Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
THE FAR EASTERN SITUATION.


Manchurian from the United States
n:, government a memoran-
"J'' dunn proposing a solu
ton of the Manchurian problem the neu-
tralization of the railroads in Manchuria
by their sale to China. financed by an
international syndicate. Russia being in
vited to join in the action.
The American memorandum contains
another proposition which may cause Rus
STA some hesitation. 1t proposes to con-
struct railroad british and American
concession) from Aigun. in North Man
churia. to Chin-Chow-fu. British and
American governments will support diplo-
matically. Russia will be unwilling thus
to expose her weak Amur frontier. which
would necessitate heavy concentration
of troops at Baeovestchenk.
The troubles at Hardin with the munich
palities are to be settled. The United
States seeks adjustment of the conten-
tious clauses of the agreement signed
last May by Russia and China, providing
method of government for the Russian
railroad zone in Manchuria. The agree
ment. it is recalled, consists of eighteen
articles, based on guarantee of Chinese
sovereignty and the principle of joint adj
ministration.
reference to the China-Japan treaty re-
lating to railroads in Manchuria. I'D
about which it was reported the United
States would protest on the ground that
1t interfered with equal opportunities in
Manchuria.
On the same day. January ). the cable
reported that the French government was
obstructing the negotiations for the ad
justment of 1.-THE Chinese railroad loan.
1t is rumored that the motive of such
obstruction by France is to force tariff
concessions by withholding her consent
to the final settlement
The United States, whatever its attitude
in the foregoing, is decided at length to
keep open at least the Chinese door. The
government at Washington opened the
door in China through Mr.. Caleb Cush-
ing, in 1914. and through Mr.. Burlingame
in 1865: in Japan. through Commodore
Perry, in 1850: in Korea through Admiral
Shufelt. in 1882. The United States is
now engaged in protecting its own rights
and interests imposed by priority and by
it's position, present and future, in the
Pacific.
The question of the far east is becoming
decidedly interesting to the American
banker and merchant. and
Eastern the discussions in the
ox: American Asiatic Asso-
citation, the American Po-
litical Science Association aud other as
sociations of an economical and industrial
character show that we are emulating as
we should do the Royal British Colonial
Institute for the general good of American
commerce and industry.
In common with our Asiatic friends,
Americans, at the same time as Chinese
and Japanese, are in state of evolution.
Like the Chinese. the Americans are great
protectonists, and even in the matter of
suffragettism there is some similarity,
judging by what the women of Canton
have done and are doing. Besides, did not
such an authority as Mr.. Chester Hol-
combe. formerly secretary of the United
States legation at Picking. at the Economic
Club of New York tell us that 1.-The Chi
nese are more like ourselves than We are
like any other race on the face of the
earth?"
The suffragette question at Canton, for
example. Is interesting. When China pro-
tested against the policing of West river
by the British in 1907 the meetings were
by hundreds of women, who made
enthusiastic speeches. Again in 1903. when
a dispute arose with Japan over the seiz-
ure of the ship Tatsu-Maru at Macao.
which resulted in the payment of a heavy
fine, the Cantonese women were equal to
the occasion. Two thousand women or
ganized a boycott of Japanese goods
nese mourning color. The day has passed
into the Chinese calendar as the day of
national humiliation and shame
Mr.. Valentine Chirol, the foreign editor
of the Times, has been writing a series of
letters on the condition
Chinese of affairs in China and
oe his appropriations are
worthy of serious reflec-
tion all the more at the moment of our
active participation in the commercial
and perhaps political interests of China.
Reform" says Mr.. Chirol, lis on every
body's lips. Mandarins profess their de-
votion. The native press breaches reform
Patriotic associations clamor for REFORM
Imperial commissioners have been sent
abroad to collect Information and report
Memorials to the throne demand reform.
And there are to be proclaimed constitu-
tional reforms. military reforms, admin
istrative reforms. financial reforms. But
the first condition for any reform-the
condition precedent to all reforms-is a
radical reimbursement of the relations be-
tween the central and the provisional gov
ernments. There's the rub
And the editor proceeds to show that
there Is a central government In China,
but there has never been a centralized
system of government The two chief
functions of government i'm China are to
keep things fairly quiet and to collect
revenue. The business of the central gov
eminent is to provide ways and means
for the court and the Manchu clans who
came in with the reigning dynasty, to
supply the great Picking boards or public
departments which preside over the ad-
of the empire and to main
tain the dynastic dependencies outside the
eighteen provinces. The business of the
provincial governments is to maintain
public order in the eighteen provinces and
to remit to Picking SO much of their reve
nue. which they collect as the central gov
forth above. So long they discharge
those obligations the central government
asked no questions. Picking tries to get as
much and the provinces to give as little
as they can. The Picking authorities are
open to that form of persuasion
which is known all over China under the
name of squeeze In practice the re-
lations between the central and the pro-
vincial governments resolved themselves
into an unwritten agreement to divide be-
tween them the official plumber of the en-
pire in proportions constantly varying ac-
cording to expediency and squeeze
The central government, in making pro-
vision for the service of foreign debt.
has changed these meth
Financial DDS somewhat. At no
time have the funds an
OAaAseS. nually RENTED to Peking
from the provinces appeared to have
amounted to more than 90.O0o.OO0 taels.
at the present rate of exchange about
S;I.J,. 600 600 A very moderate sum, con-