John W. Foster

“ Japan's wonderful development in industrial affairs is even more remarkable than its display of military power. Marquis Ito in a late publication, after arraying the statistics as to his country's great increase in its mercantile marine, its manufactures, and its foreign commerce, justly claims that Japan has attained a secure position commercially, and that "she appreciates the achievements of peace as thoroughly as achievements by force of arms." The fact that it has within the last few years advanced to the second place in the trade with China evinces its commercial activity. ”

“ Seward's prophecy of the growing importance of the Pacific and of America's expansion to those distant regions has become history much sooner than he or any American statesman foresaw. It has brought with it much governmental embarrassment and great responsibilities. But the hopeful citizen must believe that the system of government and the wisdom of its public men will be equal to the emergency and the responsibilities. ”

“ Sir Robert Hart, who has made a study of Chinese character and capacity for a half century, believes that their hatred of foreigners is a real menace to the world, not in this generation, perhaps, but in the early future as the lifetime of nations is measured. Four hundred millions, sturdy and passionately devoted to their ancient customs, might in time, under the influence of an all-prevailing race hatred, be changed from a peace-loving community into a warlike people, bent upon avenging their wrongs. ”

“ And yet the very next year after the abandonment of the tripartite control in Samoa the United States was forced into joint action with ten other powers, for the purpose of protecting its interests in China. While the caution which Washington gave his countrymen in his farewell address to avoid entangling alliances has not lost its virtue, the nation has attained such a position among the powers of the earth that it cannot remain a passive spectator of international affairs. ”

“ The war with Spain in 1898 was entered upon by the government and people of the United States with no thought of territorial acquisition in the Pacific Ocean. The condition of the island of Cuba had been for three quarters of a century a source of embarrassment and concern to them, and the war was undertaken, in the language of President McKinley to Congress, "to relieve the intolerable condition of affairs which is at our doors." ”

“ Neither do the Americans forget that when the other European powers were indifferent or unfriendly during the war that transferred the Philippines to the United States, Great Britain alone was outspoken in its sympathy, and looked with complacency upon the enlargement of Anglo-Saxon influence in that quarter of the globe. A political alliance of the two nations in Asiatic affairs is not probable, but they are likely to be found working together to maintain that which is of vital importance to the United States, free markets in those countries. ”

“ To the statement of the Secretary of State that Japan had made no protest against the treaty of 1893, the answer was that since that date the enlargement of the interests of Japan and its expanding activities in the Pacific had created a very different situation. The Japanese population in Hawaii had so increased as to exceed the native inhabitants; and since the war with China the Japanese in the islands had become quite self-assertive, and their government so positive in the enforcement of the claims of its subjects as to alarm seriously the Hawaiian republic. ”

“ Foreign traders as well as missionaries visited the interior, and the Chinese saw their country being overrun by the hated people. A scramble for railroad and mining concessions followed, supported by the influence of the representatives of the foreign governments; grants were made to Russians, French, British, Americans, Belgians, and others; and the whole territory of the empire seemed destined to be ploughed over by the feared and hated locomotive, and the most profitable enterprises to be placed in the hands of the despised foreigners. ”

“ While the mass of the people, including the ruling classes, remained fixed in their conservative views, a considerable body of intelligent men had become convinced that China must follow the example of Japan, and align itself with the Western nations in its government and social institutions. The young emperor, who had studied English and read numerous translations of Western books, including the Bible, had gathered about him a number of liberal men, who realized the deplorable condition of the empire, and believed it could be overcome only by initiating reforms in the government. ”

“ So long as race hatred controls the Chinese people the peace of the world will be in danger, as the destiny of that country is intimately connected with the interests of all the great powers of the earth; and, since the acquisition of the Philippines, not less with the United States than the most interested of other nations. ”

“ A fear existed in the islands that the American market, their chief dependence for prosperity, might be closed to them by adverse tariffs, and the efforts for a reciprocity treaty continued through the succeeding ten years, during which time one king followed another in quick succession, the lives of some of them being shortened by intemperance and immorality. ”

“ It has been seen that whenever the American representatives have approached the governments of China, Japan, Korea, and Siam, it was with the statement that their far-away people cherish no scheme of territorial aggrandizement in that region of the world, and that their only desire was to secure mutual benefit from the establishment of trade and to extend the influence of Christian civilization. ”

“ Though sugar cultivation had commenced twenty years before when the demand for it arose in California, it had not been possible to compete in the United States markets with the slave-grown sugar of other countries. The free introduction of Hawaiian sugar under the treaty gave a strong impetus to its cultivation, as also to that of rice. The total value of exports in a few years was increased more than sixfold, a corresponding increase resulted in the revenues of the government, and the wealth of the country was greatly multiplied. ”

