The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-07-22
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA,
Its Important Influence in Compelling
Neutrality of the Empire.

Secretary of State Hays proposal
to the powers to limit the war area
in the Far East within a region con-
siderably northward of the Great
Wall Of China harmonizes with a
policy outlined some weeks ago by
the Standard (London) and the Voss
iche Zeitung (Berlin). The United
States. however, was NOS credited
with the design of initiating the idea.
which, according to the English pa
per, aims at preventing a nsl ui
the Chinese dynasty from Pekin
Such flight might not only play into
the hands of Russia, by enabling her
TO gain new hold over the court,
but might rouse the masses CT the
Chinese s.to find again some of the
fanatic courage which animated the
so-called Boxers"
According to the Japan Daily Mail
(Yokohama), there is reason to SuS
pect that Russia may have sort Of
agreement with the empress dowager
relinquishing to the former, in certain
contingencies, all of China outside of
the Great Wall. The alleged agree
ment has some Importance at pres
ent, according to the Independence
Beige (Brussels), for the reason that
China does not regard her territory
north of the Great Wall as constitute
ing an integral portion TO her empire.
The Chinese point of view regarding
this matter is set forth -nore fully in
the Empire du Milieu (Paris) by M.
Albert de Pouvourville:
The frontiers of China proper,
which are defenseless in spite of the
childish but gigantic work known as
the Great Wall, as composed of feud
atory states, singular political con
trivances of which ~o.d s-.uuld be
said. These states, which enjoy au
tonomy and absolute sovereignty,
are assigned" to the Chinese empire
by kinu OF moral fauial.sm. The
son of heaven, claiming to be the
father of the whole yellow race. was
nominal sovereign and received the
verbal homage of the Kingdoms thus
constituted. In return he promised
his aid in their disputes and Difficult.
ties. On the other hand, the latter.
through their geographical situation,
as well as through their fealty, were
to halt, impede and prevent invasion
by enemies of the Chinese empire,
They were given the official name of
Fan" (barriers), and they were to
use up the energies Of the enemy be-
fore his arrival upon the homo soil
They were buffers deadening all
shocks, fields of war to which the
Chinese were to come to avoid the
dangers and the expense of military
occupation at home. This capable
conception saved China for centu-
ries.
The point of view from which the
Chinese regard Manchuria, Corea and
other outlying regions of their en-
pire explains their comparative indif.
ference to the progress of the Russo
Japanese crisis, thinks the Neus
Freie Presse (Vienna), which has the
benefit of the views Of former Ger.
man minister to China. But the
strategic value of the Great Wall, we
are further reminded, is Chinese
rather than military in the western
sense. ''The materials of this i'm.
mense fertilization would suffice for
a wall six feet high and two feet
wide long enough to encircle the globe
twice at the equator" 1t will be the
aim Of powers friendly to Japan. sur
misses the European press, to keep
Russians in mind Of the territorial
integrity symbolized by the Great
Wall. But the London Times expects
that the grand aim Of the Russians
will be ION to Pekin"