The Washington herald., 1908-04-07
Our New policy in Manehurin


The State Department has adopted an
attitude with respect TO Chinese sover-
eighty in Manchurla that promises to be
fruitful Of international contention. Ii is
significant that in Pezin our position is
regarded as Intervention" I'm behalf of
Chinese claims TO Manchurian territory
and 20 exclusive exercise of adminiStra-
tive authority therein. But. Of course.
we have interviewed principally for our
own advantage, which is to be found in
the preservation of the open door" and
the maintenance of equality of opportu-
nifty to all nations in competition for
Manchurian trade
The new policy has been developed by
the refusal of our eonsuls to recognize in
Manchuria any other sovereigntv than
that Of China. In this We have accepted
the theory Of the Chinese government
that its Jurisdiction over the whole Of
Manchuria is unquestioned. So far we
have heard nothing of the Japanese side
of the affair, but the Russian side has
been set forth In cable dispatches from
ST. Petersburg and in a statement issued
by Baron Rosen. the Russian Ambassa
dor to the United States. Briefly. il is
that under the terms of an agreement Of
the Russo-Chinese Bank, controlling the
Chinese Eastern Railway. with the Chi
nese government the railway authorities
have the right Of administration in the
territory leased by them This agreement
appears TO have been interpreted to con-
fer the right to establish Russian NUM-
cipalities along the railroad right Of way.
enjoying, as Baron Rpsen says. an extra
territorial independence Of Chinese iuris-
diction. The Russian Ambassador asserts
that the principle Of Chinese sovereignty
is in no way involved in the organization
Of municipal administration in the Rus
sian settlements at Harbin and elsewhere
along the line OF the railway, but evil
IDENTIFY that view is not shared either bv
the Chinese or by the American govern
ment or by Germany, whose consul at
Hardin has taken the same attitude as
our own representative. It is obvious
that il the Russian contention were ac-
knowledged by the Chinese, the japanese
would have good ground for demanding
the same right of establishing extrater-
ritoriai colonies enjoyed by the Russians.
with the ultimate consequence OF. greatly
diminishing the sphere Of Chinese sover-
eighty throughout that portion of Man
ohuria traversed by the railway. which is
parity under Russian and partly under
japanese control
Our Intervention" in behalf of Chinese
sovereignty in Manchuria marks a CON
siderable development Of the "open door
policy IN the Orient. In times gone by
We have shown a disposition to acquiesce
in the spheres of influence and other ar
rangements by which other powers have
exercised d quasi-sovereignty over va
rious portions Of Chinese territory, pro
vided no discrimination were made
against American trade. This was MIR.
Hays attitude in 1900 In 1906. however.
Mr. Hay went step further. and Sc
cured the assent of the powers to a re-
nuneiation Of territorial ambitions in
China, thus preventing the dismember-
ment Of the Celestial Empire that was
feared might be the outcome Of the
Russo-Japanese war. The treaty Of peace
expressly recognized the sovereignty Of