The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-06
THE soUTH's INTEREST IN MAN
CHURIA.


In a carefully written article the New
York Journal of Commerce and CONNER
cial Bulletin points out that the interests
of the Southern States in Manchuria are
far greater than the Southern people gen.
orally think they are. The falling off in the
demand for cotton goods, and consequent
ly the declining price of cotton, is largely
due to the fact that the market in China
for cotton goods has been practically
closed ever since the Powers under
took to quell the disturbances there
brought about by the Boxer movement.
Manchuria is an immense market for
the products of the cotton mills of the
South. If Russia should get control of
that province it is almost certain that
she would, in the course of a very short
time, introduce her own tariff laws there
and thus practically shut out American
goods from the province. She could cas-
lily do this by slightly raising the tariff
rates on all imports except those manu-
featured in Russia
But it may be argued that Russia can
not yet supply her home markets with
cC-1s
she cannot at this time but it is appar-
ent that the time is not far distant when
she can. Only year or two ago she took
annually as much as 100000 worth Of
cotton from us. Now she Is taking only
about 100000 worth. She is making
great progress in raising cotton, and the
number of her cotton mills is increasing
rar esha 10 oh m
ture surplus of cotton goods she will
hold the Manchurian market for herself
if she succeeds in getting that province.
But it may be urged that we have
treaty with China which gives us the
right to enter the Manchurian market on
as favorable terms as any other country
enters it. But that treaty holds good
only so long as Chinese sovereignty is
supreme in the province. If the agree
ment which Russia wants China TO sign
in respect to Manchuria should go into
effect Russia's sovereignty would prevail
in the province, and treaty with China
with regard 90 trade privileges there
would not be respected. The United
States had a trade treaty with
much waste paper as soon as French infu-
ence became dominant there. So it would
be in the case of Manchuria if Russian in
iuence should prevail there.
Russia claims that it is not her pur-
pose to exercise sovereignty in Manchu-
ria-that all she desires Is to protect her
railroad interests there. That is only a
nrafaxt to 0at a foothold The GernoapS
are building a railroad in the province of
Shantung and the Belgians, backed by
French and Russian influences, are build
ing a railroad through the heart of the
Chinese empire. Suppose the Germans
should demand the right to put an army
in Shantung to protect their railroad in
terests there and suppose the Belgians
should demand the same right in respect
to the railroad they are building, would
it be long before the empire of China
would be divided up among the Powers
of Europe?
And it is as plain as anything can be
that If the empire should be partitioned
among the Powers of Europe, the trade
of the United States would be practically
shut out of China. And the South would
be the section of the country that would
suffer the most, because her mills
make the grade of cotton goods demanded
by the Chinese trade. 1t is important
to the South, therefore, that the integri-
ty of the empire of China shall be pre-
served. The troubles in China have al
ready cost the South millions of dollars.
Our government should see to it that
American products are not shut out of
China