The times., 1901-03-13

John Barrett. Minister to Siam, lee
| tured Yesterday afternoon at the Colum-
bia Theatre under the auspices Of the Ma
/ tional Geographic Society. There were
! over thousand people present. Mr. Bar
/ rctts subject was The Growth of Asia
! China" The subject matter was compiled
{ from personal observations of Mr. Bar
/ rett while he was United States Minister
/ at Bangkok In closing Mr.. Barrett said.
Finally. we note that study of Chi
nese history and character enables us To
understand better the mighty influences
/ now at work in China. II forces us to
draw certain remark able conclusions that
I throw light upon the present crisis at
! Pcllin. but which are not generally re-
membered in popular discussion of the
/ problem before as.
There is danger OF misunderstanding
! and undertaking the people ana possibii-
/ ties of China in war and in peace, be
| cause the wonderful past of the Empire
is not commonly known
"First-It may seem surprising. but
il is a truthful statement i'm the light of
! history. that the Chinese are warlike
people They are born warriors. They
inherit "a capacity and tendency to fight
from q longer period of lighting ances-
tors than is the heritage Of any or all of
the Powers now arrayed against them ut
/ Pekin. The soldier may be unpopular in
the social and political life of the Empire
from the teachings of thc classics bat
the salient fact remains that wars and
soldiers have engaged the attention OF
the Empire and people more than peace
and scholars during her fifty centuries of
sway The lack of an organized army is
mere passing Incident of the times
'Secoud-The recent Boxer uprising and
seizure Of the legations. while they right
ly appear in the judgment of the hour to
| be fraught with great possible results
both to China and the foreign world, are
secondary events when compared to
scores of uprisings and difficulties in Chi
mas seventy cycles and twenty-five dy-
uasties. The massacres, men engaged ana
killed, area of disturbance. and yeXations
/ of settlement and indemnity are, after
all. trivial when we balance against them
! the events Of centuries that are gone.
| .-Third-The end of China is not Yet.
! If she IS divided it viii in history be only
/ a temporary division-but one sugg astive
| of revenge and consequent dangers TO the
white and Christian races. If she is not
/ divided a new and grander period Of prog
ress and civilization viii surely follow the
troubles and haze Of the past sixty years
Just as has been the almost invariabIe OK
perience of the great past. Men and
means will be forthcoming to build up
this newer China Whether this era is
inspired from within or without. whether
it comes with a new dynasty. new En-
peror. or with the present Emperor sup
ported by foreign hands. the world will
yet see greater things in China than it
has ever viewed in America or Europe.
As China's 400 0oo.000 people must. by law
of nature, increase TO countless more mil
lions, and as her 4.0100)0 square miles
with their vast unsurpassed resources.
must inevitably respond to material de
yelOpmeut so her 400 years of history
AS nation and people with their rich
experience, their reserve energy. their
couSerNatons. their reCupcTatiVe capacity,
their homOgeneity compel MS 10 believe
that China viii survive successfully the
present crisis
is not. therefore the policy OF our
Goverument-thato Of mingled firmuess and
charity-a wise one2 If we protect our
treaty rights demand just punishment
without revenge, respect China ) inaliel-
a ble prerOgatIVeS, and show dignifeti
generosity in the evolution Of the new
States. We shall have China 10000 9JJ
people, with ali that that means. as our
lasting friends rather than our everlasting
enemies.
our commercial opportunity in China
Is the greatest in pDtentiaities Of any
beyond our shores. Today our trade eX-
change with China. including HOngkong,
is valued at si50J00o per annum. and yet
IL is IN the infancy Of its Development
Making Il conservative estimate on the
basis that the open door is preserved in
China. that the interior of the Empire IS
made accessible with railways. and that
the Government becomes progressive.
there is no valid reason why our com
merce with Cathay in 1928 should not have
grown tenfold and be valued at $3.50,
O0lOO0
The future Of Manchuria directly con
Germs the United States. In one way we
have more a stake than any other ma
ton. More American products are sold
there than in any other portion Of China.
American imports to Manchuria exceeded
those Of any other foreign nation. The
outlook in ordinary conditions for the in
crease of American trade in Manchuria Is
better than elsewhere in Asia, and hence
the situation appeals 10 American export
interests
Il am making no comment on the diplo-
matte issue at stake. nor on the policy
of Russia or the United States, but / am
telling the simple truth about ManChuria'S =
Importance. Having crossed II from Nieu-
thwang TO NladivOstoCk by way Of kirin
and MOukdeu. / can say thar IL Is pros
peCtiyely one Of the best sections of
China, capable Of supporting a large popu-
lation and providing an extended market.
When l first visited Nieu-C hwang some
eight years ago. American imports were
barely worth y per cent Of the total:
when went there last in 1898 they were 80
per cent OF the total, and still growing
il Is the Manchurian demand for Instance
mat mas caused the wonderful Increase
10 *lNvJ,op of the value Of our manu-
iactured cotton goods sold in China. The
demand for flour, oil. manufactured iron
and steel bids fair 20 inCreas. in ike
proportion If the door of trade is NOT
closed against MS.
IF ! should summarize public opinion
in regard TO China and our policy. as ii
mas been my privilege to test it in ad-
dressing commercial and missionary or
ganlzatiOuS in all parts of the United
States from San Francisco to New York
] should state, first, that public Senti-
ment. regardless Of party. is undOubt-
edly heartily in sympathy with our Gov
ernment 5 policy and, second that if this
opinion were Crystallizrd into specific ex-
pectatl0us IL would name the following
provisions: First-Evcry legitimate effort
should be made to preserve the integrity
Of the Chinese Empire and th.. freed ON
Of trade throughout its extent as orig
inally outlined I'm the old treaties while
advocating and pressing needed reforms
lu administration Of government and for
eigu intercourse. SecOud-Not one cent
Of indemnity should be demanded by mis-
SiODarles or merchants beyond that Of
actual loss Of property. and the entire
question Of indemnities and kindred is
sues should be referred 10 an interna-
uoual tribunal Of arbitration as provided
by The Hague Peace Treaty Third-New
treaties Of commerce and amity should /
be negotiated as soon as practicable bv !
the Ministers at Pekin which viii give |
every nation equal rights Of trade
throughout all China. provide for the !
abolition OF the iilten and other offensive /
taxes. and ensure the open door for COM I
mcrce and Christianity alike. Fourth
Charity and not revenge. with punish /
and within the Chinese Governments
power TO punish. should characterize the |