Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
AMERICAN COMMERCE IN NO
WAY THREATENED.
Awakening of the Empire-Controi
of nopolies-Result Expected Of
Reorganization of the Army.

rioting in Shanghai" said Mr.. Young kwai,
ANY more than II has to do with the strikes
and lockouts which may occur in either
New York or Chicago. And the statement
current today that the Chinese govern
ment is unable to cope with the situation
is absurd. Chinese officials have nothing
to do with what happens in Shanghai, mas
much az It is international territory, and
solely under the Jurisdiction of the foreign
consuls stationed there. All the great pow
ers France excepted, take a hand In gov
erning Shanghai, and only Chinese subjects
come under Chinese laws. And If the con-
suls find that the rioting there Is beyond
their control, we have nothing whatever to
do with it. 1 might say 1t does not even
concern US"
Gould the representative OF the powers
ask assistance OF the Chinese government
In an urgent case and would this be glVenT
Mr. Kwai asked.
mo: we cannot be asked for help in sup
pressing trouble there II is, as l said,
purely neutral territory far as we are
concerned, and we have nothing TO do
with it.
New Treaty With Japan.
What effect will the treaty signed last
week by Baron komura and L. Uchida, In
behalf of Japan, and Prince Ching and
VIceroy Yuan-shi-Kai in behalf of China,
have on the commercial relations between
China and the United States? VIII the
opening of new ports to commerce effect
in any way a betterment of conditions?'
THAT is something" Mr.. kwai replied,
that l cannot comment upon without in
dulging In guesswork, and under the cir
CumstanceS l prefer to say nothing about
it. This legation never receives any statis-
teal data on commerce between the United
States and my country, so ii is impossible
10 give. even in round numbers. figures that
might give idea of either increase or de-
crease of commerce. l believe, however,
that nothing in the Chino-Japauese Man
Churian treaty will prevent an increase of
business between the two countries, and the
opening of new ports will naturally facii-
tate an entrance into places that were
heretofore practically closed. The Amerf-
can commercial traveller has more outlets
for his energy.
mo" continued Mr.. Kwai I'VE do not
expect any advices from the home govern
ment. because the treaty does not concern
us in the least. II we do. we shall only
receive formal notification in due time, and
1t viii come, under those circumstances, by
mail"
Il was told" the Stars representative
said. that there is TO be a presen tation of
claims by you to the State Department
an indemnity for excluded Chinese within
a few days"
Mr.. Kwai laughed. 81 have not looked at,
and much less counted. the claims which
this legation has received. The number has
been estimated from few TO LOCO. and the
amount is supposed to average $500 or
Sl,Utu- But DSfOTe SucA claims are present.
ed 10 the State Department they must be
looked into to see If there is a reason to
substantiate them, and it is possible that
not many of them could stand on their own
merits"
China's Awakening.
In the course of personal conversation
with another official who preferred that his
name be not disclosed, purely for reasons
OF modesty. he said that China has awak-
ppaH n "a We Of
eminent and instruction.
China IS not such an unprogressive coun-
try after all" he said. 1T must be taken
into consideration that it is practically
isolated from the rest of the world and
whatever intercourse Il receives with the
outside world is through a few represen-
tatiyes sent abroad. either on diplomatic or
Industrial missions II Is hard, in such a
manner. to bring country OF over 800, 0G0.-
900 inhabitants to adopt measures in COM
paratiYely as short time as another coun-
try whose people, unlike ours. neither
as numerous nor of different ideals. nor
born with different aspirations.
What wonder, then, that our Industries
cannot make marvellous jumps? We are not
at all commercial. but when our commerce
Is termed stagnant the wrong word is
used.
Superiority Claimed
In many ways we are ahead of you as
for instance, in the momentous American
and Industrial developments in China. You,
as probably the most successful great ma
ton Of today, are having great trouble
with the trusts, and your governing officials
do not know how to go about 1t in order TO
bring them TO terms or under thoroughly
administrative control. But We on the
other hand, even il the Industries are not
enormous. and therefore hard to cone with
have board OF commerce, which directs
s-TAlff
roacs, mines, teiegraphs, etc In fact We
go SO Tar as to make trust of our own
governing power, so as to offset any growth
OF the industry. Our 'admInistrati trusr,
is something which the most uo-to-date
foreign government. however autocrattt.
has never thought of. Its ends are directed
toward the publc's own good instead OF
private plumber. The board will take m
commercial questions so prominently. ana
II Is the first time. for the central govern
ment has heretofore practically Ignored
everything which was not political, excent
where IL derived sor1e expressed benefit. az
for instance, revenues.
Unity Of Administration.
In this manner there naturally evolves
a unity OF administration which is felt now
more than ever before, One good reason
for this change Is the influence exerted by
the younger Chinese officials, who are pro-
gressive men and have studied abroad.
customs or ideals. Because, / must say the
younger mind begins to dominate in China
today, and though in many places men
WEI! over sixty or seventy are nonainaly
the heads, their assistants or secretaries
are the actual dominating powers. as IL Is
through their minds that their chiefs one
rate From Industrial circles the central
fzed administration has extended to finan-
clal. circles, as the immediate change TO a /.
uniform monetary system for the whole
empire Is great advancement over the
confused and ineXtrieable lack OF systen,
now In vogue. 1t is because each separate
locality in the huge empire has a local
money different from that found elsewhere
that probably has retarded a booming of
American commerce AS soon as this is
abolished. and interfering money changers
VIII be done away with the foreign bust
ness man will have but little trouble In
transacting all the business he wants as
soon as he has interested the purchaser in
his wares.
Reorganizing the Army.
Bat. Hike Germany, we find that increas-
ing commerce and national expansion de-
mand Of us facilities for seif-protection, and
for this must turn to onr army rather
than our navy. We have seen the futility
OF insisting on the adoption of antiuuafed