The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-09
THIS GOVERNMENTS ATTITUDE.
II VIII Take No Part in Manchurlan Affair
Unless Our Interests Are Interfered With.

Unless Our Interests Are Interfered With.
WASHINGTON Oct. S.-This Government
is taking a keen interest in the reports
of great gatherings of Russian and Japanese
ships in Chinese waters, the massing Of
Japanese troops on the Corean frontier
and kindred rumors that may be partly
true or wholly untrue, but intends to re-
frain from any active participation in the
differences between the two Powers unless
American interests are interfered with.
Its course is to steer clear Of political COM
pications. Only in SO far as the rumored
Russian Japanese crisis affects the extern
sion of American trade in Manchuria ID
this Government concerned.
As was said in Washington despatch
printed in THE SUN this morning, the
failure Of Russia to carry out her pledge
10 evacuate Manchuria will not bring any
protest from the United States, but there
will be insistence that even il Russia should
annex Manchuria all the trade privileges
granted TO this Government in the COM
mercal treaty between the United States
and China, which was signed at Shanghai
to-day, shall be maintained.
The commercial treaty with China must
be ratified by the American Senate, and
the Publications exchanged before the
treaty will 90 into operation This is a
matter of many months and perhaps Of a
year so that should Russia and Japan
become involved in hostilities over Man
churia and Corea in the meantime the
Washington Government will occupy the
position only Of a very keenly interested
spectator.
rrh.ro is ona cirorp,st apce howayar
that NAV bring to head within a much
shorter period any trouble which Russia
NAV be disposed to make for other foreign
nations to which trade privileges in Man.
churia have been granted.
A commercial treaty between Japan and
China was signed to-day at Shanghai, and
this, like the treaty between the United
States and China, provides that Manchurian
ports shall be opened to foreign commerce.
It will not be necessary for the Japanese
to secure the assent Of legislative assembly
before this treaty may be ratified, So that
it will probably become effective within
very short time.
Japanese treaty will be as free to American
as 10 Japanese ships, opposition to their entry
by Russia, which is suspected OF an inten-
ton 10 retain her control OF Manchuria,
might. and probably would, cause trouble
between the United States and Russia.
In spite OF tne WrHLtu dSSllIdIlCts Iekhi
assolemn pled ges, given to the United States
and other nations, that Manchuria would
be entirely evacuated by Russian troops on
Oct, 8, the Russian Government has recently
been endeavoring to make the evacuation
contingent upon promises by China to grant
privileges that amount to a continuance
Of Russian influence over this rich province.
President Roosevelt and his advisers do not
know vet whether Russian troops started
to leave Manchuria to-day or intend to re-
main there,
It may be regarded as significant that
nor one American warship remains in the
vicinity of the Gulf of Pechili, which would
he the ntre OF naval war over the pos
session of Manchuria and Corea. The
Asiatic feet spent the summer in this gulf
but was recently withdrawn, most OF the
vessels going to Nagasaki, Yokohama,
Cavite and Shanghai. Not one OF them
Ia anywhere near Manchurian or Corean
waters
Secretary Hay paid three visits to the
White House to-day. and it is supposed
that one Of them was devoted to discussion
Of the Manchurian situation with President
Roosevelt. He also had talks with, Mr.
Takahira. the Japanese Mipister, and Mr.
Raikes the British Charge a 'Affaires. MIR
Hay got a telegram this morning from
Minister Conger at Shanghai informing
him that the American commercial treaty
had been signed and that tho Japanese
commercial treaty with China would be
signed later in the day