THE BATTALION.
7
dividing the empire lurks in the terms of
their eontraets. Various opinions have
been expressed by able thinkers and
writers as to the origin and purpose of
the Boxer war, but of all that is known
or conjectured it is reasonable to pre
sume that England and Russia under
stood that China was forced by the logic
of events to compel them to declare their
intentions as to' iterritorial dominion, or,
in our vernacular, to “show their hands.”
There can be very little doubt that
Russia has long entertained designs
toward the north of China, while Eng
land has sought to extend her influence
in the south by annexing territory on
the mainland.
China is a vast empire, and there is
no excuse for her commercial isolation.
It is true, also, that if she ever becomes
fully identified with the development of
the world’s greatest good, it must be
brought about by the indomitable spirit
of those progressive countries that push
into every nook and corner of the world
that affords a foothold for commercial
enterprise. To quicken Chinese trade
and industry two million miles of rail
road are necessary. This would require
the surplus capital of the world, and pro
duce an income to investments greater
than all China’s commerce with the out
side world. But China is not slow to
see the consequences to the empire of
these operations, and resists the railroad
schemes on the ground that all rights
of way must necessarily invade the sa
cred precincts of her dead, who lie buried
beneath every foot of imperial soil.
Germany, which only a few years ago
obtained concessions in China, is openly
aggressive, assuming that the European
concert and the open door policy of
America must eventually prevail.
The supreme question, however, is,
what is China’s policy now that the ball
has been opened? It has been generally
supposed that she would endeavor to
create dissensions by exciting the jeal
ousies of the powers and thus break the
force of the combined strength against
her, in which case China would be able
to dictate peace; but the fact that Earl
Li, who was selected to negotiate peace
at the end of the China-Japanese war,
has also been accredited by the emperor
to negotiate peace with the powers, dis
counts that theory, and if his credentials
are recognized as valid, the main issue
of the convention will be the integrity of
the empire, which will prevail if the
American policy is of any weight with
Germany and Russia. In the meantime
the allies hold the conquered territory.
The outcome of the peace negotiations
present grave questions for the considera
tion of our government, and it must be
admitted that the failure to withdraw
our army when the legations were re
lieved was as the hazard of a die.
<£ <£ £
Mr. A. M. Ferguson, assistant horti
culturist and mycologist in the Agricul
tural and Mechanical College, at College
Station, has been appointed instructor in
botany in the University of Texas. Mr.
Ferguson was graduated with the degree
of bachelor of scientifle horticulture from
the Agricultural and Mechanical College
in 1394, and received his master’s degree
from the same institution in 189B. Since
that time he has pursued his favorite
subject, botany, at the Missouri Botani
cal Garden, St, Louis. He is a native of
Belton, Texas, and comes highly recom
mended by his associates in the Agricul
tural and Mechanical College.—Houston
Post.
Mr. Ferguson entered the fourth class
in '90, and from the time of his entrance
was an energetic student. In the liter
ary societies he was an energetic worker,