The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-01-06
Belief in London That the Gar Ia
Trying for Il Big Coup
in China.
GREAT BRITAIN IS HANDICAPPED
South African Affairs Prevent
That Attention to Asiatic Mat
tiers Which She Would
Like to Give.
SPECIAL BY CABLE.


London. Jan 5-The weeks new AMI
startling development of the China problem
has left English public opinion very little
moved.
Doctor Morrison's announcement In the
Times Of the Russo-Chinese agreement Il,
generally accepted as tantamount to the es-
adjustment Of a complete Russian pro-
tectorate over the vast Province Of
Mahchuria- Yes" says the typical Eng
hshman. that is Just what We all ex-
pected; is it not?"
lie also accepts the agreement as con-
trary to the declared policy of the Eu-
ropean concert, and especially contrary to
the spirit OF the Anglo-German agreement
IL pressed. the type of Englishman now in
p~redominance in political life will tell Won
this also was what he expected. Russia. ne
VIII tell you, Is an adept at breaking
pledges.
She never really meant to preserve Chi
nese integrity. and England. having failed.
In MT Chamberlain's choice phrase. to uss
a long spoon when supping with the devil,
gets no SOUP.
This Is probably the view Of the Ministry
here. 1t certainly Is the view of dominant
Toryism. but that IS about as far as public
opinIon goes. No one listens seriously 10
the few who would stir up an anti-Russan
agitation. The sanest and. 1 believe. the
most widely held view of EngIand's exact
POSITION is expressed thus In the Westmin-
ster Gazette:
" know perfectly well that tn. In
tegr1ty formula to which. as used Of China.
Russia Is definitely pledged on paper, Is
only a diplomatic fiction; Russia is al
ready established at Port Arthur. while her
Designs on Manchuria. If not OPENLY
avowed. have none the less been notorious. 4
The Chinese attack on the Russians. a
proceeding altogether distinct from the at
tack on the legations, gives Russia a griey-
ance over and above that possessed BY her
IN common with all the other Powers. She
TO earmark Manchuria as practically Rus
sian.
Our wisest course. in the circumstances.
since Asia Is not the only continent with
problems, is not TO put the Russian treaties
with China into a parallel column with the
Russian general ~avOwals. but rather TO md
out IL We are in fact prejudiced by what
Russia has done"
And in view Of her commitment in South
Africa, England Is quite ready to find that
her interests are not prejudiced. The Brit
ish Government is expected to seek expla-
nations from st. Petersburg. as the Ger
man and United States Governments sre
poses that Russia will not have her way in
Germany. again, is not expected to at
tempt to balk Russia Rather will she
turn the Russian move 10 her own ad-
vantage, IL, indeed, she had not, as somo
believe. provided for this eo1tingency m
her signature to the Anglo-German agree
ment.
England, in a word. has more pressing
work elsewhere than in China. and Russia
and Germany know it. The lone uncertain
FACTOR is China herself. II partition Is
again to be the game, Europe may thereby
be FASTENED toward that organized outbreak
OF Chinese hatred which Sir Robert Hart
has foretold.
I heard one well-informed Chinese au-
thority declare the other day that he fully
expected to add a medal to those already on
his well-covered breast for operations in
the Yang-tse Valley in 1901