New-York tribune., 1910-01-16
THOSE MAYCHURI4N RAILROADS.

In considering the proposal of our
State Department for the Chinese pur-
chase and naturalization of the Man
cburian railroads account needs to, be
taken of the origin of those roads and
the conditions on which they were built.
The lines in question are not all those in
the provinces, but the two great roads
which were constructed by Russia under
the agreements with China Of 1896 and
1898, and which Russia at that time
doubtless meant TO make entirely her
own and to make also the vantage ground
from which to proceed to the acquisition
of all Manchuria One of these lines is
the Chinese Eastern, an extension of the
Siberian Railroad from the Argun River
across Manchuria to Vladiyostok- simply
a short cut FOR the transcontinental road,
avoiding the long detour along the Amoor
which would be necessary if it kept on
Russian soil. The other is the South
Manchurian, extending from the former
at Harbin and running down the Lao
Valley and the Regents Sword to Tai
rem and Port Arthur.
These roads were nominally built by
a corporation which was organized by
the Russo Chinese Bank and in which
only Russian and Chinese subjects were
permitted to hold shares AS d matter Of
fact nearly all the shares We're held by
Russians, and the company was recog-
nized to be substantially bureau Of the
Russian government. 1t was however
stipulated that the Chinese government
might purchase the roads at cost at
date thirty-six years after the opening
of the lines, or in 1885, or that it
might claim reversion of them without
payment eighty years after the same
date, or in 1882. This stipulation is in
teresting to recall, since it shows that
Secretary Knox is in fact proposing moth
ing more than to anticipate an achieve
ment which has been contemplated from
the very beginning of the roads. There
seems to be no doubt that if she does
not purchase them now China will in.
1888 have an indisputable right to do so
or that If she waits until 1882 she will
have a right to take them without pur-
chase. What Mr.. Knox proposes is that
she shall have now the right which will
be hers twenty-eight years hence, and
that in return for that privilege of an
ticipation she shall place the roads un-
der an international guarantee of neu-
trality, which she would not have to do
il she waited until 1893 for her ac-
QUESTION of them.
by the Treaty of Portsmouth the two
roads were divided between Russia and
Japan, the former getting about two
thirds and the latter one-third of their
mileage, and it was agreed that except
IN the leased territory the roads should
be used exclusively for commercial and
Industrial purposes and not for strategic
ends. But under the original Russo
Chinese agreements, which remain in
force, these two powers have ''the exelu-
"sive and absolute right of administra-
ton over the lands known as the rail-
way zone, Including extensive and I'M
portant territory along the lines. The
extent to which Russia has attempted TO
enforce and to exercise that right at
Hardin is we'll known, and has formed
TIE subject of not little diplomatic
consideration. II. seems probable that
whatever reluctance may be manifested
by Russia and Japan to the present pro-
posal has Its origin in unwillingness to
abandon or TO compromise In any way
those territorial privileges. But it is
not clear that the continued exercise and
enjoyment or those exclusive privileges
would De compatible with that principle
OF open door and equality Of privilege to