The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-08
AMERICAS PROPOSAL.

recent report that the United States
is endeavoring to bring about the open
ing OF the whole OF China and all its de-
Tendencies To the trade of the world is
confirmed by dispatch from Washington,
and il is added the effort is meeting
with promising degree OF support. It's
success would be u fitting climax 10 a
series OF diplomatic triumphs for the United
States and would make all other nations
its debtor for bringing about a result of
such immense and far-reaching Importance.
OF course the United States could not
bring it about alone, but il is one of those
cases in which the main credit lies in the
original conception and the first steps of
an enterprise. The very suggestion is a
bold one, and could hardly have originated
with any other government but that Of
the United States, which was chiefly in
strumental in opening Japan to the trade
of the world and has stood for the open
door in China at every stage of the pres
ent discussion.
A few facts will show what an immense
gain for commerce the opening of the
Tendencies and ports would be. The en-
pire proper consists of eighteen provinces
with an aggregate area of 4,2lsO00 square
miles and a population of $50. 900. In
addition to this there are five dependencies
with an aggregate area OF 2,SSl, $50 square
miles and a population of 16.6SOOoO. Prior to
1872 the only port open TO European or
American trade with this immense coun-
try and population was Canton. and
even this under restrictions. The
British acquired Hong Kong in 1872
and since then about twenty other
ports have been nominally opened to for
eign trade. but nobody knows where the
goods which are landed there go TO. Steam
ers and sailing vessels belonging TO for
eigners are admitted to the coasting trade
and upon one river, but otherwise the in
terior Of China is closed to foreign trade
as effectually as it ever was. The Chinese
minister at Paris said recently that the
Europeans and Americans have as yet
touched only the fringe of two Chinese
provinces in the way of trade, while six
teen other provinces. more populous than
these. and all of China's dependencies re-
main as a sealed book to them. The number
of ports that have been nominally opened
to commerce is small compared with the
number that remain closed. The opening
of the entire empire to the worlds trade,
subject, of course, TO Chinese tariff resula-
tons would be the greatest gain ever made
for commerce by a single act. The initia-
tive in the movement comes properly from
the country that made the first treaty Of
peace and friendship with China ever made
by Christian power, and which was the
first power to recognize that China was
a country to be treated with and not to be
warred upon. The first article of the treaty
of 1S5. says: There shall be, there have
always been, peace and friendship be-
tween the United States Of America and
the Ta-Tsng empire, and between their
people. respectively. They shall not insult
or Cypress each other for any trifling
cause, so as TO produce an estrangement
between them; and if any other nation
should act unjustly or oppressively, the
United States will exert it's good offices,
on being informed of the case, to bring
about an amicable arrangement of the
question. thus showing its friendly feel
ings" An honest and steady adherence
to the spirit of this article has caused the
United States TO be regarded by China as
its best friend among the nations and has
placed this government in a good position
to urge a measure of such vast scope as
the opening of all Chinese ports and all
China to foreign trade. Opposition TO the
proposition by any European power Will
be little less than a crime against hu-
manitV