The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-02-10
KNOX DIPLOMATIC
TRADE EXPANSION
MAKES RADICAL DEPARTURE
FROM ROOT AND HAY, WHO !.
PROMOTED NATIONS
POLITICAL INFLU-
ENcEs.

. T
Washington, Feb 1O.-The Pittsb,irx
diplomacy Of Secretary Knox ii play
ing ducks and brakes with the policies
followed by John Hay and Elihu Root
When they were in the state depart
ment. Hay and Root labored to pro-
mote the political influence OF the Units
ed states; Philander G.. Knox believes
more In the power or the American
dollar, and his triumphs have been stri-
umphs of cornmercialism rather than of
craftsmanship.
John Hay conceived the open door
policy for China. He regarded it dis the
master stroke of his administration.
HE wrote beautiful state papers on the
subject, filled with f1owery references
TO preserving the territorial integrity.
OF China. He induced the powers to
join the United States i'm the benevolent
scheme of maintaining the political ana
territorial entity of helpless empire
John Hay probably saved China from
partition by the hungry and graspinS
powers of Europe, which had already
planned to seize this vastly rich and
Inviting territory. l
Roots Aim Also High.
Elihu Roots hobby while in the state
department was to promote amity fra
ternity, friendship and all that sort OF
thing. He believed in soft soap ana
soft pedals. He kept one eye on the
open door in China. but devoted his
main attention to Kidding South Amer
leans of the notion that the United
States government intended to gobble
them all up, He took long, riresorae
journey to Rio de Janeiro to tell the
people down there that Uncle Sam had
only the most kindly paternalistic in
terest in them. He left a trait of
speeches from Rio to Lima, all breath
ing of the spirit of benevolence and
good win. AS they say in the diplo-
matte corps, the entente cordiale was
beautiful to see.
Mr.. Knox had been in the state de-
partment scarcely long. enough to warm
his chair before he began 10 upset the
carefully reared policies of Root and
Hay. Knox belongs to the little but
oh my!" class The Pennsylvania is
about FIVE feet tall and weighs perhaps
one-third as much as Mr. Taft What
he lacks in height and heft he makes
up with nerve and determination.
Knox once punched the nose of d six
footer because he didn't like the re-
mark made by the big man.
Looking Out For American Capital
You don't hear much at the state
department nowadays about promoting
peace and amity among the nations OF
the world remarked republican
senet tor the other day ''but il you Think
that American capitalists are being
frozen out of railroad syndicates or
bond floating enterprises anywhere I'm
the world you want to correct your un :,
Outstanding. The state department is
certainly on the job when 1t comes to
mailing down money making propost-
tion, whether it be in the wilds of Man
cturia or the swamps of Honduras9S
| Secretary Knox let it be known right
at the outset of his administration
that such little thing as international
friendship would not be allowed to
stand in the way of the collection OF
American debts. He called for list
of American claimants against foreign
nations one day and checked off "a
couple.
Pushes Old Claims. 1a
Get busy and see that those claims
are said" was the order to ansun-
der secretary after having convinced
| himself that the claimants had good
cases. one was against the Nicaraguan
| government. 1t was the Emory claims
| involving about 100000. This claim has
been accommodating dust i'm the state de-
partment for so many years that the
! oldest employee who could tell off hand
| the day of every treaty, couldn't re-
member when 1t originated. Root had
handled 1t in the gingerly fashion with
which he conducted all negotiations
dealing with the sensitive and sus-
picious Central and South Americans.
Knox got up what was called a shot
gun ultimatum' and Nicaragua decided
to pay up. Zelaya concluded 1t would
be cheaper to agree TO pay a reasonable
amount every year than to have all its
| customs houses seized and adninist-
cred exclusively for the benefit Of the
Emory claimants.
The aggressive Mr.. Knox brought a
settlement of the. Alsop, claim in much
| the same manner This was also a
claim that had been hanging fire for
| years and years 1t was necessary for
| the new secretary to send this stiff
ultimatum to the Chilean government:
PAY the Alsop claim in ten days or
will withdraw the United States rep
Preventative at your capital"
This pointed message brought anoth-
err triumph for shirt sleeve diplomacy,
and an agreement was reached. They
| say that Chile called the blum, and
/ that Senior Branco, the Brazilian min
lister of foreign affairs saved an ugly
situation by inducing Chile to- submit
/ the Alsop claim to adjudication by
King Edward. II At any rate; an issue
was reached by which the claimants
will soon get their money.
Breaks Into Banking in China.
While these stirring events were put
ting an entirely new aspect on the re-
Iations between the United states and
Central and South America, Mr., Knox
was busy in other fields. He was get
ting ready to break into the barking
/ business in China. This was the rich
field which had been menopohzed bN
English. French and German capital
i lists. They were lending money to the
Chinese government at4rates OF INFER
est that would have made 520-per-cent
Miller enyious.
The combination of French, German
and English bankers were just bout
to cut new Chinese melon last sum
mer when the alert Mr.. Knox discov
cred that he had overlooked some
thing. China wanted about $4,000, 600
to build the Hankow SIZE Chuef1 rail