Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-23
MAY RENEW BOYCOTT
Significance Of Recently Changes
in China.
TONG DISPLACES WI
THE FORMER AN OPPONENT OF
THE AMERICANS.
Tragedy During the Boxer Uprising
Wants Equal Rights for
His Race.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

The transfer of WI Ting-Fang to the
BOARD OF punishments and the appointment
of Tong Shao-Yi as vice president of the
foreign Office and head of the department of
commerce at Picking. is full of significance
TO the United States and means renewal
Of the boycott against American goods and
retaliation for our treatment of the Chinese.
Although the particulars have not yet been
received in Washington, it is believed by
those who know best that WI Ting-Fang
was removed because he persuaded the en-
press to issue edfct calling off the boy
| colt and forbidding merchants to discrlmi-
nate against American goods. In other
words the. anti-Anerican party is now in
power at Picking and Tong Shao-Yi their
leader Is placed In charge Of diplomatic and
commercial relations with this country.
The negotiations of treaty which have
been pending for year or more have been
suspended because Mr. Tong, in pursuance
of the new policy of national assertion, de-
mand:s an open door for Chinese immigrants
to the Philippines and the Hawaiian islands
He takes the ground that the exclusion
laws, which prohibit the entrance of Chi
neSc coolies into the United States do not
apply to our insular possessions, and that
ms countrymen' must be placed upon the
same equality as the japanese, the Koreans
the Malays, the Hindus, the Singalese the
Arabs and every European race It is ex-
peCted that Mr.. Tong will make the same
demand with reference to United States
territory, ard sooner or later will notify
our government that If we are not willing
TO admit their citizens they will not admit
our goods to their ports.
Meaning of China's Awakening.
AS l have frequently pointed out in recent
letters, China is waking up She is adopt
ing modern ideas and methods; she has
established modern schools and universe
ties; she has introduced athletic sports; she
has written national anthem; she pro
poses to have a constitution and a parlia-
mentary government; and the next stem
Will be to; demand from the United States
and other nations the same rights and priyi-
leges for her people that are enjoyed by the
Citizens of other countries. This demand
ineasls-IaorsA 10 Us than to any other COM
nefcial community because cur government
and Canada alone discriminate against Chi
nese immigration We forbid entirely the
landing of any hut students, travellers and
the mercantile and professional classes
Canada compels every Chinaman who lands
at her ports to pay a head tax of $500.
These restrictions are not imposed upon
the natives of any other country and after
1t finishes yawning, that great empire with
Its enormous population and power, which
has been slumbering for centuries will re-
taliate against both countries until the re-
strfctions are withdrawn.
Mr.. Tong believes that his fellow country
men-flch or poor-are as good the citi-
zens OF any other nation, and are entitled
10 the same consideration as the Poles,
Huns, Firms, Russians, Italians Syrians
Greeks and other races that are now pour
ing into the United States from all parts
of the earth to enjoy the blessings and
privileges of this great and glorious coun-
try. Before the pending treaty is concluded
ne may be expected to demand equal rights
for them in the United States and Canada,
and insist upon the same treatment. And
II 1t is not granted, the ports of China will
be closed to American goods.
The recent boycott did not amount to
anything, so far as the. interruption of trade
was concerned, as was shown in a recent
letter. We sold more goods In China dur
ing the time 1t was supposed to be in force
than ever before, but it taught a great
moral lesson. 1t opened the eyes of the
merchants of this country to the CONNER
clal danger to which they are exposed and
it showed the Chinese what powerful
weapon they have 10 use against us when
ever they need 1t.
They have decided that they need 1t now
How the Treaty Failed.
Last year-only a few months ago-we
might have renewed our treaty with China
IL Secretary Metcalf and other California
infiuence-politieal and otherwise-had not
insisted upon teehnicahty He argued
that the classes of Chinese who are to be
exempt from exclusion should be exactly
specified. Sir Cheng-tung, the Chinese min
lister, insisted that the classes that We're
rotary, Hay was willing and ready to yield
the point to China and the President was
with him; but Secretary Metcalf {who
comes from Chinese hating community
would not yield The negotiations were
therefore transferred TO Peking and the
fat has fallen into the fire.
Now, having learned a lot of useful in
formation, the Chinese government insists
that the exclusion law shall not apply to
either Hawaii or the Philippines and de-
mands that the treaty shall give their
| countrymen the same rights in those
| islands as are enjoyed by the Japanese and
other Asiatics 1t is safe to predict that
before the negotiations completed the
| demands of China will be expanded still
| further, and that she will insist that not
only merchants, students and travellers be
admitted, but everybody except criminals
paupers. diseased and insane persons and
anarchists. IT we will not admit their peo-
| pie they will not admit our -four cotton
| and other goods; and the issue will come
| very soon. Indeed, 1t has already come
/ and the Department of State is daily re-
ceiving cablegranns from American ,ner-
chants In China and from the agents of
Chinese houses in New York, warning the
administration of the threatened danger and
urging that something be done at once to
preserve and protect American trade.
An Alarming Prospect.
And ii is serious question how ANYTHING
| can be done. We have come to look upon
China as an inert mass of ignorance. con-
servatism and unenterprising people, with
out individuality or self-assertion She has
been imposed upon continuously by all the
| rest of the world. because she was helpless
and never attempted self-defense She was
/ called the jelly-hsh of nations But ii looks
very much as II something different was 10
4 happen hereafter, The adoption OF foreign
ideas and methods of administration and
| commercial habits, which the rest OF the
world has been urging upon the old empire
/ for so long, is producing radical change
| In the temper, disposition and commerciaI
policy OF that nation. Heretofore she has
/ been compelled. willingly or unwiilingiy, to
| do whatever foreign nations have demanded
OF her; but It now looks very much as II
1 that time had paaseds and the men who are
now in charge Of the government ct sPeking
| mary OF 4hem educated In America and
inspired by our example and prscepfs-.have
Ireyersed the traditional policy and arr now
preparing to assert Their national rights