The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-25
The United States and Manchuria.

Secretary Hay will have the hearty
support of the entire American people
In his demand upon Russia that the
open door" promised to American
goods in Manchuria shall be not mere
~ technical, but real.
Russia's promises in this regard
have been fair enough, but there are
good grounds for questioning thelr
sincerity. Stories OF official lntlmida-
ton of Chinese merchants at Nlu-
chwang to force them to purchase
Russian instead OF American goods
continue to find their way Into print.
On top of these comes the naive sug-
gestion that in promising that the
United States shall have equal com
mercial privileges with other nations
I'm Manchuria, Russia does not lnclude
her own merchants in the category OF
foreigners; that Russian goods may
be admitted free of duty into this
great province of China, while duties
shall be levied upon the imports from
all other countries alike.
If this is the Russian government s
Interpretation of its promised open
door" to Man ,huria, Secretary hay
will be justified in making the strong
est possible protest. ana the United
States will back up that protest just
as vigorously as the circumstances
may warrant.
We nave no quarrel with Russia
over her retention of troops IN ms
great northern province OF emma, Her
interests there are very great and just
so long as her control is exercised
solely in the interest OF tranquility and
peace. the United States will interpoSe
no objections to her keeping her
troops there. The possibility OF the
hordes OF Ma-chu bandits oVerrun-
ming her Siberian border may be more
fancied than real; but it has been dem
onstrated in the past that the Chinese
government is not able to preserve
peace in Manchuria AMI as Russia has
the greater interest because OF her
railroa and property investments, 1t
is all right for the ear TO keep his
soldiers there for police purposes.
But he must not assume that Man
churia is Russian territory. Manchu-
ria is a province of the Chinese en-
pire and all the nations of the world
are interested in the preservation OF
the integrity of that empire. Great
Britain and Japan have mad this the
cardinal feature of their treaty provid-
ing for defensive and offensive coop
Grafton in all matters appertainng to
the Far East, and the United states
undoubtedly subscribes as heartily to
that principle as does either of those
treaty-bound ,,nt.ons We may not be
a party to that treaty. but its avowed
purposes certainly have our moral
support. both from the unseltish stand
point of desire to preserve the integ-
rity Of the Chinese empire and from
the more selfish standpoint of the
preservation and promotion Of Ameri-
can trade interests.
The car and his ministers know
this. Upon every possible occasion
these eminent en;lemcn an their
official representatives pirate about
the TRADITIONAL friendship" existing
between Russia and to United States,
There has been such friendship and
there is now: so, too, have We friend
shin for the Othe nations of the
world But any friendship, to be last
ing and real, must lie bas on fair.
open dealing. There must be no differ
ence between promise "a perform
ance Fair words ere all right in their
place, but nation. like a man, must
be judged by It's deeds.
The United States has very large
trade interests in Manchuria-second
only to those of Russia. We are prom
ised that these interests shall be fully
protected, that the open door" prin-
ciple shall be recognized by Russia
and maintained. No evasion of this
promise under whatsoever guise
should be permitted. Secretary Hay
is right in declaring that the CONNER
cial privileges extended American mer-
chants must be the same accorded TO
Russian merchants, aAd the whole
country will ndorse his action.