CO129-500-3 Canton situation- governor's despatches 29-7-1927 - 1-9-1927 — Page 87

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pleaded leg-trouble, daring not express his unwillingness

to kowtow. This was only 130 or 140 years ago. Fifty

years, later, in the reign of To Kwong, a change began to take place: On account of a dispute over opium, a foreign

Minister so far lost his manners as to strike the table

of the Tsung Li (Foreign Minister) in his yamen, and in consequence war was declared against us. In our war with France in the Kap San year, however, we still could destroy her battle-ships. But after our failure in the war of Kap Ng and in the Boxers Rising, we began to look up to the foreigners and despise ourselves. Now another change has taken place, and welall feel that we are as capable

as they are. After the 21 Demands were made on us, foreigners have altered their ways of deceiving us.. Before they cheated our ignorant people into smoking opium, and later they tempted our unintelligent Chinese to aspire to become Emperors, It is a great enjoyment to smoke opium and to be an Emperor, and a man when he has become an Emperor, can enjoy a large quantity of opium. After all they have very many ways to deceive us. Recently they have again

resorted to conciliatory methods. Pirates have been prevalent in China, and they helped us to suppress them, and after their suppression, they claimed rewards in territory, considering this as a fair transaction. The result will be as is said in our books, "A wolf has come in from the back door while we are resisting a tiger in front of us". Whether a wolf or a tiger I will not discuss but let

me ask you why we do not carry out the Revolution ourselves.

Mr.