The times., 1901-04-29
Fighting nnd Fnesing IN chtnn

Yesterdays news from the Far East
brought confirmation Of the report that
the Fraac0-German expedition now in
the field had fought and defeated
large force Of Chinese on the Shansi
border. What Importance is TO be at
tached to the fact il would be hard at
present 10 say. AS the affair is said 10
have occurred well within the Shansi
line, which marks the limit OF interna-
tional occupation. The inference is that
il viii create additional iii feeling to-
ward foreigners among the Chinese,
and possibly might result in bringing
the threatened general outbreak to a
head.
When the column shall have compile
ted the service assigned 10 it by Count
Won Waldersee, and returned to Pekin,
fears are expressed that the reports
viii. be spread among the natives claim
ing that it had been routed and driven
back by the invincible warriors Of Gen
eral Liu, and, Of course. the masses Of
the Empire uaquesuoningly VIII accept
the story as true. Punitive expeditions
in China do not seem to accomplish
cradle force. and in manner 10 strike
terror into the hearts Of the Chinese
DowageT Empress and her following It
is not at all certain that the German
idea of q thorough punitive campaign
in the first instance, after the capture
OF Pekin, was not the correct one.
However, it is TOO late 10 discuss that
under the conditions Of the moment
although its consideration might be
made again timely were a serious up
rising 10 occur in the near future The
Shansi incident furnishes something Of
a warning that all Of the fight has not
been knocked out Of the Celestials. and
that the Powers wiu do well to make
haste slowly in Withdrawing their
forces from the country. That might
easily mean an early struggle 10 save
the legations once more from the fate
that came 50 near .oyertaking them last
summer.
AS might have been anticipated. the
efforts Of the Administration TO induce
the Powers 10 cut their indemnity
claims in half, and the total failure Of
Mr.. RccllhiH 10 impress his colleagues
with this view, are commented on with
something approaching contempt in the
transatlantic capitals. This country
has gained nothing by the attempt but
the unfrienGIiness Of Governments with
whom II is very undesirable 10 quarrel.
The scheme was one Of the worst sort
Of diplomacy on its face. Now that it
has been defeated with scant ceremony.
it would De well 10 stop its further ex-
ploitatiOn either accidentally by way
Of defending the course of the State
Department, or practically through our
Representatives abroad.
Our Chinese policy, as we glance
through its history for the past eight
cen months, is calculated 20 remind one
OF the work on Chinese Philosophy o.
by The literary man Of the "Eatanswiu
Gazette mentioned in the ''Pickwick
Papers" Ia this case the author pre-
pared himself for the production OF this
magnum opus by deep reading in the
Encyclopedia Britannica-China. under
&C" and Philosophy under "P." and
combining his Information. The anna
teur diplomats who had charge Of our
Chinese relations during the heated
term last summer must have followed
the English model referred to, if we
consider results. No doubt they dug
their China out OF &C" in a webster 5
Unabridged. and worked up their con
cepts Of policy and diplomacy from the
Agricultural and Posto1.ce reports. We