The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-30
fContinued ION - PageO

SERTED to its wisdom and declared
their adherence to II.
.'Tbe Government OF the United States
has not deviated in the slightest way
from its attitude in this regard Since
the policy was announced In 1900
To the Chinese this fOrCefui reitera-
ton OF the John Hay policy came as
Diplomatic assurance backed BY Linen
gins. For at that very time the Japan
csc government was denying the ad-
ministrative entity OF China by forclDly
objeCting to the building Of the Faku-
men railway, a Chinese project backed
by Chinese capital, TO be built entirely
on Chinese soil
Since the American feet left San
Francisco for the orient, the Tokyo
government has withdrawn its oblec-
uCns to the construction Of the Faku-
men railroad.
Trade Demands Protection.
But Mr.. Taft did not stop with mere
reiteration Of the Hay policy. He went
much farther when he said,
The American trade in China Is SUI
hciently great to require the Govern
meat Of the United States to take ever
legitimate means to protect it against
dir1lnution or injury by the political
preference Of any Of its competitors.
1T can not, of course, complain OF
loss Of trade effected by use OF greater
enterprise. greater ingenuity, greater
attention % the demands Of the Chinese
market and greater business acumen.
by its competitors: but Il would have
the right 20 protest against exclusion
from Chinese trade nv dCLaTturC from
the policy Of the open door. The &C
JuiCSCenCe in this policy by al interest
ed nations WAS SO u1heSitating and
emphatic that it is hardly worth while
70 speculate as to the probable attitude
Of the United States were its merchants
interests injured by a violation Of IT.
How far the United States would
go in the protection Of its Chinese trade,
no ore Of course can say
Would Likely Protect merchants.
This much is clear. however: That
tha merchants Of the United States are
being aroused to the Importance Of heir
Chinese export trade, that they would
vicTs political obstacles to its expansion
with deep concern, and that this feel
ing OF theirs would be likely to find ex-
preston in the attitude OF the American
Government"
To the Chinese merchants assembled
at the banquet board, TO whom the
speech was being interpreted sentence
by sentence, this came as direct mes
sage from Washington that the United
States, as a world power, intends in
future 70 back its merchants with its
guns
These same Chinese merchants and
their cOmpatriots in official life at that
time were worried over the pOliCy c.
Japan in placing obstacles in the way
of railroad, river and harbor. mining,
and other physical developments of
Chinese resources. Mr. Taft knew what
was in their minds when he said 10
them:
'sThe United States and others who
favor the open. door polio sincerely
a nrNN . %
but will encourage this great Chinese
empire to take long steps in admins
trative and governmental reform, and
in the development Of her natural re
cOurces and in the Improvement of the
welfare Of her people"
Thrust At Japan.
It was not without knowledge Of the
fact that Japan objected to the FakU-
men railway because II would be a
competitor Of a railway in Chinese ter
ritory, owned by the japanese govern
ment. that Mr.. Taft continued;
In this way China viii add great
strength to her position as a self-re-
specting government. may resist all
possible foreign aggression seeking M
due exclusive or proprietary privileges
in her territory. and without foreign
aid, enforce an open door policy Of
equal opportunity to all"
NOR content WIN lulS enCOuraEerQent
to the Chinese refO- -nerS. who are the
Chinese business men, Mr.. Taft took
long step in advance Of all other
foreigners Of authority who have dis
cussed the Chinese problem, and put
himself and inferenially the American
Government. squarely on record in
favor Of China for the Chinese. He said:
China For Chinese.
For the reasons have given II does
M 70 he 81
for the Chinese should Brighten anyone.
All that Is meant by It is that China
should devote her energies to the de-
velOpment OF her immense resources. to
the elevation Of her industrious people,
and TO the enlargement OF her trade,
and TO the administrative reform OF the
empire as a great national government.
Changes Of this kind would only in
crease our trade with her. Our greatest
export trade Is with the countries most
advanced in business methods and In
the development OF their particular re-
sources