The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-23
FATE AND FUTURE OF CHINA
fcontinued from First Page.l


 outcome of this form of government. During the summer of 1898 the three powers sent each a high commissioner to those unhappy islands with instruc- tions to devise means to settle, once and forever, all strife and to establish there a stable government It is chiefly owing to the ability and far sight of the American high commissioner, the Hon. Bartlett Tripp, that the yexed Samoan question was settled quickly and in a manner acceptable and honor able to the three great and friendly na- tions.
 Time is too short for me to dwell on the history and development of Gerna- ny's colonies in Africa and in the Pa cific, but think it may be of interest to you to hear few words about her Chinese possession Kiao Chau, since the eyes of the world are turned to- wards the battlegrounds in the Far
 East, where the greatest political and social problems which ever confronted | the statesman and the diplomatist, dor mant for centuries, are now ripe for solution.
 That the time was rapidly approach | ing was keenly felt by all students ot | the Far East long ago. The powers or | the world also foresaw long ago that to have a voice in the pending great coun- cils of nations which should decide on l the fate and future of China they, above all, would need naval strong
 holds. And to reap the advantages or | the great coming trade of the Far East | T l7 1,o, and trade 1l-
 poriums. Without this backing they
 knew that they would be forced to the I rear, thus permitting the more power I full to reap the stupendous advantages which the future of China has in store. | Only to those who have lived and labor- l ed in the Far East is it given thorough /, ly to appreciate the true value of these | advantages.
 England already possessed Hong Kong in the south, to which she added after the China-Japan war in 1894 the
 harbor and naval basis of Wei Hai Wei
 in Shantung. Russia gained after the 1 same war the famous naval stronghold Of Port Arthur and the port of Talien
 Wan. where within a few years has
 sprung up one of the finest cities and
 trade emporiums in the far east. The
 Spanish war brought to the United | States the Philippine islands with excel len. harbors. most valuable both for strategical and commercial purposes | The already great value of these islands l on China's eastern flank will be enor-
 mously enhanced after the opening of the Panama canal They will be the great eastern trade emporiums of the United States from where vii radlate
 her commerce. feeding Chinese coast
 line os about 1000 miles, studded with
 rich harbors. most os them in the in
 fancy of their development. The stra- l tegical position of Subig bay and other | harbors is apparent even to the layman. France. as we know, controls a large portion of the southern frontier of China, bordering on her vast Indo-Chi- nese possessions. Japans strategical
 and commercial position Is known to
 you all When Germany procured the | harbor at Kiao Chau from the Chinese 1 government in 1899 her first step was to open in to the trade of the world. The | laws and regulations governing trade | and commerce and settlements there are
 considered the most liberal ever framed
 for colony, the only close restrictions
 being those relating to public health
 Regular steamship lines were soon es-
 tablished and the building of railroads
 taken In hand so as to tap the various
 resources Of Shantung, especially it's
 coal deposits. The German government
 has strictly adhered to the principle of
 placing the construction of railroads in | to private hands, bids being open to all | nations.
 tThe establishment of law courts, the
 personnel of which is chosen partly
 from resident merchants is another
 marked advance in the development. of
 the colony. The Chinese enjoy their
 own code of laws. Only cases of crime
 come partly under the German law ow- l ing to the severity of the Chinese penal code. The harbor and the hinterland
 have been thoroughly surveyed. A sys- | tenn of forestry has been inaugurated
 and churches, schools and public build- l i,lgs have been erected. The funda- mental policy of Germany in the ad- l ministration of her Chinese colony has
 been greatest possible liberty to sub 1 jects of all nations and the maintenance l Of the best public order.
 Special provisions have been made preventing any molestatfon of the Chi
 nese population whose rights and property have been strictly respected and preserved.
 Under this sound and liberal gov-
 ernment Kiao Chau is now beginning to bear good fruits and the imports of the nations passing through her widely 1 opened door are showing a steady in- crease
 "Grave fear and alarm was expressed by all concerned in the steadily growing trade of the far east when the war clouds out there were threatening to
 burst It was the farseeing eye of the Washington government which saved
 China from chaos and dismenberinent | during the Boxer troubles of 1900. New
 flames again threatening to arise from the still smouldering ashes. But in the right moment we again see the same ever watchful government rise and in- vite the powers of the world to act in I concert so as to preserve the integrity of China and to prevent a conf1agra- tion, the limit of which no human mind would be able to foretell. Through
 this strong and able stroke not only the powers at peace but also those engaged
 in war will reap the greatest benefits
 and it is to be hoped that the vast and