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"CHINA FOR THE CHINESE.”
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
ed among the Chinese must be aware that the circumstances of the two nations are essentially different. It would take China many years to become sufficiently united to undertake any serious operations against an ordinary European Power with any chance of success, and of this the better informed among the Chinese officials are fully aware. It is not, therefore, likely that at headquarters there will be a desire to show more obstruction and hostility as regards foreign nations than has hitherto heen the case. All connected with foreign- ers and foreign relations has always been distasteful to the Chinese, and the conces sions they have made have always had to be forced from them. They have never, like the Japanese, recognised the policy of making friends and supporters of foreign nations by adopting a liberal policy to wards them; but have always looked upon them as an unavoidable evil to be kept off as long as possible. The success which has attended the adoption of a different policy by Japan has, however, not been without its effect upon some of the more enlightened Chinese statesmen; but these still continue to be opposed by the majority, and the outcry that has been made is probably designed as a counterblast to the more liberal views. That such a line of
[February 10, 1906.
presents itself to Russia, who is seemingly as oblivious of any sense of moral degradation in breaking her solemnly plighted word as she was when in 1902 she, under ons miser- ||able pretext or other, continued to bold possession of Newchwang. There have, of course, in all ages been periods when governments, knowing that they have for- feited the confidence of their nationals, have been anxious to withdraw their thoughts from home affairs, and have plunged madly into foreign aggressiveness, in the hope that under the cloak of victories abroad an oppressed people at home may persuade itself into accepting the miserable rag of so- called glory as a cover for its nake loess. Such a time actually occurred in Russia when nearly a century and a half ago the able, if unscrupulous, Empress CATHERINE, finding her people ripe for rebellion through misgovernment at home, instituted abroad a policy of aggression all round. It is true that that policy served its purpose, and that during the rest of her life, and that of her successor, the empire at home was to all appearance in a state of profuntud peace, and its population largely increased. NICOLAS I,,. who tried to follow her example, was not so successful; with a similar object he attacked Turkey, and so eventually brought on the Crimean War where he found France and England ranged against him, and his suc- but too good proof in the past, and we cessor with a considerable loss of prestige may be certain that it will be adopted had to make an arrangement with those with success to the extent, at least, of two Powers. But meanwhile dissatisfaction making Chinese as slow as ever to move
at home had been increasing and his im- in the direction of improvement. But, on mediate successor, partly foreseeing the the other hand, it is not likely at the present hopelessness of another foreign war, and time to have the effect of making China partly, there is no doubt, influenced by recede from the position which she now higher motives of improving the condition holds as regards foreign nations. She of his people, instituted a policy of reforms. may not rapidly advance for some time, Wearied out by the pressure of a powerful but she cannot seriously contemplate reactionary party, ALEXANDER III. found it throwing off all relationship with foreign easier to return to the old policy of re- nations, as no doubt was the case in early pression, and handed over
the Empire days. If such a thing were possible, the honey-combed with sedition to the present effect of it would be that China would TSAR. Though possibly a little less un- throw herself absolutely into the hands scrupulous than the great EMPRESS, his of Japan, who would be forced to again people soon learned that his word was to be make a stand against her. Of this the little more depended on; far less able than high Chinese officials are well
CATHERINE too, he failed to see that times and they are not likely to shape their had altered. Weakly listening to self-seek- foreign policy in such a direction. Oning adventurers he accordingly entered on the contrary they are much more likely a policy of aggression, with the inevitable to fall back upon their traditional policy result that, served by inefficient officers, and of pitting one or more nations against practically deserted by his troops, his another.
campaigns were foredoomed failures; and with failure the people from the Baltic to the Japan Sea rose in rebellion to cast off the hated yoke. True, thanks to the Cossack element in the army, still at the level of mere savagery, a rebellion which at one moment threatened to grow to a re- volution has been staved off; but with the loss of the lives of many thousands of his lieges-a loss for which characteristically the TSAR returned publicly his thanks to his beloved Cossacks.
