Page:The empire and the century.djvu/879

 years, made the largest sacrifices to secure open markets and identity of treatment for European traders in the Far East, what is our policy? If we had had a policy when Russia frightened our war-vessels from Port Arthur, and if we had been steadfast in upholding it, humanity might have been spared the spectacle of twelve months of bloodshed on a scale unknown in the history of the world: great ships of war going to the bottom of the sea in a few minutes with all their companies, and gigantic battles fought on the soil of a people who are not belligerents, but who are suffering all the miseries of war. What is past will surely be a lesson for the future, and once again we realize that weakness of purpose, whether in individuals or in nations, is dogged by a revenge which often hits the innocent more hardly than the guilty. Let us, then, maintain the alliance, the value of which is recognised equally by Japan and ourselves; let us give our strength to uphold the integrity of China, and support Japan in making that Empire a strong and independent country. We have declared for the open door, but while other Powers have professed their adhesion to that doctrine, some of them nave spared no pains to obtain exclusive advantages for themselves; some have not hesitated to occupy Chinese territory; and we have taken no effective steps to prevent the successful pursuit of that policy. Japan has been compelled to draw the sword, and, in defending her existence as a nation, she has achieved such results, on sea and land, that China now regards her as the dominant Power in the Far East When the war is over, China will listen to the advice of Japan as she has never listened to the divided counsels of Europe. For Japan, and for us, the best policy will be an undivided China and a guarantee of lasting peace, during which the middle kingdom will be able to develop its immense resources, to the benefit not only of Japan but of this country, and of every other nation which honestly seeks the open door and fair trade on equal terms.

April, 1905.