The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-19
Demands Urgency.

The senate yesterday ratified the
new commercial treaty with China,
which opens the ports Of Mukden and
Antung to the commerce of the United
States, and aboHshes the liken interior
tax, and pledges China to protect
Americans and their interests.
Senator Nelson made the point that
the ports named are a considerable
distance from the sea and he ex-
pressed the belief that. Russia had
used her influence to minimize the
importance of the treaty.
Mukden is up the Shara Muren
river, but steamers Of considerable size
have been for some time doing g. big
freight business from the coast to the
INTERIOR Mukden being the shipping
point for one Of the richest agricul-
tural districts in northern China.
Antung, too, is accessible enough, but
the real trouble is that, while Russia
has permitted China to sign the treaty
with this country, she will take care
to neutralize the advantages of the
treaty. so far~as this country is con-
cerned. ,""s
Russia is practically the suzerain
of Manchuria. Whether she continues
to occupy that position depends upon
the action of the powers Interested in
Chinese trade, and the United States
is conspicuously of that number. How
much will the new treaty, opening two
ports to American trade, be worth to
this country, with Russia sedulously
working to exclude all foreign trade
from Manchuria?
All the trade reports during the past
year show that our trade in cotton
goods in Manchuria has decreased
very. decidedly and those best ac-
uiainted with the conditions there
report that Russia is Introducing her
own cotton goods and kerosene and
displacing ours as fast as she can do
so. Thus while the new ports opened
by the treaty just ratified will be open
by the will of China to our trade,
our trade will be excluded by the
Vaccinations of China's putative
hoaster, Russia, who, during the past
year, raised in Central Asia a million
bales of cotton with which she will
nations in Manchuria.
Under such conditions, brought
about by the mendacious perfidy Of
Russia, the ratification Of the treaty
with China, which the United States
yet recognizes as the sovereign of all
northern China, including Manchuria,
gives our government a weapon with
which to demand of Russia a cessa-
tion of her persistent interference
with the rights Of other nations in
China. Our department of state has
been insistent upon the early ratifi-
cation of the treaty, whose actualiza-
zion devolves upon China and our
velves. If China is unable to perform
her guarantees by reason of Russian
interference, our government is GER
tainly> bound, in the interest of our
trade, to see the terms carried out
faithfully.
3 Our government is in possession Of
several Russian pledges, made since
1900, to the effect that Russia had not
the most remote intention of acquiring
any territory belonging to China, but
would evacuate Manchuria when she
has made her railway line, the China
Eastern railway and branches, Sc
cure. A pledge by Russia is worth
nothing, as our government has dis
covered. During the past forty-five
wears she has stolen and annexed
nearly million square miles of
Chinese territory and practically con-
trolls the railways constructed and
constructing in eastern China nearly
down to the Yangtse river valley. She
has. moreover. made a second Glib