The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-16
TIME HAS COME FOR
 AMERICA ID ACT
Annual Meeting of the Ameri-
 can ASiatiC Association
SEVERAL SPEECHES MADE
President Webb Calls Attention to the Pacific Gable, and John Foard Goes Into Lengthy Discus
 sion of Manchuria.

New York, October 15.-The following officers were chosen at the annual meet ing of the American Asiatic association today:
 President. Silas D. Webb New York.
 Vice presidents, Lowell Lincoln, New York; John H. Converse Philadelphia; Everett N Bee San Francisco: s. G. Hopkins, Washington; John B. Cleveland, Spartanburg. S C.; E. c. fot,er, Chicago, and Ellison A. smythe, Penobscot.
 Treasurer. James Faron, New York
 Secretary. Jon Foard. New York
 President Webb in his address called attention to the completion of the Pa- cihc cable. and the signing of the new treaty with China. both events, he said being of great benefit to the country. In connection with the Chinese situation he said that the attitude of some of the Eu- ropean powers, Russia in particular, should be at present a cause of much so- lcitude, and he advised an emphatic ex- presson of views on this subject to the administration. The commercial situa- ton he thought was generally disappolnt- ing, the political uncertainties in Japan tending to make merchants and financial interests cautious, while in China political confusion, added to the depreciation in silver, had made business too much of q lottery.
 Manchurla Situation.
 John Foards report also laid emphasis on the Manchuria situation, stating that in defiance of agreement, the foreign ad- ministration of the port of New Chwang with all it's injurious consequences to American trade and the occupation by Russia of the eastern provinces, are still in force.
 'The nature of the demands, formulated as conditions precedent to withdrawal the report continued, Suggests that they have been purposely made impossible of acceptance, in order to justify continued occupation"
 The time has evidently come for the government and the people of the United States" MT. Foard said. ito recognize and accept the full measure of their re- sponsibility in dealing with this question. That the substitution, for Chinese sover- eignty in Manchuria. simply means the beginning of the partition of the Chinese empire. does not admit of doubt; that the United States has nothing to gain put very much to lose from the division of China among the great powers of Europe, needs no demonstration. The question immediately before our government is the preservation of an open market for Am erlcan products in Manehuria and 1t has been intimated that so long as our commercial rights there are secured by treaty with China are respected by the power in possession, we can have no ground for effective protest.
 Small Part of the Field.
 But the Manchurian market existing or potential, important as 1t is must be reckoned as constituting but small part of the field for the sale of our products. presented by the Chinese empire If the future of the greater market depends ab- does on the process of the dismember- ment of that empire, being peremptorily arrested and Russia being compelled to abide by the solemn stpulations on this point which she has now here made so copiously as in Washington. then our gov ernment is face to face with a larger and graver question than that of the security of the open door for commerce in Man chura. The fact must be recognized that If all these stipulations are to be dlsre- garded at the pleasure of the caprice of the power which offered them, that power must be deemed unworthy of further con fidence or belief. and any assurance made by her in regard to the freedom of Amer ican trade in Manchuria must be consid- cred as worthless as those which preceded them"