Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16
THE best POLICY.

News that six great powers. the
United States, Great Britain. France.
Germany. Russia and Japan. have ar
ranged for a series OF advances to the
Chinese government totalIng about
fifty million dollars. brings to mind
II previous financial dealing between
China and this country, in which the
United States set n new standard of
International ethics.
The facts were substantially as fol-
lows: China nn1 to pay for the depre-
jations Of her subjects during the
Boxer uprising. TIE nations put in
demands based upon the claims which
had been presented to them by their
citizens. China agreed to pay tho
claims. and the method of payment
was to hand over a lump sum. equal
to the sum of all the claims. to the
representatives of the powers for
them to divide II, and then distribute
II in their own countries as they saw
fit.
Tine American government after re-
ceiving its indemnity proceeded to pay
off the claims OF its citizens as fast
as they were proved. and after all just
claims had been paid hal a large sum
left over. other nations may have
had like experiences but 1t never oc-
cumstances to return the money. Our
government sent the money back to
China. "while all the world wondered"
China was more surprised than any
one, and decided to recognize the
Friendly act by investing the money in
the good work of educating young
Cinnamon in this country.
The result of this act of business
honesty is that the youngest nation.
and. excepting the nalf dozen great
nations. the richest of all in possibili-
ties, recognizes one tried frien :.
the United States of America. 1t is
said that a Chinaman never forgets Il
friend. and never forgives an enemy
If the civilization OF the next era cen =
tiers in Its activity around the Pacific.
as many students say it will. that lit
tie instance of square dealing will be
found to have paid a taousan ifold.
This is simply long way Of saying
mat it pa. for nations to be good, a
proposition which would seem simple
enough. but QUO that tho world has
been slow to learn. The line Of con-
duct which left us in possession of
/ the canal zone at Panama was full of
complications and can not be summe
up In a passing judament
II IS barely possible that the high
handedness involved In getting what
We wanted when we wante1 II in that
case may In the end cost us more In
the diminished confidence of Central
and South American nations than thu
zone Itself is worth.
That case tends to in dicate that oven
this enlightened country Is not always
in the right. But thus far our record
has been a remarkably good one. And
the result Of this record Is a national
asset OF no mean value. Our treat,
ment OF Spain. the disposition we
msae OF Cuba, the fight for the "oper
door" In China, our treatment OF weak
err countries. and our attitude towart
peace. have seemed to nations steepc.
in the ola diplomacy the outcome o.
an unreal and visionary policy or elst
a deeper duplicity than tho world ha.
ever known.-they are not sure which
But these things have convinced then
that we have a policy. and that tn,
policy is our own; and because of tina
they give us respect ana place In thief
councils.