El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-07

very fact that this sturdy and fascinat-
ing country is republic TODAY
largely by virtue Of the example set by
the practical and SenerIcent develop
ment Of our system Of government is
sutflclent to draw sympathetic atten-
ton to the diplomatic intercourse of the
two countries.
First Consul Named in 1856.
Diplomatic exchanges between China
and the United States began in 1856
with the appointment of Mai. Samuel
Shaw as consul at Canton. This herald
Of the new diplomacy was a New Eng
lander who had served in the revolu-
IOnary war, visited China and japan
and was in the war department at the
time of his appointment It was emf
nently fitting that he was of the cali
Der that enabled him to take the place
for the sake of the work to be done
rather than for the salary that wasn't
in it.
Mai. Shaw did all he could to foster
American trade, which in 1905 was fully
half of China's foreign commerce In
that year according to the report of
Edward Darlington, consular agent the
United states entered goods worth
S5,OOO,OOO at Canton and took from the
same port exports tOtaling S5,3OO,OOO
Thirty-siX American ships anchored
below that port in the same year, which
is about as many as the United States
can boast for the same waters in 1912
thanks to the decadence of the Amerf-
Trick Aid TO Commerce.
Edmund Roberts. OF Portsmouth, n
H, and commodore Kearney, of the
navy, were Americas next important
points Of contact with China In 1882
the former. bearing proper credentials
from Washington toured the far east
in the warship Peacock to negotiate
commercial treaties with oriental lands
The Chinese mandarin at Canton
would not treat with Mr.. Roberts IN
less all his titles should be shown to
be more numerous than that Of the Of
fetal himself ThereupOn Mr.. Roberts
wrote after his name the fact that he
was from Portsmouth, y. H., and added
thereto the names of all the counties in
the state His intention OF also claim
ing all the towns, hills. rivers and lakes
Of New Hampshire was not necessary,
as his celestial eXcellency was quite sat
isfied by the time all the counties had
been enumerated No further progress
was made, however, as the official
blunly refused to deliver president
JacksOn's autographed letter to the
emperor. Mr. Roberts was much better
received by the king of Siam and the
sultan Of Muscat.
Commodore Kearney's part-was played
after the opium war Of 1910, when. by
great tact ne induced the Chinese gov
eminent TO indemnify American mer-
chants for losses they had sustained as
noncombatants during the conflict with
Great Britain
Cushing Drafts First Treaty.
Caleb Cushing, a member Of congress
from Massachusetts,, was the first &C
credited envoy Of the United States 10
China, and to him belongs the credit
Of successfully concluding the first
treaty with China. Mr.. Cushing reached
Chinese waters February "A. 1914. He
was forced TO stay in Macao, then and
now belonging to Portugal. so deter
mined were the Chinese to keep the
"barbarians" off Chinese soil, much less
get within speaking distance Of the
son Of Heaven" in Pekin- Due to Mr..
CuShlng'S ShreWdnesS. patience and
skill ably assisted by DR.. Peter Parker.
a medical missionary. a treaty was ne
gOtiated, the Chinese even accepting
the principle Of Intentionally, which
gave American citizens in China the
right to be tried according to their own
laws For years thereafter this treaty
was model for the other nations in
their dealings with China. Mr. Cush-
ing's achievement was all the more re-
markable, coming as il did on the heels
OF the difficulties between China and
Great Britain when the Chinese com
missioner addressed lord Napier as IA.
boriOusly vile" and that incensed Brit
Usher responded with the tender words,
'presumptuOus savage"
American HOnOred by Chinese.
Arson Burlingame, OF Massachusetts,
stepped on the stage Of Chinese di-
as minister to Pekin. The opening OF
the capital to foreigners. the presence
there Of Wensiang. a courteous and
broad minded official who represented
the emperor in his communications with
the ENJOYS, and Mr. Burlingame's own
winning personality combined to make
his residence OF six years in Pekin re-
plete with lasting achievements. He
induced the other ministers to agree
that thereafter all should act in unison
in Chinese affairs. and that Cancellation
instead of force should actuate their fu-
ture treatment Of China In 1857 Mr..
by special imperial request,
accepted the post OF special envoy of
China to all the other nations of the
world, and was created a Chinese Of
fetal Of the first rank. This unusual
honor has never been conferred upon I
any other foreigner before or since. IN
fortunately, Mr. Burlingame died in St :
Petersburg the following year while |
trying to modify the treaties Of 1858
Emigration Treaty signed in 1865.
One result OF Burllngame's mission. 4
however. was the treaty Of 1868 with 4
the United States, which recognized the 1
right Of voluntary emigration Of Chinese /
into this country. and out of which 4
grew the one long standing cause OF !
Irritation between the United States /
and China The manner in which this /
mOOted question has been dealt with BY !
the United States since then has not at ;
times been as temperate as one might ]
expect, and the practical application Of /
our Asiatic exclusion laws and regula-
lions is not always above reprOach even I
today. But even IN this, the sober sec
ond thought of our government has
always been on the side of peace.
Later American ministers to China, /
such as Col. DENLY. of Michigan. who
served Is years in PeEin; Conger of /
Iowa: Rockhiu. at present American !
to Turkey, and Calhoun. Of |
Illinois. now our envoy to China, have I
ablv preserved Americas traditional /
nolicv toward China. John HAYS |
Strong and winning stand in behalf of I
China in the settlement of indemnities I
following the boxer OutrageS Of 1900 is /
recognized the world over as PERHAPS !
the principal factor in rescuing China !
from the partition Of the empire. which |
IOoned large at the time.
Americas Treatment Helpful
The intercourse between China and |
fba United States has been friendly |
from the very first Aside from a few
1astv acts that can be counted on the
fingers Of one hand acts prompted bv
the emergency of the moment when
was far, far away and
caution could not lay a restraining
hand on impulse. Americas treatment ]
III China has been helpful and humane J
M nations fixed policy in regard Ia I
mother has been more steady. serene I
md above board than the Chinese moi
~ of the United States Even me
so1ated instances referred to were To-
IN in motive and result, so that the I