Volume Vi Part 12 (1/2)
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Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.
Count Von Waldersee escorted by officers of the allied armies between lines of U. S. troops toward the Sacred Gate, Peking.
During the following year came the Boxer Rebellion in which there were ma.s.sacres of Europeans and Americans. When the foreign legations were besieged in Peking, United States troops took part in the expedition which marched to their relief. Seizure of Chinese territory, as indemnity, might have followed, but Secretary Hay brought the influence of this country to bear in securing guarantees of the territorial integrity of China and equal trade rights in its ports.
Friendly relations between the Chinese Empire and the United States were still further strengthened by the liberal att.i.tude of our government relative to the indemnity growing out of the Boxer uprising. The total amount which China had obligated itself to pay the governments, societies, and private individuals was $333,000,000. Of this sum, $24,400,778 was allotted to the United States. As a mark of friends.h.i.+p for China, Congress upon the recommendation of President Roosevelt, 1907, cancelled the obligation of China to pay that part of the stipulated indemnity in excess of $11,655,492, or an amount adequate to cover the actual amount of the claims. This generous conduct prompted the Chinese government to devote the funds thus remitted to the sending of Chinese students to this country for their education. About one hundred of these students have entered our schools and colleges each year since 1907. American inst.i.tutions will, as a consequence, have a great influence on the progressive development of China.
For some time Russia had been extending her influence over the Chinese tributary province of Manchuria. In 1903 negotiations for a new commercial treaty were begun between China and the United States. There were numerous delays on account of an agreement relative to opening the Manchurian ports. For a time it seemed probable that the American demand that her trading rights should be restored in Manchuria would bring on serious complications with Russia. Upon the completion of the treaty, however, the request was renewed and China acquiesced by opening the ports of Mukden and Ta Tung Kao to the s.h.i.+ps of all nations. At the same time Russia agreed that she would in no way oppose this action.
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Copyright 1901, by Underwood & Underwood.
American flag raised over battered remnants of South Gate immediately after city's capture. Battle of Tien-Tsin, China.
At the outbreak of the war between j.a.pan and Russia, in 1904, Secretary Hay took another step toward maintaining the administrative ent.i.ty of the Chinese Empire. At the suggestion of Germany he addressed a note to the powers which had taken part in the treaty of Peking, asking them to pledge themselves to limit the area of the war; keep China from becoming involved, and use their best endeavors to prevent the violation of Chinese interests by either belligerent, provided China should maintain absolute neutrality. These proposals were agreed to by the signatory nations, and both Russia and j.a.pan promised to respect Chinese neutrality.
Meantime a new national spirit had been developing rapidly in China and a greater sensitiveness was manifest toward the treatment of Chinese outside the empire. The strict interpretation of the Chinese Exclusion act had caused many Chinese entering the ports of the United States unwarranted hards.h.i.+ps. A crisis was reached in 1905.
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Arrival of Chinamen at Malone, N. Y., from Canada, accompanied by officials.
According to the rules adopted by the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, neither the immigration acts nor the Chinese exclusion acts apply to a Chinese person born in the United States. Under the laws, all Chinese laborers, both skilled and unskilled, are prohibited from entering the United States, but this prohibition does not extend to merchants, teachers, students, and travellers who are to be granted all the rights, privileges, and exemptions accorded the citizens of any other nation. In spite of these rulings, Ju Toy, who claimed to have been born in the United States, was deported. Three Chinamen, with their sister, who had been studying in the English schools came to Boston. Notwithstanding they had a letter from Mr. Choate, former United States amba.s.sador to Great Britain, they were not allowed to land with other pa.s.sengers, and were otherwise humiliated by the formalities to which they were subjected. Men of influence throughout the Chinese Empire were aroused and a circular was issued, in May, 1905, which was widely disseminated in the chief cities, calling for agreement not to buy any more American goods. Newspapers urged students to leave schools where American teachers were employed or American text-books or supplies were used. At this juncture President Roosevelt was appealed to by the American members of the Chinese Educational a.s.sociation. Acting with his accustomed vigor, he issued instructions to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor to send a letter to all immigration officials, instructing them that ”any discourtesy shown to Chinese persons by any officials of the Government will be the cause for immediate dismissal from the service.” In his message to Congress he declared that it was Chinese laborers alone who are undesirable, and that other Chinamen--students, professional men, merchants--should be encouraged to come to the United States. ”We have no right,” he wrote, ”to claim the open door in China unless we do equity to the Chinese.”
CHAPTER V
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION
[1903-1905]
Great progress was made during the nineteenth century toward the settlement of differences between nations through arbitration. The United States was a party to 50 out of the total number of 120 arbitration treaties. Questions settled in this manner, such as boundary, damages inflicted by war or civil disturbances and injuries to commerce, would formerly have led to war. Twenty of these cases have been between the United States and Great Britain, and a settlement was effected when, at times, it seemed as if war could not be averted.
The work of the Hague Peace Conference, which met May 18, 1899, const.i.tuted a fitting close to the efforts which were put forth during the century to bring about conciliation through arbitration. The conference a.s.sembled in response to an invitation issued by the Czar of Russia ”on behalf of disarmament and the permanent peace of the world.”
One hundred and ten delegates were present, representing twenty-six different powers of which the United States was one. The delegates were divided into three commissions, each having separate subjects for consideration.
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The House in the Woods, The Hague, Holland, where the first Peace Conference was held.
The first commission adopted unanimously the resolution that ”the limitation of the military charges which so oppress the world is greatly to be desired,” but agreed that this could not now be accomplished through an international compact.
In the second commission a revision of the Declaration of Brussels concerning the rules of war was made. It was agreed by the entire conference that a new convention for this purpose should be called, and that the protection offered by the Red Cross, as agreed upon in the Geneva convention, should also be extended to naval warfare.
The proposition expressing the desire that international conflicts might in the future be settled through arbitration was considered by the third commission. Said ex-President Harrison: ”The greatest achievement of the Hague conference was the establishment of an absolutely impartial judicial tribunal.” Some of the chief features of this permanent court of arbitration were as follows: (1) Each nation which agreed to the plan was to appoint, within three months, four persons of recognized competency in international law, who were to serve for six years as members of the International Court; (2) an International Bureau was established at The Hague for the purpose of carrying on all intercourse between the signatory powers relative to the meetings of the court and to serve also as the recording office, for the court; (3) nations in dispute may select from the list of names appointed as above, and submitted to them by the bureau, those persons whom they desire to act as arbitrators; (4) the meetings of the court are to be held at The Hague unless some other place is stipulated by the nations in the controversy.