Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-04-26

ii. Whitehead of the Chartered Bank
of India and China at Hongkong,
says the Washington correspondent of
the New York Post The banking in
stitution which l have represented for
the last II years." said he the other
day in conversation with a Washing
ton friend, has done business with
Chinese customers amounting to tens
of millions of pounds sterling without
losing Il penny. The same could not
be said of any other nationality.
Twenty years experience among them
has convinced Inc that the Chinese
have exceptionally high standards of
business honesty. Whether they are a
moral product or the fruit of a discov-
cry that honesty is the best policy
cannot say, but the fact remains that,
generally speaking, 4 Chinese mer-
chants word is as good as his bond.
The Chinese from their childhood
are taught to rely more on reason than
on physical force for the vindication of
their rights. For learning and literary
culture they have ever felt genuine
enthusiasm; these are the only doors
in the Celestial Kingdom through
which members of all classes can at
tain to honorS and official rank. The
Chinese are very sensitive to any act
OF injustice. a legitimate loss they will
endure with equanimity. but one caused
by an injustice will arouse indigna-
ton. The patriarchal system and
deep rooted respect for their ancestry
are the foundation on which the super
structure of Chinese social and family
FL &c mill &c
observed by all classes in every rank
of life. So much is this the case that
during the thousands Of years the en-
pire has existed the necessity for a
regularly organized police force has
never arisen. The people are submis-
sivc, docile and practically a police
unto themselves. Politeness, respect
for authority, Difference TO elders, COM
bine &c make them restrain the coarser
feelings. They are easily governed if
judiciously directed. They may be
led. but they will not be driven. This
is my observation in India. Japan and
China for more than &c years.
American. German. Japanese and
British interests in China are principal
~ commercial. We should strive for
freedom of trade throughout China and
her dependent territories, including
Manchuria. The Chinese would, of
course, support this course. The peo-
pie of the four nations desire it; but.
although they now have practically all
the trade of Manchuria. that province
Is under a Russian protectorate. If
the cooperation of America, Germany,
Japan and Great Britain is practicable
in respect to interests in Manchuria,
the present time seems Opportune.
Your rapidly multiplying population
must grow more dependent every year
upon foreign markets as customers for
the surplus products OF it's labor. The
United States already does large bust
ness with Manchuria. Great Britain's
greatest interest still is peace. To Rus
sin It is an economic necessity, mas
much as her vast material resources in
Europe and Siberia need urgently to
be developed, and her economic condi-
ton is at least century behind that of
the other countries Of Europe and of
the United ates.
The politics of Asia is inextricabIy
bound up with the politics of Europe
and involves the future Of mankind.
Russia is the dominant factor in north
China. though her commercial interests
in China are insignificant. The most
skillful diplomacy was never more ur-
gently required to safeguard CONNER
cial interest in China than now. Man |
churia is one of the IS provinces of
China proper, but a dependency of the |
empire since the beginning of the pres |
ent dynasty. 1t is a white mans land |
and climate, with a population of more |
than 100000. belonging to a vigorous |
race possessed of all the best qualities |
for the making of an army. Manchuria |
is rich in mineral wealth, arabic land |
and natural resources. 1t is known as |
the heaven ordained home of the dy- |
nasty and as the cradle of the Mant- |
choo race while Liau-Tong is called |
the regents sword and is regarded as /
the gateway to Picking.
1.-The management of the Eastern /
Chinese railway throughout Manchu-
ria, connecting with the Transsiberian /
trunk line. will be entirely Russian.
The Chinese concessions for this enter
prise are ostensibly not to the Russian
government, but to the railway COM
pany, which is nominally private con-
Germ, though in reality department of
the Russian government. Its articles
Of association were sanctioned by a
Russian imperial ordinance issued in
st. Petersburg on Dec. %, 1896. The
holders of shares in the company are
limited to Russian and Chinese sub
jects, but its monetary requirements
are provided by the Russian govern
ment The company possesses the pow
er to levy rates at its discretion, so
that sooner or later the door may be
closed against the trade of
the powers which are already admitted
under the favored nation clause to the
markets of Manchuria.
"As to the prospect in the near fu-
ture 1 will say word. Should there
be no further partition of territory, and
IL it is still possible to keep the door