El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-31

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w fused to accept the proposal
made by secretary OF state
Knox to neutralize and International
iZe the railways of Manchuria a great
many people jumped TO the erroneous
conclusion that Mr.. KnoX'S Far Eastern
policy was a failure. 1t is true that
the proposition was turned down imrne-
'ately and it is also true that there
was never the least chance that it
would be accepted. But the fact re-
mains that Mr. KnOx's proposition has
succeeded in forcing Japan and Russia
to make public their Manchurian policy,
4 iOlicy which they had been pursuing
in secret and which could not be SUE
ceSSfuiy attacked except in the open.
China Must Have Railways.
The whole future of China depends
upon its railways. If China is to be
industrially independent in this age OF
commercial progress, it must have more
railroads and plenty of them. If it is
to be politically independent in this
age of commercial politics. it must
have control of its own railroads. If
no new railroads are built, China cannot
go forward. If the new railroads, when
built, are owned and operated by and
for foreigners. then China cannot hope
long TO remain an independent state
United States Interested
The policy of the United States. in
its relations to China, always has been
that Of disinterested friendship, so
far as affairs in Asia have been
concerned No other, nation has been
or is now so DISTINGUISHED In 1900 the
United States saved the Chinese. empire
from acknowledgements and put an end
to the series of territorial seizures
which had begun in 1897 and which had
caused the great Boxer rebellion. Now,
in 1910, the United States is seeking 70
save China from financial slavery and
10 put an end to the series of railway
Ngrabs which is chiefly responsible for
the present threatened antifOreign OUT
break in China.
Mr.. Knoxs policy has been but the
logical and necessary outcome of fl
deity TO the principle of the open door
and equal opportunity as laid down by
the late John Hay. There is nothing
new or startling in the diplomatic atti-
tude of the present administration to-
ward Chinese affairs. Mr.. Taft and Mr..
Knox have merely translated the gilt
tering generalities of the famous Hay
note into the hard probabilities and
specific terms Of a binding commercial
contract.
Powers Supported Open Door Policy.
When Mr. Hay proposed that the pow
ers mutually should agree TO maintain
the territorial and administrative en-
tity of the Chinese empire and should
support the doctrine of the open door
and equal opportunity. all the powers
consented without question and signed
the agreement.
When Mr.. Knox, ten years later. pro-
posed to neutralize railroad ownership
in Manchuria as the only efficient way
to secure for China the undisturbed
ENJOYMENT of all political rights in Man
churia, under the policy of the open
door, the interested powers sharply de-
clined and some of them went far
as to intimate, through unofficial chan
nels, that the proposal was impertinent
Russia and Japan Want Parts.
AS a matter Of fact, only the United
States. among all the powers, is sin
cere in supporting the open door doc
trine. all the rest have special priv
ileges and none Of them is willing TO
sacrifice its own privileges for the sake
Of China.
So far as Manchuria is concerned.
Russia and Japan occupy exactly the
same position. Both coveting Chinese
territory and both intriguing to obtain
a port in Chinese waters. the two ma
tiOns came TO blows and fought ire
mendous war wholly on Chinese terri |
tory. That was brought to a close by
the friendly Intervention of the United
States. the elimination OF which was
the signing of the Treaty of Ports ,,
mouth. By the terms of that treaty.
Russia and China divided the Manchu-
rian railways between themselves, but !
undertook not 10 interfere with the de- /
velopment Of the country by the Chi
nese, and solemnly engaged to respect
and obey the Chinese sovereignty in
Manchuria.
Charges Against Japan.
The ink was not dry on that treaty
before complaints began TO be made
that the open door was closed, and that
as a matter of fact, the Japanese and
Russians were using their railways as
an excuse for the complete domination
and control of Manchuria, political and
financial After awhile the japanese
army. with much Ostentation, evacuated
Manchuria, and the control of the cOun-
try passed again into the hands of its
rightful owners.
But complaints did not cease 1t was
charged that the Japanese railway
guards were in control of the situation
as effectively ever the JapaneSn army
had been. 1t was charged that the Jap
anese products got through the custom
houses without paying the duties i'm
posed upon other wares. In short. 1t
was charged that the open door was
anese.
In Northern Manchuria, complaints
of similar nature although less insist
ent were heard against the Russians |
But still Japan and Russia continued |
to profess that their only business in
Manchuria was to guarantee the open
door policy.