The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-25
Day of Settlement in the Far East

Russia and Japan, the value becomes
more apparent OF the agreement
brought about By Secretary Hay that
both beIligerents should respect the
neutrality of China. Perhaps the most
significant feature OF Mr. Hays note
was the indication IL gave OF the kind
OF influence which the United states
Is likely to exert in the set
Element of the questions now submit
ted to the arbitrament of war Senator
Depew referred in the senate the other
day TO the position OF this country in
relation TO that settlement in a way
which excited some controversy. but
which sufficiently indicated the part
which this government is likely TO play
when an international ngress shall
be called TO effect an adjustment OF
the questions now in dispute such as
may stand the teat OF time. The sena-
tor remarked. with obvious truth, that
ten years ago., from 4 commercial
standpoint. we should not have cared
what happened to China. while today
the future of that ancient empire is
vital to American commerce, industry
and trade. Mr. Depew might have
shortened the period and tr~uthfully
asserted that only six years ago very
few public men in this country cared
what happened to China. When the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the empire appear-
ed to have begun by the German seiz-
49, III o@ta IN oS~A0 80
vestment OF Port Arthur, Mr.. john
Sherman. who was then secretary OF
state, declared that this government
would view with entire ~eQuanimity the
breakup of China, since our merchants
would be able to do more business with
the fragments than they had ever been
able TO do with the undivided country.
This opinion was concurred in by party
leaders like the late Mr.. Dingley. and
only here and there encountered Suffi-
GENTLY well informed opinion on the
side of the policy which our government
subsequently adopted. That policy may
he said 20 have been initiated at the
close of 1898. when the influence OF
MIR. John Hay began to be felt IN the
department of state. and after the ON
mercial sentiment Of the country had
been aroused by appeals IN this jour
nal and from other quarters, tending
to show the shortsighted folly OF con-
ceding that the markets of Central
Asia might be closed against US at the
caprice of the great military powers
of Europe.
1t has taken some time to spread the
light on this subject. but that it has
been pretty successfully lone may be
inferred from this clear statement Of
the case made by Senator Depew: "Is
Russia should succeed, for instance,
and TAX Manchuria. which is a larTc
portion OF Chinese territory. with its
millions Of people. with what Great
Britain, Germany and France nave
sliced off from hat country, if in the
general adjustment there should be
further division and occupation. il
would all mean that other doors were
to be closed and other barriers t. be
raised against American production
and its entrance into those markets
So our policy is. and must be- to main
tain as far as possible the integrity o
China and her autonomy. We are 60
ing TO be consulted when that time
comes n this Russian-Japanese war
is over, no matter which sid is the
victor. We are to be consulted because
the adjustment is not to be made, nor
to be permitted by the rest OF Europe
TO be made. by those two powers. but
by a European congress. the same as
it has always been" 1t may safely b.
assumed hat Senator Depew did not
make this declaration without know
ing something Of the. mind of the presl-
dent and the secretary of state. as
we'll as of that OF the majority Of his
colleagues. One of these at least.
Senator Nelson. OF Minnesota, put the
obligations Of this country on their
proper basis when he said in the course
of the discussion raised by Mr.. Depew.
that the interests of the United States.
England and Japan are, in the nature
OF the case. one. They are all in favor
or and believe in maintaining the open
door as against Russia and whatever
power Jay be associated with her, and
are therefore un~alterably opposed to
the dismemberment Of the Chinese en-
pire or the absorption Of Manchuria
by Russia.
The only real discordant nose i'm.
ported into this discussion came from
Senator Patterson. of Colorado, who
ventilated some fanciful theories abou.
the EIlr0nPan nnu-prG q r-iutn~ at n aa~
mon understanding for a partition OF
China. our opposition n thai of ia
pan to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The extent of Mr.. Patterson's misin-
formation was still more clearly ind
Gated by his statement that when
Secretary Hay sent out his note to the
different powers he simply acted as the
mouthpiece of Germany. This is a
statement which Secretary Hay can
hardly meet with a public c~ontradic-
ton, but ii is equally one which a Sem
ator Of the United States had no right
TO make without some attempt at YER
ifcation. AS a matter OF fact. the
German proposal is known to have been
something entirely different from that
made by the United States. It contem-
plated, not a voluntary respect on the
part of the belligerents for the neutral
lty of China, but the naturalization of
China under the enforced guardianship
VI Lc DOHtIs- IL SUN d pTOpDS6 the
United States could not possibly be a
party were 1t for no other reason than
hat it was equivalent to tying the
hands of China whichever way she
might find her interests to incline at
any stage Of the conflict. Precisely
what Germany had in view in render
ing It impossible for China to foin.
under any circumstances. is the pres
ent struggle. can only be co~njectured.
Our government rightly concluded that
IL did moi come within its province to
propose an arrangement which might
at some future time inure to the disad-
vantage Of japan, and. therefore. kept
strictly within the lines Of interna-
tional propriety in giving the proposal
the form in which it was accepted.
When il comes to be a question OF adj
justing the future relations OF the
powersinterested In Eastern Asia. and
OF giving a lasting definition to their
spheres OF. interest. il NAV reasonably
be inferred that the influence OF the
United States will be not less judicious-