(Daily Press, 5th, February.) The rumours which have of late been in circulation as to the organisation of a strong party in China with the watchword of "China for the Chinese" have a dis- quieting appearance; but they will prob. ably prove to be only a re-assertion in more definite shape of what the Chinese have always maintained to be their un- questionable right. It is not unlikely that the cry has been got up by the re-actionary officials as a couuterblast to proposals for reform which have been made in other directions, and which there appeared to be some chance of realisation with the assist- ance of Japanese teachers. Starting upon the assumption that they are beyond the possibility of question superior to all other people, it has been natural for the Chinese to conclude that the advantages which for eign nations had over them were due only to their having certain appliances for war, which the Chinese themselves did not possess. If she only could get command of the same engines and learn how to use them, China, with ber superior intelligence, must be able to make head against the outer barbarians. The success which has attended the struggle between Japan and one of the Great European Powers, super-action is likely to prove successful we have ficially viewed, would tend greatly to con firm this conclusion; and it is certain that an impression injurious to foreign prestige generally must have been produced in some directions. So obstinate and conceited are a large section of the Chinese officials that no experience ever seems to be sufficient to make them abandon the idea that China is able to look down upon foreign nations and must in the long run gain a position which will enable her to reassert her ancient exclusiveness. It is with this class that the present cries have originated, and unfortun- ately it would be too sanguine to imagine that they are not calculated to cause trouble. Of late years a more enlightened class of officials has sprung up in China, who recognise that foreign nations have to be respected and foreign relations carefully dealt with; and these men will be fully alive to the true state of affairs. Their influence, however, is comparatively weak as compared with that of the mass of reactionaries who are likely to take an opposite view; and thus the door is no doubt open to spread the specious theory that what Japan has proved herself capable of doing the far greater Central Kingdom could readily accomplish, if she once deter- mined upon such a course. It would be id e ignore the danger that may ensue from the dissemination of such views from official quarters. The plausible cry of "China for the Chinese might have serious effects if cleverly and persistently reiterated, but it is to be hoped that the more enlightened, both among the official and the general classes, will be able to neutralise the effects that might otherwise be produced.
'
aware
MORE RUSSIAN DEMANDS OF
CHINA.
(Daily Press, 6th February.) The present rôle of Russian Minister at Peking is not a very dignified one; so far as any real business is concerned it is ag insignificant one, and yet so innate in Rus- sian nature is the instinct of underground work, the position cannot be slurred over as of no account. To judge from the present position, the more insignificant are Russia's interests, the more active be- Among the official classes there must be cou.es what in polite language is called her a large number who are only too well aware diplomacy; thus, with her hold on the that it would be utterly impossible for Khanates in Western Turkestan reduced to China, unless totally changed from what it the thinnest of hempen strings, we find her is at the present time, to do anything like aspiratious and her projects in Afghanistan what has been accomplished by Japan, if and Persia increasing in an exactly reverse China were ill-advised enough to try issues ratio; and so in Eastern Asia, and e-pecially with any foreign nation. The flattering in Manchuria and Mongolia, we find her argument which may take with the ill-inshi ity to do coupled with a most astound informed that what Japan can do China ing importunity in asking. It is usually can do, is unfortunately met by the fact considered international etiquette that a that when not a tithe as well prepared for efeated nation, till at least it has in some war as she is at present, Japan had an easy
recovered its strength, should vistory in a struggle with the Chinese, and accept with apparent resignation the in- what is more important the more enlighten- I evitable; but this is hardly the view that
measure
The situation, however, can hardly be considered as at all restored to equilibrium; the salety valve has, it is true, been loaded, but the elements of disruption still exist within, and the fabric of government has not been strengthened. Promises couched in the most impressive and high sounding words have been made in abundance; but the promises of NICOLAS have already come to be a byword, and the nation at lurge from a sense of his inability, no less than of his unwillingness to fulfil them, has come to regard them with undisguised contempt. It can then be understood that a Tsar, weak, and surrounded from bis earliest years with all the incentives to untruth and concealment, which attend the throne in a to a policy Russia, should readily turn which since the days of CAThebine ha;
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