CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES. 57 1 



Such being the economic; interdependence of China and the United 

 btates what policy should each country pursue toward the other in 

 order to gain the greatest good from that relationship? In my judg- 

 ment true reciprocity is impossible unless each country has perfect 

 confidence m the other and displays on all occasions a desire for fair 

 play and honest dealing. 



Now, reciprocity demands the "open door." China long ago 

 adopted that policy in her foreign intercourse. She has treaty rela- 

 tions with all the European powers, together with the United States, 

 Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Japan, and Korea, All these are equally 

 "favored nations" in every sense of the term. The Swede and the 

 Dane enjoy the same rights, privileges, immunities, and exemptions 

 with respect to commerce, navigation, travel, and residence throughout 

 the length and breadth of the Empire as are accorded to the Russian 

 or the Englishman. Any favor that may be granted to Japan, for 

 instance, at once inures to the benefit of the United States. Indeed, 

 China in her treatment of strangers within her gates has in a great 

 many respects gone even beyond what is required by international 

 usage. According to the usual practice of nations no country is 

 expected to accord to foreigners rights which are not enjoyed by its 

 own subjects or citizens. But China has been so long accustomed to 

 indemnify foreigners who have fallen victims to mob violence that she 

 is looked upon in a sense as an insurer of the lives and property of all 

 foreigners residing within her borders. To such an extent is this 

 idea current among foreigners in China that some j^ears ago an Ameri- 

 can missionary in the Province of Shantung, who happened to have 

 some articles stolen from his house in the night, estimated his loss at 

 $60, and actually sent the bill through the American minister at Pckin 

 to the Foreign Office for pajauent. The Chinese tarifi' also favors for- 

 eigners resident in China much more than it does the Chinese them- 

 selves. Most articles imported for the use of foreigners arc on the 

 free list. Such is the treatment which Americans, in common with 

 the subjects and citizens of other foreign powers, receive in China. 



Justice would seem to demand equal consideration for the Chinese 

 on the part of the United States. China does not ask for special favors. 

 All she wants is enjoyment of the same privileges accorded other nation- 

 alities. Instead, she is singled out for discrimination and made the 

 subject of hostile legislation. Her door is wide open to the people of 

 the United States, but their door is slammed in the face of her people. 

 1 am not so biased as to advocate any policy that might be detrimental 

 to the best interests of the people of the United States. If they 

 think it desirable to keep out the objectionable class of Chinese, by 

 all means let them do so. Let them make their immigration laws as 

 strict as possible, but let them be applicable to all foreigners. Would 

 it not be fairer to exclude the illiterate and degenerate classes of all 



