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THE SOLIDITY OF CHINA.
A SUGGESTION ABOUT MANCHURIA.
[April 20, 1901. position as if the Emperor's signature had been affixed. A satisfactory settlement of the question, if it is now possible, can only be arrived at after long and exceedingly difficult negotiations. The suggestion which we mentioned above is undoubtedly the only one which could guarantee the future of Manchuria in any form other than as a Russian province. But can China show sufficient firmness to secure such a solution, and will she receive the necessary support of the Powers? We cannot feel justified About the in answering affirmatively. rights of the case there are no doubt; un- fortunately foreign politics usually ignore rights in favour of expediency. Russia has an opportunity of proving her bona-fides. in the matter of Manchuria by accepting the proposed solution. We greatly fear that her anxiety to do so is merely verbal.
RUSSIA'S POSITION.
(Daily Press, 18th April.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND the Chinese monarchy has, however, at all times been liable, and that is the assump- {Daily Press, 18th April.)
tion of Imperial power by the first lady of One of the most curious features about the the harem. The HAN dynasty had only present position in China is the manner in been founded some twenty years when its which amidst all the strain the Empire has first monarch died leaving an only son under clung together. An emperor a prisoner in age, and the Dowager Empress Lu SHIR the hands of a faction-itself composed of did not hesitate when the time came to pass fugitives for their crimes-who have taken on the regency to assume the imperial But on other refuge in the most inaccessible part of the power in her own person. Empire the whole dominated by a re occasions, the most "marked of which is the calcitrant military officer, of no rank or case of the Empress Wu during the TANGS, position, and an incapable pretender of the a similar event has disgraced the Chinese imperial blood-and yet the greater part of annals. The present predicament of China the Empire goes on as if nothing had hap- is not one without a parallel, and doubtless pened; officers are appointed by Imperial if other things were alike, China would pro- edict, revenue raised, Customs paid, and bably have the strength to recover, and go still the commands of the nominal sovereigu back to her old life. There is, however, are, when they contravene the wishes and
a most important difference. When Lu intentions of the great governing viceroys, SHIH set aside the rightful heir, there were quietly ignored and treated as of no account no encroaching neighbours to reckon with, whatever, or rather, before attaining the China, except for the Hiung-Nu, was alone; light of day, are prematurely strangled in and though the Hiung-Nu prince had the their birth. Such a condition might be effrontery to propose for the hand of the
Russia as a nation has hitherto not been accepted, did we know no better, as the Dowager, China could afford to treat it as a height of statesmanship, yet we should pro- jest. This was in an even more marked in the habit of exhibiting temper, or up- bably be correct in saying that it proceeds degree the case during the T'ANGS; China parently acting on impulse; indeed what from the very opposite faculty, and denotes
was in every respect, both in power and has marked her advance has been its de- in fact the extremely low stage of develop-civilisation, so immeasurably superior to all liberate nature, and the entire absence of mens of the whole as a political machine. her neighbours that she could afford to accident. The "testiment" of PETER THE In its external aspect the Government of stand still and wait. Unfortunately this is GREAT may or may not exist in form, but China is highly centralised, preserving in not the case now; already the nations are that the growth of Russia has been the most points the imprint of its founder, the knocking at the gate, and there are symp-outcome of a plan deliberately laid, and great emperor Ts'IN HIHWANG; yet during toms that the first that gets inside intends with all its possible strains as carefully its existence it has for hundreds of years at to lock it in his neighbours' faces. This is calculated as the most elaborate scheme of a time been divided up into separate states, hardly the time to trifle, yet that course engineering enterprise, has long been re with no more connection than the kingdoms seems to be in the ascendant.
cognised. Of late it is equally undeniable that the same "method" does not exist, and of the Anglo-Saxon beptarchy. The curious part about the thing is that, whether
that Russian policy is not only liable to ac- cidents, as that of other nations, but that apart or united, the states have contrived to maintain their autonomy, and on the
of late her statesmen have been actuated by junction of the ruling houses have with-
(Daily Press, 16th April.)
