"Suppose," I interrupted, "the Chinese themselves should wish to develop this territory,—to open up a gold-mine, to build a railway,—would they be allowed to do so?"
"Certainly, if they have the money."
"But if they haven't the money, if they must borrow?"
"Then they must borrow from the power which claims the territory."
"But if for some reason that power can't lend it to them,—can't spare it, as is the case with all Europe at present,—or if for some other reason does not wish to lend it, what then?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Fineesh! China can't borrow money from one power to 'start something' in the sphere of influence claimed by another."
Apropos of all this there's a good story at present going the rounds of Peking. The head of a certain great corporation, out here seeking a concession from the Chinese Government, appeared before the Chinese officials one day and made his request. The officials, in their gorgeous robes, were all seated round a large table on which was spread a map of China. It was a wonderful large map, but all colored in different colors, some parts red, some blue, others yellow, and so on. Behind the chairs of the Chinese officials stood the representatives of the various European powers—British, French, Russian, all of them. Our American laid his finger on that part of the map colored red.
"I'll do the work here," he said to the Chinese.
"Excuse me," interrupted a representative of a foreign government, "you can't go there. That red part of China belongs to Great Britain."