“ Spanish subjects, natives of the Peninsula, residing in the territory over which Spain by the present treaty relinquishes or cedes her sovereignty, may remain in such territory or may remove therefrom, retaining in either event all their rights of property, including the right to sell or dispose of such property or of its proceeds; and they shall also have the right to carry on their industry, commerce and professions, being subject in respect thereof to such laws as are applicable to other foreigners. ”

“ The United States and Spain mutually relinquish all claims for indemnity, national and individual of every kind, of either Government, or of its citizens or subjects, against the other Government, that may have arisen since the beginning of the late insurrection in Cuba and prior to the exchange of ratifications of the present treaty, including all claims for indemnity for the cost of the war. ”

“ With the cry of "Drive out the foreigners and uphold the dynasty," it entered upon its self-appointed work of the expulsion of all foreigners from China, which culminated in the siege of the legations and the occupation of Peking by the armies of the treaty powers. [5]
The immediate cause of the "Boxer" uprising was the antipathy to foreigners and foreign ways, a feeling which prevails throughout the entire population of the empire, with very rare exceptions. The foreigners in China may be divided into three classes,—the missionaries, the merchants, and the public officials of other nations ”

“ It has been seen that when the Secretary of State was requested by the representatives of Great Britain and France in 1857 to cooperate with them in an expedition to Tientsin, he replied that, although the objects sought to be gained by the United States were the same as those entertained by the allies, the executive branch of the government was not the war-making power, and that military expeditions into Chinese territory could not be undertaken without the authority of Congress. ”

“ The German consul and resident subjects sympathized with Mataafa, and the American and British consuls sought to uphold the authority of the legitimate ruler. This awakened the former national antagonism, which had for some years been quiescent. The commanders of the American and British men-of-war, which had been sent to the scene of disorder, felt it necessary to land marines and restrain the aggressions of the natives. In the conflicts which ensued several American officers and sailors lost their lives, and a considerable amount of property was destroyed. ”

“ Following the murder of two German Catholic priests by a mob in Shantung in November, 1897, the German government sent a strong naval force to the spacious harbor of Kiaochau, ejected the Chinese forces from the fortifications, and occupied the place with marines. This was soon followed by the demand of the German minister in Peking for an apology for the murder of the priests, a large indemnity, and a lease of the harbor and an adjoining strip of territory, with the privilege of building railroads and exploiting mines in the province of Shantung. ”

“ The bloodthirsty conduct of the ex-queen satisfied the responsible and intelligent residents that she was unworthy to be reinstated, and it likewise disgusted those persons in the United States who had been inclined to sympathize with her as an unjustly dethroned ruler. The republican authorities continued to administer the government, with a single feeble attempt at revolution in January, 1895, which was promptly suppressed, through a period of four years in which the country enjoyed unexampled peace and prosperity. ”

“ In 1900 the American forces were sent to China to protect American citizens and their interests in extreme peril, at a time when the authority of the Chinese government was suspended and unable to afford them protection. There are many such precedents in American history, though none calling for such a display of military force. ”

“ These repeated efforts at annexation and commercial reciprocity awakened the jealousy of the British and other foreign merchants resident in the islands, and their views were echoed by their diplomatic representatives; but men of foresight in England did not seem so blinded to coming events. The Hawaiian commissioners who visited Europe in 1850 (of which notice has already been taken) , in their interviews with the British premier, were advised to look forward to becoming an integral part of the United States. ”

“ Foreign traders arrived soon after the missionaries, but it was several years before they permanently settled in the islands. The first to establish themselves were the Germans, and they were followed by British and Americans. The intercourse of this class has had a most deleterious effect upon the natives. They interfered with the government, stirred up strife, and set the people at variance with each other through their support of rival chiefs. ”

“ The rights of property secured by copyrights and patents acquired by Spaniards in the island of Cuba, and in Porto Rico, the Philippines and other ceded territories, at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, shall continue to be respected. Spanish scientific, literary and artistic works, not subversive of public order in the territories in question, shall continue to be admitted free of duty into such territories, for the period of ten years, to be reckoned from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. ”

“ The reform movement of the emperor, which, if carried out, might have restrained foreign aggression, thus came to an end, and the government continued to endure the demands of the foreigners, and its conduct furnished additional incentive for the growth of the Boxers. Their attitude became so threatening that in November, 1898, the American and other ministers asked for guards to protect the legations. They were sent from the naval vessels at Tientsin, and remained through the winter, when they were withdrawn. ”