The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-15
WOULD MAKE CHINA'S
GREAT BURDEN EASY
United States to Keep Demands
of Powers Down.
ALL EYES ON RUSSIA
%
WILL ASK THAT HER HAND BE
SHOWN IN MANCHURIA.
ALL EYES ON RUSSIA

Washington, March 14.-Our govern
ment has not yet been able to obtain
anything like an official statement of
the contents of the alleged agreement
between Russia and China respecting
the protectorate over Manchuria- If it
were not for the information which
comes to it unofficially. yet is known
to be reliable; the state department
would not be able to affirm even the
existence of the pact. So, in this state
of official ignorance, it has not been
possible TO go very far in the direction
of protesting against Russia's course.
The state department has from the
beginning sought to discourage any
kind of secret arrangement touching
China, so that the Russian agreement,
regardless of its details, would still be
Objectionable from this point of view.
The opposition to the Russian move
has not crystallized up to this moment,
and it is felt that there is every pros
pect of a cOnsummatiOn of the agree
ment between Russia and China, unless
the other powers, who now hang I'M
decided, speedily come to a determine
ton to oppose it.
In view of this impending crisis, the
officials here would regard as of Sec
Ondary Importance the negotiations at
1Ekll respecting Tic luuOHlDlllCS dUu
Tor the punlShmentS were 1t not for the
belief that there is great danger by I'm
due insiStence by the ministers at Pc
kin upon the collection Of impossible
indemnitieS and the continuance of pu-
nitiVe measures, the United States gov
eminent will be obliged in Difference to
public sentiment here to maintain an
attitude of exact neutrality and with
hold any assistance that might other
wise be reasonably requested, in the
greater purpose of checking the con-
summation of an agreement which is
almost certain to result in the partition
of China
So as already stated, Special Com
missioner ROckhilI is acting under the
instructions of the department. doing
his best to keep the demands of the
ministers within the bounds of the abil-
ity Of the Chinese government to meet,
thereby following the consistent policy
of the department, laid down as far
back as last summer.
Future of Manchuria.
Such information as has come to the
hands of officials indicates that the
Russian agreement consists of twelve
articles, not nine, as has been pub
lished. The chief concern of officials
here has been to learn how far these
articles affect the permanent future of
Manchuria. On their face, it is said,
they show a return of Manchuria to
in keeping with the desire of all pow
ers.
But this is accomplished upon GER
tain conditions imposed upon China and
it is understood that these conditions,
in effect, establish a Russian suzerain-
ty over Manchuria, with a Russian Of
fetal occupying the chief executive po-
sition, quite similar to that of the
British viceroy of India Comparing
this condition with that in India it
is said that if the present agreement
is contaminated, Manchuria will be
much in the same position as one of
the Indian states, having a certain de-
gree of independence and yet conform
ing all it's actions to the supreme au-
thOrity over it.
Chinese affairs received considerable
attention at the state department to-
day, as the Chinese minister, the Brit
ish ambassador and the Russian am
bassadOr followed each other in long
conferences with Mr.. Hay.
1t is understood that in the informal
discussion with Count Cassini, an earn
est intimatiOn was conveyed to him
that it would be most helpful in deal
ing with the subject if a clear and ex-
plicit understanding of Russia's plans
in this particular matter We're forth
coming.