New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-29
oUR MANcHUR14N cArpA1Gv.

That is a well deserved tribute which "The
Spectator" of London pays TO Secretary Hay.
There have been many admirable passages
in the story of his dealings with China. He
mas stood resoIutely and successfully for giving
her Justice and exacting justice from her in
return and for the maintenance of the open
door In that he has entitled himself to the
gratitude of all nations, and has won for Ameri-
can diplomacy a marked primacy over that OF
all other powers in Chinese affairs. His latest
achievement. which especially calls forth THE
Spectators" encOmums, is one of the shreWd-
est and by no means least important of all. He
has been asking for the opening of two more
Manchurian ports China has been willing to
grant it. But Russia, now occupying Man
churia, has objected and has compelled China
to demur, on the ground that she cannot
properly open more ports while the Russian
occupation lasts. Every well,' says the Ameri-
can Secretary. in effect, "but the Russian &C.
'cupatiOn is to cease, according TO Russia's own
agreement, October next. On that very
"day you will be free to open the ports; there
fore, let us sign the treaty on that day" To
that the only possible answer is assent The
hands of both Russia and China are forced in
the most aniable but most effective manner
China cannot refuse to sign the treaty on that
date without belying all her professions Of
willingness to open the ports as soon as she
is free to do so. and Russia cannot object with
out seriously rejecting upon the good faith of
her own promise to evacuate Manchuria 1t is
a triumph shrewd as any ever won by ORR
entail wiles, and as straightforward as any
ever won by the characteristic diplomacy of
America.
But that is not the end Of the matter or will
not be when the treaty is signed and the ports
are opened Diplomacy has done or will have
done, its work. Commerce must do the rest
report from the American Consul at New
Chwang repeats what we have often pointed
out in these columns that Russia is making
her utmost efforts TO crowd America out of
the Manchurian markets. She has been using
to that end the advantages enjoyed by her
during her occupation of the country. and by
the time that occupation ceases-if it does cease
at the promised time-she will have set z heavy
handicap upon all her competitors, and espe-s
cially upon America. Here is the situation:
The bulk Of our Chinese trade is with Man
churia. Nineteen-tWentieths of our exports
to Manchura are cotton goods, petroleum.
lumber and flour. Russia has made and is
making extraordinary efforts to introduce her
own wares in those four lines, to the exclusion
of ours. We have already told how she has
tried to win the cotton market by counterfaiting
American trademarks, etc, and by paying
government bounties to enable her merchants
10 undersell ours. In petroleum she is seeking
the same end by substituting the oil ships which
carry the oil thither to such an extent that
they can carry the oil free Of charge and de-
liver it in Manchuria at the same price which
it commands at Baku. 4 similar game is being
played with the wheat which is shipped from
Odessa, and will probably be repeated with
that which comes from Siberia by rail AS for
the fourth article, lumber, we have Just heard
Of her enterprise in Corea. in getting control
of the vast forests Of the Yalu Valley and in
erecting lumber mills on that river, the product
OF which will compete in formidable fashion
with our exports.
Manchuria, il is evident, will never he the
same TO Us after the Russian OCCUPATION We
shall have a powerful competitor there. and
one whose methods are not always scrllnulous
Nevertheless it would be unworthy Of us 70
despair and to abandon the rich markets which
we have ourselves developed Russia IN
doubtedly has some things III her favor. But
tey are not all. We have, after all the adj
vantage Of proximity. San Francisco and So
attic are nearer to New-Chwang than Odessa
and Batoum are and we must remember that
In spite Of her much vaunted Siberian rail
road Russia still sends the bulk of her com.
merce 10 China by sea, not only from Tho
IEnxine, but from the Baltic It takes uttIa
longer TO do so. perhaps though if is often q
months journey by rail for freight But If e
much cheaper to send by sea. Surely our sbips
crossing the Pacific should ask no odds Of the
Russian vessels which have 10 traverse the
Baltic or the EuXine, the Mediterranean. the
Red, Sea, the Indian Ocean and the China
seas. Again it is 10 be seen whether inteIll-
gent American labor cannot surpass in produc-
tiveness that Of the squalid muiik. With orr
own cable across the Pacific extended from
Manila to the Chinese coast, it VIA not be to