The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-29
America Alone Prevents
The Carving of China
Snecial to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
HONGKONG, June 28.-Back of the
Manchurian question lies SO much of
serious moment to American commerce
that the taking of a firm stand now by
Secretary Hay will mean immensely
more than the mere maintenance of
an open door policy in that province.
Whether the long talked of carving
Of China shall begin or not depends en-
tirely upon the stand taken by Uncle
Sam. Russia, France and Germany
would like to take slices of preferred
territory at once-Russia Manchuria,
France that portion of KWangtung and
Kwangsi abutting on her Indo- Chinese
empire and Germany the province of
Shantung. Russia also needs Pechili
to solidify her hold on the country to
the north. Britain will fall back or
her own resource by helping herself
to the Yang Use Kiang valley unless
she can Illustrate Russia's grab in
Manchuria. It will be the easiest way
out Of the difficulty, with honor"
To many unaware of the possibilities
Of China the suggestion of Mr.. J. J.
Hill Of finding market for American
wheat in that country has appeared
ridiculous. The only reason that this
dream may not be fulfilled Is that Chi
ma may grow her own cereals on the
untitled fields of her vast interior and
save us the trouble of doing it for her
AS for China's willingness to buy for
elgn products it is only limited by her
adherence to occidental customs and
matter of her ability to pay for
them.
The building of railroads through
China will bring about a undermining
OF the entire country as it will enable
China to grow and manufacture much
more tea, silk and other articles for
export. Today the cost of transport
tatlon to the treaty ports from the in
terror is in most cases prohibitive of
commerce, even at the low figure of
coolie porterage.
In Kwangtung, a fact which may ac-
| count for French activities in this di-
recuon, there are chances for enor-
mously Increasing the silk industry,
there being large areas of land capable
of producing mulberry which now are
| lying idle through lack of transporta-
| ton facilities. When the French have
! put their railroads through, this part
| of the empire will soon bristle with silk
| factories.
The European chancelleries are thor
| oughly conVerSant with the magnifi-
cent resources of China. They do not
as do most people, think that it is a
| country Where intensive cultivation has
been carried on for centuries. This is
| only partially the case with the great
northern plain, there being a great
amount of land adaptable for produc-
| ing crops of various kinds which is to-
| day lying idle because there is no
| means of transporting the products to
! the cities. ~---s
| Beyond this are the mineral resource
| es, practically untouched and Of ener-
/ nous extent. China will be able to ex-
| port coal for hundreds of years, when
| once her mines are tapped, instead of
sending to Europe and America for it
| as she does today. OF iron, copper and
| silver there are known to- beeprae tically
| 1nexhaustibles DEPOSITS There are, in
/ fact, plenty of resources wferefrom to
| pay the cost Of edeVeloping railways
and other conveniences. of civilization.
! American manufactures, las far as
| they have been tried, suit the Chinese
] market. We have an eH0rf14Ous field
| for notions and small contrivances as
| soon as it can be reached. Cheapness
Of production must be the object sought
/ and Americans can meet the COMPETE
| ton Of cheap German, Japanese or ma
| tive labor only by the superiority of
! their labor-saving machinery, there
fore Yankee ingenuity must keep pace
| with the markets. &c.
! For cheap methods of lighting there
! Is an unlimited future in China, the
God of Light evidently. having first