File No. 893.00/1211.
The American Minister to
the Secretary of State.
No. 436.]
American Legation,
Peking,
February 20, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith two
copies of a despatch, dated the 10th instant, from Dr. Charles D.
Tenney, Chinese secretary of this legation, now at Nanking, in which he
reports an interview with Dr. Sun Yat Sen, president of the provisional
government of the south. The Department’s attention is respectfully
invited to that part of the inclosure regarding the reported activities
of the Japanese looking to an alliance with the Chinese republic.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure—Extract.]
The Chinese Secretary of
Legation to the American
Minister.
No. 6.]
Nanking,
February 10, 1912.
Sir: I called yesterday upon the president
of the provisional government, Dr. Sun Wen. I told Dr. Sun that I
received his message regarding the activity of the Japanese and
asked if he had anything to add. He replied that he had nothing more
to say except to explain that the proposition for the offensive and
defensive alliance with the Chinese republic came, not from the
regular Japanese Cabinet through the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
but from the “elder statesmen” who controlled the Japanese
Government unofficially, and that the negotiations were with them.
This method of managing the affair, of course, gives the Japanese
Foreign Office the power to deny that any such negotiations are
taking place. * * *
[Page 68]
In the course of the conversation I told him that the American
Government had tried to maintain strict neutrality throughout the
present struggle in China and that we considered it the part of true
friendship so to act. I assured him that not only the American
Government but the mass of the American people entertained feelings
of sincere friendship for the Chinese people; that we wished to see
the integrity of China preserved, and we wished to allow the Chinese
people to settle for themselves the question of the form of
government under which they would be ruled without any outside
interference; that the American legation had given no aid or support
to either side, in order to avoid establishing a precedent for
outside interference which might be used by other powers to prolong
the civil war and weaken China. I assured him that when the Chinese
had finally settled their disagreement and north and south had
reunited, America would not be backward in showing her friendship. *
* *
I am [etc.],
