December 30. 1905.J
the present TAOTAI, no cruse of quarrel has arisen to alienate the mutual sympathies of the residents, Chinese ur foreign.
THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. reckoning, and is sure to pay ?" The which influences the minds of all Chinese, position of the Government is peculiar: forms the secret of much of their obstinate it ig to take five per cent of the defiance to foreigners. They do not dare surplus profits
看看 As a royalty." There to act according to their own dictates of is the germ of a good idea
of sound common sense: but are in perpetual dread procedure in the proposal to fix the of the opinion either of the swarm to which (Daily Press, 25th December,
proportion to be laid aside as reserve; they belong, or of some opposition olique, "Pence on earth, and goodwill among foreign compauy law might be better if it one of whom may seize an opportunity of men." This is the season of the beat ideal, left less to the discretion of directors. when even those whom the sad realities curious arrangement is that by which "any way in which this peculiar propensity is A picking a quarrel." After describing the
of experience have taught to fleer, ideals
Canvasser who shall cause 300 shares to be taken advantage of by the inhabitants of permit themselves, for a day or two, the hap taken p will receive 15 shares free for certain districts and by the guilds in a piness of contemplating pleasant possibili himself, and shall be entitled to recommend dispute, he points out how frequently these ties/ There is an element of faith-healing a shroff to be employed by the company." swarneries are made the means of inflicting. apparent at this time, when the zeitgeist It is explained that many clerks and gross injustice on individuals, as well`as compels the discarding, as of a garment, shroffs will be required." That our neigh- militating against the true interests of the front of pessimism, of cynicism, of bours are not averse to foreign ways when of a commercial nation. The most aloofness, and of suspicion, that men have they run concurrent with their own wishes dangerous development of the Chinese perforce been presenting to their fellows is, to be gathered from the clause which tendency to segregate in flocks, says our It is the miracle of the Host in the dife says, according to the European custom, writer, "is naturally to be found in respect secular: the idea of charity, of fraternity, the promoters [or canvassers before alluded to political matters. It is a notable fact that of general good will, obsesses the average to] are entitled to a bonus on the surplus some writers of considerable ability and individual to such an extent, if only for the profits in perpetuity, as the promoters will thought have expressed opinions favourable holiday, that he becomes aware of the real then devote and concentrate their soul and to this feature of Chinese society. presence. This is so much worth being mind to look after the company's interest recently had occasion to differ from grateful for, that we may well avoid cheap as if it were their own, and will be immune gentleman of no little experience in Chinese sarcasins at the evanescent quality of the to the petty temptations that come before matters with regard to this point; and we Christmas mood; and on the principle of them. Although our company may not be must confess that, judging from the facts the half loaf, grasp each other by the hand, able to treat the promoters as well as the stated by the advocates of the system them. and confide mutually that the old world is European companies do" not so much out of joint after all. What mitted here ad lib.]
[reflections per-selves, we can come to no other conclusion though the streets of Moscow may run with and follow their footsteps and learn some of Chinese form themselves into associations yet we should try than that the readiness with which the blood, and stark-eyed corpses salute the their methods." To which we may add, of this nature is an indication of the want happy morn"; what though the LITTLE some, yes, but not all. It is interesting to find of proper organisation and government, and FATHER gives thanks in holy church while special stipulation that civil and military not the existence of personal liberty as this his children are mowu down by TREPOFF'syamens and other official departments, how is understood in Europe. An unpopular machine-guns; what though foolish human ever high, must pay for the water they get. appointment, an objectionable tax, a too nature, and its particularly foolish mouth-vidently the foreign autipathy to official rigorous punishment, repeatedly lead to piece the Yellow Press, strives assiduously squeeze is an idea that is taking root. to set JOHN BULL and his cousin German by can(do no harm.
such gatherings in China as result in riota, insurrection and rebellion, Whenever the ears; in our time and in our part of
combination is formed, and more especially the world a truce prevails, and for two score
when it is for an object in which the officials hours after these words see the light, we
are concerned, the idea of resorting to force may "brithera be and-a' that.". Let us for
is never far from the minds of those engaged the nonce then be glad worshippers at the
in it, and the absence of an efficient execu- shrines of FATHER CHRISTMAS and ST.
tive of any kind leaves the authorities MARK TAPLEY, saying after TINY TIM,
powerless to check the actions right or God bless us, everyone." So may we enjoy
wrong of often only a few hundred men a Happy Christmas and a Hopeful New
who have combined to carry out a definite Year.
object."
