The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-13

the right accruing under lease or fran
chise is another 1t is well known that
the Russian Government obtained from
China twenty-five year lease OF the
Zip of the Liaotuns peninsula, the section
including Port Arthur and Da]ny ana
that Russian private corporation
acquired a franchise authorizing II 10
build and operate the Nanchurlah
branches Of the Siberian Railway. Can
this lease and this franchise be treated
as assets, transferable by conquest
or voluntary assignment? The PeKin
Government says: No; such assets are
not transferable, because the grantor
of lease or franchise may have re-
served equities that would be sacr.hted
by transfer 1t is doubtless true that
nation, conscious of weakness or
DESTROYS of isolation, might make con-
oessions to one Power which it would
withhold from another. Chinese sover-
eigns permitted the relatively feeble
Portuguese to retain foothold at Macao
after the subjects Of more powerful
European State had been expelled
from the Middle Kingdom. Japan her
self. for a generation, made similar
exception in favor Of Hollands unin-
por ant trading post a Nagasaki, 1t
is at least conceivable that the Pekin
Government might object to Japan as
a tenant Of Port Arthur, or as an as
signee Of the Manchurian railways.
Plausible, consequently, are the grounds
on which China requests to be heard at
a peace conference the decisions OF
which may sensibly affect her interests.
II is natural, on the other hand, that
Japan should insist upon conducting
the negotiations for peace directly
and exclusively with her opponent
The participation Of China might lead
to vexatious complications and inter-
minable delay. The preliminary ques-
ton would at once arise: Shall China's
assent be essential to the formulation
OF terms Of peace; or may it be passed
over, in the event of an agreement be-
tween the belligerents? Japan could
hardly be expected to recognize China's
assent as Indispensable; while, If 1t
might be treated as negligible, China
could not, with any show of dignity,
take part in the Portsmouth conference.
1t is plain enough that if the negota-
tons are to have any prompt and definite
result the two bellgerents should be
left to come to an agreement without
intermeddling on the part Of any other
Power. Indisputably, the disposition
to be made of Port Arthur and Dalny
and of the Manchurian railways is mat
ter of interest to China, but the possible
modification Of the arrangements made
at Portsmouth may properly be de-
ferred until after peace has been con-
cluded between Russia and Japan.
Then representatives Of the Mikado and
the Chinese Emperor should be able
to agree on the conditions upon which
China would ratify the transfer Of leases
and franchises in Manchura
The fact that Chinas request to par
ticipate in the peace negotiations was
viewed with less disapprobation at st.
Petersburg than at Toxic is at least
suggestive. The late Ii HUNG CHANG
might have set just such a trap, Japan
will not fall into it, however. The
Mikado's advisers will not repeat the
mistake that events compelled them to
make in 1895. They are not likely to
tolerate on China's part an interference
which they would not brook a second
time at the hands of Germany and
France.