Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-07-03

"S ~ bHO ONNdplAlOII
of Picking by the allied troops and the
long negotiations which followed the
fate of China and of the American
policy trembled i'll the balance. Put
frmness on the part of the United
States government and The Support of
Great Britain and Japan found a way
| through that crisis.
Early in the present year a second
crisis was reached. Russia was seek
ing a firner hold on Manchuria, indie
at1ve of a more aggressive policy as
to the whole problem. a new treaty
with China was under consideration, q
treaty which if concluded would place
in Russian hands absolute control of
all railway, mining and commercial
privileges of the province. At this
juncture Secretary Hay came Onward
with his memorable note of Feb. I.
He defined h attitude of the United
States with almost startling diplomatic
frankness. He declared hat an agree
ment whereby China gave any cor
poration or company, Z Russian device,
the exclusive privilege of opening
mines, establishing railroads or in any
other way fndustriaIly developing Man
churia can but be viewed with the
gravest concern by the government Of
the United States.'
He added that such an agreement
constituted a monopoly. (which is n
distinct breach of the stipulation Of
the treaties between him and the for
eign powers" He called the attention
of the Russian government to the re-
peated pledges which it had given and
closed with an expression of the hope
that the governments of China and
Russia would take such measures as
would relieve the just and natural
anxiety Of the United States"
This note produced a profound i'm
preston throughout the world. 1t was
an application of the principle of equal
rights and equal opportunity in a way
so clear and unmistakable that it COM
PEELED attention..
Soon there followed a third crisis.
The United StG.taS hCI supplied the
principle. Now C:.ar Britain and Ja-
pan concluded al alliance which I;ledg-
sd to this prin .pla I support almost
threatening in is aspect In plain Ian
guage the allies threa,aneI war if Rus
STA did not give up ,ieI pretelsions to
Korea. Stii! Russia did not yield, She
turned to the otller powers to ascertain
their attitude in case of hostilties.
L l. as " q tiAt}tl- MI many
was looking out for German interests
and stood ready to profit by any up
heaval, to demand a price for any in
action that might be requested of her.
But what would the United States do?
Would the United States take any part
in the struggle? Would the American
government give material aid to the
allied powers which stood for the
American principle?
Almost every day Count Cassini. the
astute Russian ambassador. was at the
) state department. Tactfully, with dip
1omatic euphemisms, he pressed his in
quiries. 1t is quite probable that the
) issue of peace or war hung upon the
answer. Il the United States was will
t ing to declare its intention to pursue
the traditional American policy and
avoid all entauglements in the other
world, Russia would have felt free TO
pursue her way in the far east ever at
t the risk of war. With the United
? States surely out she could, with her
allies, France and Germany probably,
: face the antagonistic alliance.
But the answer OF the United States
was that it could give nc pledges. Fol-
lowing it's usual policy. this govern
: ment declined to say what it would OF
would not do in q given emergency. 1t
would be guided by self interest. 1t
r would watch events with great eager
ness. When emergencies arose, it
would meet them as in its judgment
seemed best. Unable to reckon upon
q the probable course of the United
States. Russia felt constrained to adopt
a conservative course. She could not
defy the world. The new treaty with
a China, which amounts to d surrender
q on the part of Russia. quickly fol-
g lowed.
There is little reason to doubt that,
e for the present at least. peace in the
g far east has been secured. and the
e United States is entitled to the credit
h of it. Appearances indicate that Rus
f sia's change Of policy is sincere and
permanent. The new Russian policy
h is commercial rather han political and
a military.
Incredulousness as to Russia's sin
cerity in her agreement to surrender
s political control of Manchuria is rife,
n it must be admitted. Many diploma
II lists are utterly unable to believe the
treaty will be honored in anything
more than a nominal way. But such is
the treaty, such are the obligations
t. and such is the situation with which
the Russian government is confronted.
o All the indications are that so far as
J. this decade at least is concerned Rus
1t sia's advance has been stopped, and
i the moral principle raised by the Unit
a ed States has proved stronger than an
Did world policy of seltishness. The
European powers are not only standing
on the platform of Secretary Hay, but
q they are using his language in the ex-
preston of their purposes and in the
declaration of their adhesion to the
"open door, principle Of equal rights