The Washington times., 1910-02-23
American Financing of Rail
road Project Looked on
as Safeguard.
TAFT is REGARDED
AS CLOSE FRIEND
United States Expected to Protect
Empire Against Spoils-
men.

VIENNA, Feb 23-News that Ameri-
can fnanciers will have part I'm the
loan to China on account of the Han
kow-Szechuen railway project has been
received here with great satisfaction
by Sir Chentung LANG Cheng, former
minister TO Washington, and Admiral
Sab, both Of whom are visiting Eu-
ropean capitals in the interests Of their
government 10 study military and naval
conditions.
They are specially well disposed to-
ward the United States, the former
minister because of conEenial official
service in the land in which he was
educated. and Admiral Sab in apprecia-
ton Of the uniformly Just and gener-
Gus course Of the Washington Govern
ment toward China.
Settlement OF the railway loan on the
present terms also pieases them be-
cause they consider that II lightens
materially the labOrs Of their mission
They construe this entering Of Ameri-
can capital into China as an assurance
OF peace, Of which they say they would
have felt by no means confident had
the loan been absorbed by governments
that helped themselves TO slices of
China when that country was power
less to resist and which might connive
at further partitions unless checked BY
an associate government that has
never had designs OF territorial ag-
sraRdizement.
Grateful to America
with the United States financially
interested in Chinese development" the
former minister said, China may con-
sider herself free from foreign menace.
Orrr
America as its sincere friend and while
We are now on excellent terms with the
entire world we are specially mindful
OF the nation which alone stood by us
and furnished the sole example Of fair
ness and generosity toward us when We
were helpless.
The American course marked out by
President Mckinley has been consist
emily followed We look upon President
Taft as even a closer friend than his
predecessors could be because he has
been personally among US and under
stands better than would be possible IN
any one else our condition, motives and
aspirations.
He knows that we are a peace-loving
people, that we have no ambition fo-
conquest, that we are eminently indus
tr1ous, and he has witnessed the awak-
ening of a sentiment for world trade,
with the transportation and other de-
velopment therein implied.
Territory Being Taken.
'Anti-foreign feeling such as mani
Tested itself in the Boxer outbreak has
subsided. That outbreak may have
seemed 10 belle our professions for
peace, but it should be considered that
our people were greatly provoked by
foreign encroachments on our territory.
Russia had ia ken the LiaOtunS penIn-
sula WeihawCi had been occupied by
the English. who also acquired koW-
loon opposite HongkcnS and talked OF
appropriations along the GangtSZe-
THE Germans entrencEed themselves
IN our province Of ShdntunS, Inc
French got the large island Of Halndn
and had projects looking 10 interior
also in the Canton district, and the
japanese became active IN estaollSh-
ing settlements as a Beginning toward
territorial extension.
Ali signs pointed TO the dis7uember-
ing of the empire, and not only the
people at large but the authorities IN
Peking IOO,l alarm over that prospect.
Military invasion of China by the
allied armies TO relieve the siege Of the
embassies in Peking al that time proved
a blessing, for II not only set clearly
before the world the process OF dis
membering which had begun, but II en-
abIed the United States 10 declare for
the territorial integrity OF China, and
TO that declaration all the other gov
ernmentS rerIOrce aSSenIeu-
The affection of China for the United
States is thus based on sentiments Of
profound gratitude, and we are heart
lily glad 70 have such friend financially
concerned in our development
Desires No Dreadnoughts-
"As to our present mission in Europe,
we are looking about and studying mill
tary and naval conditions. We have
visited England France. and Italy, and
We intend to go TO Germany and Russia.
You may safely predict. if you like,
that China will under no circumstances
build Dreadnoughts Ships of half the
size and half the destructive power will
answer all our purposes. The only
serviceable harbOT We have for big ships
is at Annoy. orders for construction
probably will be placed In Europe. but
hope that in about ten years We Will
have our own yards.
AS our traditions incline us TO peace,
neither military nor naval development
VIII appeal TO us as VIII our Industrial
and political progress We are moving
toward a constitutional government
The movement may be slow for the
rule OF centuries over a people so at
tached as ours 10 tradition cannot be
easily transformed
'The change is coming because the
more enlightened of our people favor
Il, and because il has the support of our
foremost statesmen. Give us time and
We will surely adopt i'm China the most
advanced Institutions OF the Western
world. In this effort we rely most of
all on the indulgence and encoura cement
g..N =.