按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
f China。 The teeming population of Japan was swarming beyond her island empire； and Korea and Manchuria did not seem to offer sufficient opportunity。 The number of Japanese immigrants to this country； which before the Spanish War had never reached 2000 in any one year； now rose rapidly until in 1907 it reached 30；226。 American sentiment； which had been favorable to Japan during her war with Russia； began to change。 The public and particularly the laboring classes in the West； where most of the Japanese remained； objected to this increasing immigration； while a number of leaders of American opinion devoted themselves to converting the public to a belief that the military ambitions of Japan included the Philippines and possibly Hawaii； where the Japanese were a formidable element in the population。 As a consequence there arose a strong demand that the principles of the Chinese Exclusion Act be applied to the Japanese。 The situation was made more definite by the fact that the board of education in San Francisco ruled in 1906 that orientals should receive instruction in special schools。 The Japanese promptly protested； and their demand for their rights under the treaty of 1894 was supported by the Tokio Government。 The international consequences of thus discriminating against the natives of so rising and self…confident a country as Japan； and one conscious of its military strength； were bound to be very different from the difficulties encountered in the case of China。 The United States confronted a serious situation； but fortunately did not confront it alone。 Australia and British Columbia； similarly threatened by Japanese immigration； were equally opposed to it。
Out of deference to Great Britain； with which she had been allied since 1902； Japan consented that her immigrants should not force their way into unwilling communities。 This position facilitated an arrangement between the United States and Japan； and an informal agreement was made in 1907。 The schools of San Francisco were to be open to oriental children not over sixteen years of age； while Japan was to withhold passports from laborers who planned to emigrate to the United States。 This plan has worked with reasonable success； but minor issues have kept alive in both countries the bad feeling on the subject。 Certain States； particularly California； have passed laws； especially with regard to the ownership and leasing of farm lands； apparently intended to discriminate against Japanese who were already residents。 These laws Japan has held to be violations of her treaty provision for consideration on the 〃most favored nation〃 basis； and she has felt them to be opposed in spirit to the 〃gentlemen's agreement〃 of 1907。 The inability of the Federal Government to control the policy of individual States is not accepted by foreign countries as releasing the United States from international obligations； so that； although friendly agreements between the two countries were reached on the major points； cause for popular irritation still remained。
Philander C。 Knox； who succeeded Root as Secretary of State； devoted his attention rather to the fostering of American interests in China than to the development of the general policies of his Department。 While he refrained from asking for an American sphere of influence； he insisted that American capitalists obtain their fair share of the concessions for railroad building； mining； and other enterprises which the Chinese Government thought it necessary to give in order to secure capital for her schemes of modernization。 As these concessions were supposed to carry political influence in the areas to which they applied； there was active rivalry for them； and Russia and Japan； which had no surplus capital； even borrowed in order to secure a share。 This situation led to a tangled web of intrigue； perhaps inevitable but decidedly contrary to the usual American diplomatic habits； and at this game the United States did not prove particularly successful。 In 1911 there broke out in China a republican revolution which was speedily successful。 The new Government； as yet unrecognized； needed money； and the United States secured a share in a six…power syndicate which was organized to float a national loan。 The conditions upon which this syndicate insisted； however； were as much political as they were pecuniary； and the new Government refused to accept them。
On the accession of President Wilson； the United States promptly led the way in recognizing the new republic in China。 On March 18； 1913； the President announced： 〃The conditions of the loan seem to us to touch nearly the administrative independence of China itself； and this administration does not feel that it ought； even by implication； to be a party to those conditions。〃 The former American policy of non…interference was therefore renewed； but it still remained uncertain whether the entrance of the United States into Far Eastern politics would do more than serve to delay the European dominance which seemed to be impending in 1898。
CHAPTER XV。 The Panama Canal
While American troops were threading the mountain passes and the morasses of the Philippines； scaling the walls of Pekin； and sunning themselves in the delectable pleasances of the Forbidden City； and while American Secretaries of State were penning dispatches which determined the fate of countries on the opposite side of the globe； the old diplomatic problems nearer home still persisted。 The Spanish War； however； had so thoroughly changed the relationship of the United States to the rest of the world that the conditions under which even these old problems were to be adjusted or solved gave them entirely new aspects。 The American people gradually but effectually began to take foreign affairs more seriously。 As time went on； the Government made improvements in the consular and diplomatic services。 Politicians found that their irresponsible threatenings of other countries had ceased to be politically profitable when public opinion realized what was at stake。 Other countries； moreover； began to take the United States more seriously。 The open hostility which they had shown on the first entrance of this nation into world politics changed； on second thought； to a desire on their part to placate and perhaps to win the support of this new and formidable power。
The attitude of Germany in particular was conspicuous。 The Kaiser sent his brother； Prince Henry； to visit the United States。 He presented the nation with a statue of Frederick the Great and Harvard with a Germanic museum； he ordered a Herreshoff yacht； and asked the President's daughter； Alice Roosevelt； to christen it； he established exchange professorships in the universities； and he began a campaign aimed apparently at securing for Germany the support of the entire American people； or； failing that； at organizing for German purposes the German…born element within the United States。 France sought to revive the memory of her friendship for the United States during the Revolution by presenting the nation with a statue of Rochambeau； and she also established exchange professorships。 In England； Cecil Rhodes； with his great dream of drawing together all portions of the British race； devoted his fortune to making Oxford the mold where all its leaders of thought and action should be shaped； and Joseph Chamberlain and other English leaders talked freely and enthusiastically of an alliance between Great Britain and the United States as the surest foundation for world peace。
It need not be supposed； however； that these international amenities meant that the United States was to be allowed to have its own way in the world。 The friendliness of Great Britain was indeed sincere。 Engaged between 1899 and 1901 in the Boer War； she appreciated ever more strongly the need for the friendship of the United States； and she looked with cordial approbation upon the development of Secretary Hay's policy in China。 The British； however； like the Americans； are legalistically inclined； and disputes between the two nations are likely to be maintained to the limit of the law。 The advantage of this legal mindedness is that there has always been a disposition in both peoples to submit to judicial award when ordinary negotiations have reached a deadlock。 But the real affection for each other which underlay the eternal bickerings of the two nations had as yet not revealed itself to the American consciousness。 As most of the disputes of the United States had been with Great Britain； Americans were always on the alert to maintain all their claims and were suspicious of 〃British gold。〃
It was； therefore； in an atmosphere by no means conducive to yielding on the part of the United States； though it was one not antagonistic to good feeling； that the representatives of the two countries met。 John Hay and Sir Julian Pauncefote； whose long quiet service in this country had made him the first popular British ambassador； now set about clearing up the problems confronting the two peoples。 The first question which pressed for settlement was one of boundary。 It had already taken ninety years to draw the line from the Atlantic to the Pacific； and now the purchase of Alaska by the United States had added new uncertainties to