19th Dec.
Tue American Asiatic Association held its annual meeting at New York on the 18th of October last, the first business being the choice of officers for the ensuing year. The outgoing officers were re-elected, Mr. Everett Frazar, formerly of Shanghai, remaining president, Mr. S. D. Brewster vice-president, Mr. J. R. Patterson treasurer, Mr. John Foord, to whom the success of the Association is so largely due, secretary, the other members of the Committee being Messrs. Clarence Cary, T. A. Phelan, W. H. Stevens, L. Lincoln, S. D. Webb, another old Shanghai hand, F. B. Thurber, and A. Cordes, all of New York. To the example set by the Straits Settlements is due the founding of the China Association and the American Asiatic Association, which, with their branches, have shown themselves so useful in disseminating accurate knowledge—if only politi ians would avail themselves of of the situation in the Far East.
In his annual address Mr. Frazar, the President, mentioned that the membership of the Association had increased to 239. In alluding to the stirring events which have marked the latter half of the Association's fiscal year, "we have been," he said, "in close touch with our associate organisation in Shanghai and with the State Department in Weshington. The sudden outburst of the political storm in Peking and in the north of China in the early summer was really a shock to all Occidental nations, and its consequences promise to be far-reaching into the future, unless drastic measures are taken for the proper punishment of even the highest Government officials and those actively working under them." In this Mr. Frazar is undoubtedly right, but in the opinion of his Government it is quite enough to leave this question of proper punishment to the Chinese themselves. Mr. Frazar went on to refer to two communications from the Shanghai Association, in which, he said, "the necessity of such prompt action on the part of our Government is most graphically and pathetically set forth." These communications have been already referred to in. our columns; and it is pleasant to know that there is practically no difference between the policies advocated by the American Association and the China Association. Tu fact, it may be safely said that all foreigners here who really take an interest in the question, whatever their nationality, though they may differ in minor points, are united on the main principles that should be upheld in the negotiations for peace. We all want a peace made that will be durable, not a patched-up one that will only last until the Empress
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.