Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-13
AN IMPoRrANr ALLIANcE.

6N
The agreement or alliance between
Great Britain and Japan, with a view to
preserving the territorial integrity of
China and Korea, is of worldwide i'm
portance and the United States has al
most as great an interest In 1t as the
contracting powers. That 1t is pri-
marily aimed at the schemes of Russia
in the far east seems to be obvious and
it is this which gives 1t particular signih-
canoe for the United States, since It's
effect will probably be to balk Russian
plans, as to which u government has
been manifesting some solicitude. This
country is very much concerned in re-
gard to the attitude of Russia toward
Manchuria- Washington dispatches of
a few days ago stated that negotiations
between our government and Russia rel
alive to Manchuria were progressing.
the purpose Of our government In these
negotiations being to prevent the exclu-
sion of Americans from competition in
the ~populous and rich province of Man
churia. The United States has treaty
rights with China which are held to ap-
ply to NJ anchuria equally with other
portions of the Chinese empire and it
consequently objects to a policy on the
part of Russia which would contravene
these rights and shut Americans out
from trade with a commercial portion of
China with which this country now has
a large business.
While the agreement between Great
Britain and Japan does, not refer in spe-
cifc terms to Manchuria, the fact that
1t does propose the maintenance of the
existing status and general policy in the
extreme east must be regarded as in
Guiding every part of the Chinese en-
pire. Moreover, it is of the highest i'm
pOrtance to Japan that Russia shall not
secure complete control of Manchuria,
since that would give the latter power
a commanding position regarding Korea,
as well as a tremendous influence in
China. The clearly defined purpose Of
Great Britain and Japan being to main
tain the independence and territorial in
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curing equal opportunities in those coun-
tries for the commerce and industries Of
those nations" there can be no doubt
that Manchuria is embraced in the scope
Of the agreement, so that these two
powers are in accord with the United
States not only in regard to the preser-
walton of the integrity of Chinese terri
tory, but also respecting the designs of
Russia toward Manchuria. 1t is not at
all probable that our government will
become a party to the Anglo-Japanese
agreement, yet the position it has taken
is so distinctly in harmony with that
agreement that the effect must be the
same as If it should give formal adhe-
eminent, which alone among the pow
ers is seeking territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
in China, will not fail to understand,
ever il it be not definitely informed to
that effect, that the United States will
give its moral support to Great Britain
and Japan in their purpose to maintain
the territorial integrity of China and to
give all nations equal commercial op-
%portunities in that empire.
1t will be interesting to observe how
Russia will regard the Anglo-Japanese
agreement, which will doubtless be as
great a surprise to her as to the rest Of
the world, but it would seem that she
must realize that her policy regarding
China is futile and that the wise course
at least for the present, is to yield tt
the demand Of the powers arrayet
against her.