Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-31

When the interested powers refused to
accept the proposal made by Secretary
Knox to neutralze ana internationalize the
railways Of Manchuria, a great many peo-
pie jumped to the erroneous conclusion
that Mr.. Knoxs far eastern policy was a
failure. II is true that the proposition was
turned down Immediately and It is also
true that there was never the least chance
that 1t would be accepted. But the fact re-
mains that Mr., Knox's proposition has sue
ceeded In forcing Japan and Russia to make
public their MaEchurian policy, a policy
which they had been pursuing in secret and
which could not be successfully attacked
except in the open
The whole future OF China depends upon
its railways. II China is to be industrially
Independent in this age OF commercial pro-
press, II must have more railroads and
plenty Of them. If It is to be politically in
dependent in this age of commercial poll
tics, II must have control OF its own rail-
roads II no new railroads are built China
cannot go forward. II the new railroads.
when built, are owned and operated by and
for foreigners, then China cannot hope
long to remain an independent state
The policy of the United States, in it's re-
lations 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 disinterested. In 1900
the United States saved the Chinese empire
| from ACKNOWLEDGMENT and put an end to the
series of territorial seizures which had be-
| gun In 1897 and which had caused the great
| Boxer rebellion. Now, In 1910. the United
| States is seeking to save China from finan-
| clay slavery and TO put an end to the series
| of railway grabs which is chiefly respon-
| sible for the present threatened antl-foreign
| outbreak in China.
Mr.. Knoxs policy has been but the logical
| and necessary outcome of fidelity to the
principle OF the open door and equal oppor-
| tunity as laid down by the late John Hay
! There is nothing new or startling In the
| diplomatic attitude of the present admins
tration toward Chinese affairs. Mr.. Taft
| and Mr.. Knox have merely translated the
| glittering generalities of the famous Hay
note into the hard probabilities and specific
1 terms Of a binding commercial contract.
When Mr.. Hay proposed that the power.
mutually should agree to maintain the ter
| ritorial and administrative entity of tn,
Chinese empire and should support tn,
doctrine OF the open door and equal op
portunity, all the powers consented withou
question and signed the agreement.
| When Mr.. Knox, ten years later proposed
to neutralize railroad ownership in Man
churia as the only efficient way to secur
for China the undisturbed enjoyment of al
political rights in Manchurla, under tn
] policy of the open door, the interestet
powers sharply declined and some of then
went SO far as to intimate, through un
official channels, that the proposal wa
impertinent.
AS matter of fact only the Unite,
States. among all the powers, is sincere ii
supporting the open door doctrine. All tn
rest have special privileges and none o
them is willing to sacrifice it's own priv
leges for the sake OF China. SO far a
Manchuria is concerned. Russia and Japal
occupy exactly the same position. Bot
coveting Chinese territory and both in
triguing to obtain port in Chinese waters
the two nations came to blows and Tough
a tremendous war wholly on Chinese terri
tory. That was brought to a close by tn
friendly intervention of the United States
the elimination Of which was the signin
of the Treaty OF Portsmouth BY the term
Of that treaty, Russia and China divide
the Manchurian railways between them
selves, but undertook to Interfere with tn
| deVelopment OF the country by the Chlnest
and solemnly engaged to respect and ODE
! the Chinese sovereignty in Manohuria.
The ink was not dry on that treaty befor
, complaints began to be made that the ope
door was closed. and that. as a matter c
fact, the Japanese and Russians were usln
their railways as an excuse for the con
plete domination and control of Manchurii
political and financial. After awhile til
. Japanese army, with much ostentatloI
evacuated Manchuria, and the control {
the country passed again into the hand
: of it's rightful owners. But complaints dl
not cease. 1t was charged that the JaI
anese products got through the custol
houses without paying the duties impose
upon other wares. In short, it was charge
that the open door was completely close
to all but the Japanese. In northern Mar
e ehuria, complaints OF similar nature, a
though less insistent, were heard again
the Russians. But still, Japan and Russ
|, continued to profess that their only bus
. ness in Manchuria was to guarantee u
open door policy.
= Then China decided to build railroad
t its own territory in Manchuria. Despi
Q the specific guarantees of the Treaty
d Portsmouth that neither Japan nor Russ
would interfere with the development