Evening journal., 1901-02-08
CHINA TOO POOR
TO PAY INDEMNITY
Says General Wilson in New
York Speech
Makes an Address on the Relations
Existing Between This COun-
try and China

General James H. Wilson, Of this city,
attended the regular monthly meeting OF
the Chamber Of Commerce in New York
yesterday and made an address on the re-
lations existing between this country and
China.
lie said that China Is too poor TO pay
the cash indemnity which will be de-
manded by the nations. He said:
Now, of course, II the Cinnamon can
not pay the money, everyone OF the gen
tlemen out there who is representing
foreign power will say: Well. we will
have 10 have some security. il we take
your notes What have you got TO give
as securityr We haven't got anything.
We'll, we will take land That is where
the danger is. Everybody will get land
except the United States. III the United
States does not take land. or II she does
she will be relatively in better position
than any other nation that has 10 have
settlement Obviously, If they cannot
raise more revenue they cannot pay the
debt, but obviously a government which
has been hitherto exceedingly bad and In
Which every person who has collected the
revenue has taken n part OF IT.. in which
but moiety has ever reached the I'M
perial treasury, Americans would say.
the first thing TO be done is 20 reorganize
the government and especially the fiscal
features OF il. My Judgment Is, and /
studied the question not only this time
but when / was in China before. that the
reorganization OF the fiscal system Of the
Chinese will enable them 10 pay the debt
and pay it easily.
IL am satisfied that the man that fur
nishes that money or any considerable
| portion OF the amount OF money which
China must borrow TO pay the debt will
run China practically, and the man that
runs China, il he is an American, can gei
a great deal Of trade. do not take tn,
slightest stock in any effort to acquir
territory on the continent Of Asia. II i
not necessary. We have never got an,
business ont there on any other principl
than the plain, simple principle on whicl
you gentlemen do business with eac
other. If you cannot furnish goods OF
better quality or at an earlier delivery o.
at lower price. you do not sell them
That is substantially the case out there
and nobody in the Orient has ever glver
ms dollar on any other principle. Their,
is no reason in the world. we being IN,
closest Of all the nations 10 China, with d
/ straight route over-thore no reasoi
in the world why with the open door foI
which our administration is standing 81
/ strenuously-an nobody will dare Il
close il in our faces-thcre Is not IN,
slightest reason in the world why thi
! United States should not have the great
est advantage that any other nation will
get 10y the changes that will take place
in China.
There is a great deal Of talk about SCI
power and great deal Of talk about
i combination Of all the other powers 4
! prevent Russia from getting into China
All the powers in the world and all tn,
navies in the world united into one can
not delay her a day. for she is there righ
up against IL for 1000 miles. She has al
ready taken 100000 Of square miles o
territory that belonged TO China, aud sh
is going to take just as often aud just a
much as she thinks she wants and no
body can stop her. There is only on
power in the world that can stop her 70
a day. and that is Japan. / have no sor
OF doubt myself that il war were I
break out between Japan and Russia to
day on the Manchurian question that tn
Japanese would drive the Russians bacl
TO the Amoor river; but they could no
keep them back, for with a railroad run
ming every day. they may bring only 80
men at a time, but they can keep on pilinl
them mp. So far as the Russian govern
ment has purpose Of that sort we mus
recognize IT, She has always been friend
ly TO us, and / think that when she can
not furnish the article Of commerce re
quired she would rather have ms do
than anybody else"