"The whole of these evils are traceable in part, if not altogether, to one cause. In Chinese there exists a force of resistance, but no force of restraint. The people oppose the magistrates; they oppose authority, and there is no force in many one another: they rise against established parts of the empire which can for a day. sustain the magistrate in doing what is right; prevent one of the people from oppressing the other, put down a riot, or disperse a mob."
Co
(Daily Press, 25th December.)
Approaching the second half of the first decade of a new century, it is a little odd to
find
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带着
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CHINESE PRONENESS TO SWARMERY.
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(Daily Press, 27th December.) In a long defunct paper, the Supreme Court and Consular Gazette, which at the time included amongst its contributors some of the ablest pens in China, appeared in August 1868 two articles on what the writer, CHINESE COMPANY PROMOTING. | well acquainted with bis subject, denom
inated "Swarmeries" in China. Taking as Iris Text CARLYLE'S celebrated
essay, Shooting Niagara," he remarks that had the author had an opportunity or visiting China he would have found ample means of illustrating the peculiar political disease to which he gave the above quaint denom- ination. This disease of swarmery, or the gathering together of men in swarms, and the extraordinary prodigies they do and This is as true of China to-day as it was think when in that condition, has been forty years ago, the habits of a people which amply illustrated in recent occurrences in have formed themselves through the con- Shanghai. If," says the writer, "there turies of weak government are, of course is one thing more characteristic of the not to be eradicated in a generation, but Chinese than another it is the faculty of the dangerous point exemplified in the swarming. In almost every sphere of life recent riot at Shanghai is that the official they resort to this principle of action. Not classes themselves, to whom is entrusted the only do they do so in cases where it may be good order of the state, are as liable as the considered possibly desirous to get up an people to the influence of the disease. In excitement, such necessity of exorcising a foreigner from whose property was at stake readily joined for example as the Shanghai the merchants and shopkeepers
a given place; but even in such matters in the efforts to prevent disorder, which as it is usually thought should be conducted was as resolutely fanned by the very class in the coldest blood, they herd together whose business it was to keep the peace. mass thus constituted. and in a rude way take the opinion of the That the movement did not spontaneously
In this manner spring up within the limits of the Settle disputes and legal cases settled. .
are repeatedly ments is clearly proved by the very curious Not only civil but criminal fact that the first attempted attack of the injuries are for the most part settled in rioters was, not on the Police Cells where it China by swarmeries at ten shops, and in might be supposed the prisoners were con- many instances harsh and cruel chastise-fined, but on the British Supreme Court ment is administered in a summary way by the mob after it has decided that someone who has offended it is deserving of chas tisement... The terror of such inflictions,
a people who can boast an ancient civilisation affirming and re-affirm- ing such a (to us) self-evident proposition as the merits and advantages of a pure water supply. The people of Canton, before organising the Canton Waterworks Co., seemingly had to satisfy themselves by iteration and re-iteration that such was necessary. The conditions and regulations drawn up by the officials and gentry also cast an interesting side light upon the modern mind of the Cantonese. The out- of-date state of Chinese currency is illus trated by the stipulation that the public must pay for their hundred tael shares "at the standard weight of 99 taels 7 mace foreign currency," and that dividends ("if any") are to be accepted at the same rate. There is a quaint implication in the con- dition that scrip issued to officials and merchants shall be of the same kind : evidently joint stock practice, like death, is going to be a great leveller. The feeling toward the stranger within the gates is indicated by the rule that none but Chinese are to be stock-holders. Even hypothe cations by foreigners are to be ignored. The translation of the rules offers a fiue phrase for the foreign company promoter: could anything be more attractive than 'the establishment is based on sound
Jail where, of course, British subjects only are interned; and the still more curious fact that on being informed of this mistake, the ringleader instantly ordered his men