Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-16
DALNY IS OPEN;
WON 7 HELP MUCH
EUROPE AND AMERICA PROFIT
LITTLE THEREBY
Chinese Diplomacy Finds Present
Conditions a Fine Field for Its
Genius-Manchurian Situa-
tion is No Better
BY KIMBERLEY DARLINGTON

tion is NO setter
BY KIMBERLEY DARLINGTON
Special Gable to The Herald
TOKIO, Sept 15.-Though japan de-
clared the port of Dalny open to for
eign nations on September 1 this step
does not go far toward solution of the
vexed problem of the opening of Man
churia. The situation affords a fine
field for the peculiar gifts of Chinese
diplomacy. Skill and patience will be
required to- unravel it, Mr.. Hayashi,
the japanese minister in Peking, is in
charge of the negotiations for japan,
but it will probab be a considerable
time yet before all nations enjoy
equality of opportunity" throughout
these Chinese provinces. China takes
up her customary attitude The estab-
lishment of customs stations at Dalny
and Antung and at the points in north
Manchuria where the Russian railway
crosses the frontier is, she maintains,
her business alone; she cannot be ex-
pected, she argues, to set them up
upon terms unfavorable to herself, and,
after all, there is no hurry. Accord
ingly, she has not made any serious
attempt even to begin the discussion
of the subject with Russia. She wants
Japan, while Japan very naturally con-
tends that whatever arrangements are
to come to on this matter with Russia
and with herself ought to be simulta-
neouS. The opening of Dalny may per-
hapS assist her in coming to a conclu-
sion. There does not seem to be much
doubt that good deal of japanese
merchandise which has come into the
leased territory through Dalny has
10, ite ba hoT in
Manchuria. If foreign goods are landed
in any consdera BILE quantities it would
not be surprising should some of them
which have been consigned to the
leased territory, and have thus enjoyed
the privileges of a leased port, after
ward leaked over into the Chinese pos
sessions. China can prevent the danger
of such leakage by giving Japan at
Dalny the position in this respect
which, to her own great advantage,
she has given Germany at Kiaochau.
Japan would then collect the customs
for her and pay the balance over to her,
after deducting 20 per cent for the cost
of collection. But China objects that
under such an arrangement the GUS
toms staff would be Japanese, and she
wants them to be Chinese-a scheme
which all the powers would disapprove.
Same in Manchuria
The situation in north Manchuria Is
substantially the same as in the Liau-
tung peninsula. The Russians are in
military occupa tion there and Russian
goods are able to come In by the rail-
way duty free. The loss of revenue.
which this state of things involves
does not seem to trouble the equanim-
ity of the Chinese, though that is a
point on which the mandarinate Is
usually sensitive. But the Japanese
conceive that they have an interest in
seeing this matter settled. and Mr..
Hayashi when he announced to the
Wai-wu-pu that his government was
ready to arrange for the esta ablishment
of customs at Dalny, told them, at the
same time, that they must observe the
clause in their agreement of September
s, 1896, with Russia, which binds them
to set up the customs stations on the
railway. Japan cannot afford to have
Chinese customs paid on the goods
passing through her territory 'ntS
Manchuria while Russia remains at lib
erty to supply the same markets duty
free. China seems also to be holding
back about the establishment of Gus
toms station at the port of Antung.
which is now nominally open under the
treaty of October 8, 1908, between her
and the United States. Japan is still in
military possession of Antung and the
large use which the japanese military
aut thorities have made of their powers,
by the compulsory acquisition of the
river frontageS and other desirable
sites. They ire, however ready to pro-
vide suitable place for customs sta
ton, but the Chinese seem to imagine
that, by delays which are daily costing
them revenue, they can induce Japan to
surrendera good dealof the land which
she has taken over. The entire problem
of trade with Manohurla over the Ko-
rean frontier is at present complicated,
as so many of those Manchurian ques-
tions are by past dealings of Russia
with China.
One thing is certain, IL Dalny re-
mains a free port it will greatly dam
age Newchwang, which has hitherto
been the base for all. British and
American trade in Manchuria.
Reports from Picking Indicate that the
dowager empress intends to summon
conference of high officials, including
several viceroys, to discuss the adop-
ton of a constitution. The commits
sioners who recently returned from
their tour abroad recommend a gradual
change to constitutional government,
taking ten or fifteen years to educate
the people to adopt themselves to the
new regime.
A passion for climbing Full Yama
Japan's highest mountain, of $1,000 feet,
seems to have seized all kinds of Jap
anese people. In addition to the 9-year-
OLD girl who is about to try to make the
ascent alone, a man who lost his right
leg in the war and now has an artificial
one presented by the emperor intends
eFcending the mountain on horseback,
which is said to be impossible. He mas
eir eady been up on his present assort-
mcnt of legs.