Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-03-16
READY FOR A WAR IN CHINA
Reason for the Present Concentration Of
Troops in Philippines
PEAK IS CONSIDERED INEVITABLE
Deter nation of European Powers to
Partition the Celestial Empire
Believed to he at Bottom of
Present Agitation.
(From a stan Correspondent

(From a STAFF Correspondent
! WASHINGTON March 15.-(Special)-
! There is a quiet but steady concentration
Of troops in the Philippine Islands which
the general public knows nothing Of. This
concentration Of troops is one Of the
settled policies o' this government that
the United States must not be caught
/ asleep when what is now regarded as in
| evitable, a terrible war in China, is in
augurated for the partition of the fiowery
kingdom. So quietly is the War depart
ment moving in the matter that the people
OF San Francisco and Seattle have come to
look upon the returning and the departing
soldiers as a matter OF change of base.
| While 10000 troops are on their home
ward way, having served the appointed per-
| iod in the tropics there are going out to
take their places IA 900 men, and it is in
| this proportion that the government of
the United states is Strengthening its pO-
sition in the Pacific seas. Among those who
| have watched the trend OF affairs in the
! last few months, and who have been stu
dents Of the Chinese situation, there is but
! one opinion, that revolt is in the air In
| China and that those who are abetting the
movement against the present Chinese dy-
nasty are actuated largely not for pur-
poses of personal aggrandizement but to
carry out pledges made to European pow
ers. Imperative orders have been issued
| by the Navy department to push the build
ing of the battleships now on the stocks at
navy yards throughout the country. The
marines are strengthening their arm of
the service, while the United States reg
ulars who have not seen foreign service
are on the qui vive to embark for the
orient because they realize that something
will be doing shortly in the country Of
the dragon. There is repressed activity
| everywhere and the government of the
United States is determined to see to It
! that American interests are protected when
the clash of arms comes.
Canal Treaty Prospects.
AS it looks now. the Panama canal treaty
will be ratified next Tuesday, an agree
ment having been reached to vote on
amendments on Monday and take a direct
vote on the ratification of the treaty on
! Tuesdly. From those in a position to
know 1t is learned that very few amend
ments will be attached to the treaty, and
| should any of the amendments be adopted
they will be adopted for the purpose Of
strengthening the treaty and making II
| much more effective than it is in it's pres
ent form. Senator Morgan, who has per-
| sistently fought its ratification, has been
placated by permission being given him to
| print his remarks in the Record. He has
all along said that his continued opposl-
tion to he treaty was not In the nature
Of filtbuster against the measure, but he
desires that the country should know the
reasons why he is opposed to the Panama
route. Just as soon as the senate rati1es
the treaty It will be sent to the countries
interested for their approval, the exchange
Of treaties probably extending into the late
summer. After the treaties have been off,
cially exchanged the Treasury department
will make the preliminary cash payment
OF $4,000 O0O S40,OO0,OOO of which will 20
to the French Panama Canal company, with
headquarters in Paris, AMI $40, 600 900 to
the government Of Colombia. There has
been some talk among fnanciers that the
withdrawal of this enormous sum of none
from the treasury might cause a financial
panic, but at the Treasury department the
reverse OF panic, it is said, will be the
result, for it will put in circulation through
the purchase Of exchange on Europe nearly
this enormous sum. Before the time comes
for making the payment the secretary OF
the treasury will have informed the Amer
ican banks, through which the transaction
is to be made, sufficiently in advance for
them to purchase the valuable exchange
on Europe. When this has been accom-
plished Secretary Shaw will pay the banks
with gold now in the treasury and thus
throw $5O.0OO,OO0 into circulation In this
country.
Payment In France.
The purchasers of American grain in Eu-
rope will pay the French Canal company;
the books will be balanced and the trans
action closed. Even II no exchange can
be purchased so far as Colombia is con-
cerned, It is clear that the loss OF $40 900.
900 to this country will be overba lanced
by the additional circulation gained in the
payment in this manner to the -'rench
company. Predictions have been made in
connection with the Panama project that
there will not be enough gold in the treas
ury to make the payment and retain the
usual working balance OF $4,000, 900, but
this prediction is said by the treasury peo-
pie not to be we'll founded. In the first
place the government now has TO its credit
$311, 1916 OF this $3.50, ,277,7 IT'S is on de-
posit in national banks, while the re-
mainder is held in various funds in the
treasury. There is no law requiring the
900 working balance and no reason
why IL should be maintained when the
gold assets OF the government are 50 large
When the custom Of maintaining This work
ing balance was established II was done
on the theory that the government should
always have at least $4,000. 900 with which
J to do the business OF the country. When
1t has over $500 900 officials feel that
there is no need Of apprehension about de-
pleting the item known as he available
cash balance below the $50, 900, 900 mark
The balance at the present time is about
S75,00O,000 and by the time the canal pay
ment is due It II confidently expected Il
will be much larger and that the payment
of $5O,OOO,0OO will hardly be felt by the
treasury in view OF the stupendous possi-
bilities which present themselves to the
American people.
Break Up Indian Reserves.
Senator Stewart OF Nevada. who is chair
man OF the committee on Indian affairs, /,
an avowed advocate Of the policy OF break.
ing up every Indian reservation in the
country. Among the first movements alonl
this line to be inaugurated by the senator
; in the policy which he has laid out for hi,
committee is one which proposes the aboli.
tion OF the Indian reservations in New
York state and the distribution OF tn,
lands held by the Indians there in sew,
crafty. With this end in view the senator
/ viii take several members of the cour,it a.