furnish a
seaport termination for the Siberian
railway--a naval base, free from ice
in winter weather. Russia guaran-
tccd and partly furnished, the money
for the heavy war indemnity ex-
acted by Japan, and thus acquired
a hold on China. Presently the
world was astonishcd by the news
that China had ccdcd, or least for
nincty-nino ycars-virtually a sale