something which at the first glance looks out friction coalesced. Probably of no The United States Secretary of State is said very like caprice, and certainly is not uu- other state could this be said. Again, to have made the suggestion to the Chinese accompanied by temper. Has Russia fallen though apparently the Empire has all this Minister at Washington, WU TING-FANG, from her former eminence, and goue into while been under personal government, that China should at once declare Manchuria the hands of the mere average craftsman ? at few times, even when the personal open to the world, the diplomatic body at Or is the change to be accounted for by power of the sovereign has been at its Peking being asked to frame the necessary some defect in the original foundation of height, have there occurred those family regulations. Independently of this, tlie re- the edifice which the former borings on the dissensions which have been instrumental in port is given in the native papers in Shang-site, elaborate as they were, were not suffi bringing to destruction every other power hai that the Governor of Anhwei, WANG ciently comprehensive to disclose? in Asia. According to Mohammedan law TSE-CHUN, has sent five different telegrains bably the explanation is to be sought in a the sovereign has no relations, and in all to the effect that it would be better to give combination of both the suggested causes. as interna- It is not consonant with our other ex- ages the ruler has not hesitated to exter- the Manchurian Provinces minate his living relations to seat himself tional land, instead of allowing Russia alone periences of human physiology that the more firmly on the throne. But the custom to occupy it. The proposal, made from two same character should have existed in equal is long antecedent to Mohammedan times. 80 very different sources, is in itself an development during so many generations. When MERDUN, the great Shenyu of the excellent one, and, as has been pointed out, More than other countries Russia has been Eastern Turks, found that his father con- such a policy adopted on a still more exten-marke by the persistence of one type of templated placing a younger brother on the sive scale some years ago would have saved statesmanship, and each generation has been throne, he did not hesitate to be beforehand China from the territorial losses which she carefully brought up to follow in the steps with the old gentleman, and had him killed has undergone. She would not, for instance, of its predecessor-as in the case of her once.
an AMURATH in cold blood. Some time after a Chinese have lost Formosa, Port Arthur, Kiaochau, great neighbour, ambassador, with what was doubtless con- Weihniwei. The question of feasibility, AMURATH succeeds." But, as there, the sidered at tɛe time Chinese prudery, had however, in the case of Manchuria to-day strain shows signs of giving out, and the the ill taste to bring up the subject; which is not clear. Russia has now acquired reins fall into the fingers of an ABDUL gave the Turk occasion to draw a com- such an overwhelming position in the HAMED. But the great cause of the settle- parison between the customs of the two northern province that it is practically ment is doubtless to be looked for in the nations. From this particular crime, to their impossible to expect that any other Power neglect of the foundations. To the founders credit be it said, the Chinese 'as à rule have can ever be on the same footing with her of the Russian Empire the Russian people throughout their history been free. Again there. In the railway running down to was a negligeable quantity; this was Chinese annals have to record few, if any, Port Arthur Russia has indisputable rights, natural, for, the Russian people was not cases of the great officers of the state having limited only by the declaration in Article 8 aware of its own existence. But the very risen in rebellion, or assumed the functions of the Russo-Chinese agreement of March, process of making a Russian Empire was of royalty. When a good many years ago 1898, that "the construction of this line of itself sufficient to create a Russian people a French Consul, in despair of having his shall never be made a ground for encroach-even if it had not originally existed. From business settled at Peking, threw out a hinting on the sovereignty or integrity of the beginning there was, however, a Russian to LI HUNG-CHANG, then Viceroy at Nanking, China." No Power can now interfere in people, and by degrees it has been forcing about a “Roi du Midi," that statesman this matter. But the continuance of itself into a prominence which all the tradi- showed no sign of appreciation, though few Russia's de facto mastery over the whole tional policy of the Tears has not been would have credited him even then with being province is not guaranteed by treaty. The able to restrain. The Emperor ALEXANDER disturbed by any qualms of conscience on united efforts of the nations interested and II emancipated the serfs, but this did not the subject. The fact was that the system in particular, it seems, those of Japan, have apparently imply their complete freedom, of mutual jealousy is 80 strong that no succeeded in upsetting the preposterous and a sore point has been left ever since. statesman has ever found himself in a posi-"Convention" which Russia so nearly It is easy to open the flood-gates, but diffi- tion to take advantage of his office, however succeeded in extorting from China, but cult to close them again. At all events high, to disobey his liege. To another crime the Tsar's officials are in as strong a aspirations before unknown have ever since
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