The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-21
A GREAT GERMAN CONCESSION.

The dispatch from Peking, China,
which tells of the German concession
in the province of Yum. Nan. southeast
ern China, is most singular one. If
the Germans are getting active IN the
Yum Nan province, they viii be direct
lv in the way of the French when II
comes to the partitioning of China.
French Indo-China adjoins the province
Of Yum Nan, a range of mountains be
ing the boundary line; and yet Ger
many has obtained a great concession
in Nan, such as is recited IN the
dispatch Whatever ambition France
might have for northward expansion
in China (and northward seems 10 be
about the only expansion there that
France could hope for) would be
blocked at the start by Germany. This
would be an awkward situation, unless
the German idea is TO make favorable
exchanges. such as the Kaiser forced In
his occupation of Agadir on the At
lantic coast of Morocco, by sending
cruiser to the Agadir port. The Kaiser
thus forced France TO give up large
area in Central Africa to get rid of the
German "claims" on Morocco. It is
possible that something Of this kind is
also contemplated In the German ir-
ruption into the province Of Yun'Nan,
One would naturally look for German
expansion in Shang-Tung province at
the northeast, where q firm foothold has
been obtained at Kiao-Cbou. The
province of Yun-Nan would seem to be
altogether outside Of German aspira
tions, save only on the idea that Ger
many seems to have at heart all the
time, by way Of blocking France. The
province Of Yun-Nan has a population,
according to the most recent estimate,
OF l1.72l,576. II is an extremely rich
region, and undoubtedly in the final
partition of China it would he the ex
pectation Of France to take over this
province.
The fact that German firm has OBJ
tanned such an immense concession there
seems to bear out the idea that the
partition Of China has been fully de-
cided upon, but the details not yet ar
ranged; and so Germany takes ad-
vantage Of the present chaotic condl-
tion to put in a fender against France
in that expected partition. The Ger
man firm which has this concession is
Carlowitz & Co., agents for the great
Krupp concern in Germany. This is
rather thin disguise for the semi off.
cial German entrance into Yun-Nan.
since tho Kupps are practically the
| official representatives of the German
government. The concession carries the
right to construct a railroad from the
| city of Yun-Nan eastward to Poseb.
reaching out toward tho coast below
| Canton. For this privilege the Ger,
| man firm pays over TO the Provincial
| Governor the sum of 15,000,000,. and
! gets the monopoly for twenty years on
| all government contracts for arms and
| ammunition, all mining and other ma
| chinery, and also receives extensive
! mining concessions along the railroad
Undoubtedly the Germans interested in
| this deal have made a full examination
of the YuDNan country. and are satis.
| fed that the investment win pay. But
whether it will pay financially or not
can hardly be considered the real
| reason for seeking this concession The
chief reason is undoubtedly political
and the actual concession is made for
political advantage, and perhaps also
as suggested, for exchange purposes.
| - of A., ~
monopoly in Ynn-Nau at twenty years
indicates that in. the opinion of those
who arc engineering the deal the par.
tition Of China will have been accom-,
| plished within that time