"A glance at the map will show that the better half of China proper,
territorially and commercially, would, by the concession of the third
and fourth of England's demands, be placed under her practical control."
The writer believes that the fourth demand is aimed at stopping the
advance of the French in China beyond Tonquin.
Now comes the point of his article most interesting to us as Americans.
How are our interests in China to be affected by the European
encroachments there?
They would be greatly injured, the writer points out, if any European
Power were to secure such control in China that our Chinese trade would
be restricted.
Consequently, our interests are on the side of China and of Japan, for
the Japanese must now be looking with astonishment and alarm at the
possible partition by European Powers of the nation which she herself
conquered only a short time ago.
"It cannot possibly be for the advantage of this country to aid in
establishing the financial and commercial, with the eventual political,
predominance of any one country in China."
And further:
"The protestations in the British press and by prominent members of the
British Government, that England does not ask for herself any privileges
that she is not willing to see extended to all other nations, is fine
political rhetoric, but one has only to point to India, and ask how much
Great Britain's control and administration of that country, with its
vast population, have contributed to the general commerce and wealth of
the world.
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