The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-10
As A WORLD POWER

It must be admitted that, since TINS ma
ton was numbered in the group OF Worln
powers, and has had to determine courses
of action and act in an advisory capacity
Jointly with the old world powers, we
have made a most creditable record.
After the fall of Peking, when the pew
ers sat round what looked like the morl-
bund body of China. it was the diplomatic
energy of our government which pre-
vented the disint egration of the democrat
lied empire, and fhe. occupation OF their
respective spheres by four at least OF the
powers known to possess predatory In
clinations. The frmness Of the United
Estates kept Great Britain and Japan from
going in for plumber and even Germany
having practically absorbed the &proXince
of saantung, stayed her hand and made q
compact with. Great Britain to maintain
the integrity of China 49,
Our state department has now secured
from the powers, still occupying I1en-
Tsin at the mouth of the Peiho, consent
to evacuate, renting the most severe
of the terms of evacuation. Under the
terms of tthhe treaty of Peking an inter-
national guard was stationed at ITEM
Tsin to guarantee open transit between
Picking and the sea, no limitation being
put upon such occupation. China pro-
tests against the continued occupation of
Tien-Tsin by the international guard, as
placing her in position of subsection to
the powers, even after she has consented
to the destruction Of the forts between
Picking and Taku, which are not to be
rebuilt, and to the Limitation Of the num-
Der of Chinese soldiers in the native part
of TEN Tsin. Our government favors
evacuation and leaving Chinese troops In
the native city of Tien-Tsin and the re-
moval of the stipulation that. foreign
soldiers shall not be arrested by the Chi
nese. TO this the powers agree.
Thus, while our government has not
been able to keep Russia from juggling
with the powers over Manchuria, and has
not been. able to secure the consent of all
the powers, parties to the treaty Of Pek-
ing. to let China pay the installments of
the big gold indemnity 45O,o0o,0o0 taels)
current on the day Of the signing of the
treaty, because of the great fall Of silver
since then, 1t has, all through the dis
cussion of Chinese affairs, been the cham
pion of moderation, and has succeeded In
modifying the determinations of the 9TH
or powers as to the amount of the indem-
nifty and the period of foreign occupa alton,
and stood in the way Of China disinte-
grafton. Russia recently withdrew her
segment of the international guard at
Tien- Tsin, or declared her purpose to do
SO. ana then threatened to hold on to
New Chwang against the protest OF China
and the. United States. so long as the
powers continued to occupy Tien- Tsin.
Russia has not taken the first step to-
ward evacuating Manchuria., Russian
statecraft has proven a hard nut to crack
by tho other powers.
We have trade interests in China too
valuable to neglect and, OF course, there
is an element Of self interest in the eff
forts of our government to modify the
terms of settlement laid by the powers
upon that country, which is now suffering
from iIlternal disorders, due to the an
tagonism of the people toward foreign
obtrusion and notably toward thhe coll
lection OF the indemnity by thieying pro-
vincial officials, who exact from the poor
people $50 taels for every 100 taels they
hand over to the government.
There is no doubt that. had not our
government been a party to the Chinese
settlement, the terms demanded by the
powers would have been very much more
severe. Our continued efforts will pre-
serve to us the Chinese trade opportuni-
ties to which we have treaty rights, which
our government will compel the other
powers to respect. 3 ssss s
Tho jury ID the Arnes case seems to
have been In doubt as. TO whether the
chief Of police ever got the SIS which