64.
September 16, 1899!]
LI HUNG-CHANG AND THE CANTON VICEROYALTY.
CHINA ÖVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
allowed to continue. The object of acquir. | soner's guilt and that if as allej ing Kwangchauwan' was to set up a claim viction was arrived at un to a sphere of influence in Kwangtung, and ras secret evidence not con also to have a convenient base when it shall the prisoner or his counsel.' 'In't influence into interference. Having the conducted with closed doors, be deemed a propitious moment to translate trial the examination of the French designs plainly before her eyes, ably in the presence of the prisoner therefore, Great Britain cannot regard with counsel; otherwise the proceedi indifference the continuance of anarchy in ducted in the full light of day the province. She would, however, prefer of three hundred journalists to see China set her own house in order, port them. The case has destroyed and China, if there is any wisdom still to be reputations and thrown suspicion on found in the land, will act while yet there French General Staff, as body. The trial is time.
Just concluded will, it may be assumed, result in the elimination of the objectionable elements and the restoration of confiskos and discipline.
THE DREYFUS CASE.
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"(Daily Press, 9th September:) It would be rather a surprise to see Lt HUNG-CHANG installed as Viceroy of Canton. Such an appointment perhaps hardly comes within the range of probability, but rumour has made mention of it. The Echo de Chine in its issue of the 29th August, after refer ring to the reported illness of the Empress Dowager, the rivalry between Prince CHING and JUNG Lu, the retirement of Lau, Vi- ceroy of Nanking, the replacement of LIU by Yu Lu, Viceroy of Chihli, and the reported replacement of the latter by La HUNGCHANG, goes on to say:-"As if (Daily Press, 12th September.) "all these complications were not sufficient Dreyfus's conviction upon his second trial "for the hour, it is said that LI HUNG- will bave taken most people completely by CHANG will not listen to any offer surprise. The friends of the accused had "of a Viceroyalty except one, namely, worked so energetically and ably, such "Canton-n~ other, neither Tientsin odium and ridicule had been poured upon nor Nanking." As more than a week the case for the prosecution, that it was has elapsed and no further mention has assumed that the ordering of a fresh trial been made of Lr's name in connection with was almost equivalent to an acquittal? The the succession to TAN it may perhaps be result has falsified that assumption. There assumed that there is nothing in the report. is, however, a wide difference between the If the old statesman is to return to office, sentences of the two courts. Upon his however, it is quite possible that the Vice-first trial DREYFUS was sentenced to trans- royalty of Canton might have attractions portation for life, while the sentence now for him, for it is a very lucrative appoint passed upon him is ten years imprisonment ment, as his brother LI HAN-CHANG proved It would seem, therefore, that in the opinion during his occupancy of it, while on the of the second Court the first Court either other hand Tientsin may have become dis convicted the prisoner of a more heinous tasteful to him under the different conditions crime than the evidence warranted or that have come about since he occupied passed an excessive sentence. The charge the Viceroy's Yamen before. Li as the was that of having divulged military State Viceroy of Chilli to-day might possibly not secrets to a foreign. Power, and if that were occupy the important position he did before, fully proved, to the extent of establishing but might have to play second fiddle to young. deliberate treachery, no one could consider er men at Peking, whereas at Canton he would transportation for life an excessive sentence, occupy a position of virtual independence. Apparently, therefore, the second Court La's appointment to Canton would not at must have found circumstances that reduced pendence. first be regarded with pleasure by the crime in degree. A man in a position foreigners in the South, in view of his character of trust might conceivably 'betray secrets in for avarice and reputed antagonism to all real various ways without deliberately wicked progress, but the unfavourable opinion now intention, as, for instance, by simple care entertained of him would undergo a complete lessness in leaving confidential papers ly change if he succeeded in re-establishing lawing about, or by allowing himself to be and order in the distracted province, which "drawn" in conversation, the latter being|| is overrun by brigands and subject to fre- a trap into which well meaning men may quent local insurrections in all directions. fall, especially susceptible men subjected to A strong man is wanted at Canton. Now the influence of feminine charms. Lr, whatever his other failings, is not with- out force of character, and it he set himself the task of restoring order in Kwangtung he would be as likely to succeed as any other of China's foremost men, unless, pos- sibly, CHANG CHIH-TUNG.
The situationin Kwangtung is becoming critical, has been so, indeed, for some timepast, and the sooner China appoints a Viceroy cap- able ofdealing with it, whether L HONG- CHANG or some one else, the better it will be for her own interests. The province in fact stands in urgent need of pacification, and if China is unequal to the task it will have to be accomplished for her by Great Britain, and this for two reasons, first, that we cannot allow trade to be strangled¦ by gross incompetency and corruption in the administration, peaceful trading boats to the pirated in open day on the pas ange from Canton to Hongkong, and
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(Daily Press, 14th September.)⠀
The proposal do boycott the Paris Ezhihi. tion on account of the Dazzrus affair, graphed by Reuter is rather suggesti hysteria. It is much the same p foreigners had agreed to boycott an Exhibition on account of the Tichbos case. Hundreds of thousands of believed that AHTHER ORTÓN was the heir to the Tichbourne bardnetoy and i and that this conviction of perjury v miscarriage of justice. Boing doubt people all over the world will continu believe DREYFUs innocent; and innocent: well may be, since his guilt has not proved to the satisfaction of all the membe of the Court that tried him; but go f can be judged at this distance anil's scanty information before us, thera reason why the decision of the Court not be treated with respect. 7. The against Desyrus was given; by ah of five to two. In our own Sup Court many cases, both tarîminal i have been decided by a hare majority four to three on the jury, and such dedinsan have been treated with respect by the lio. In the Duurus: kaablit was shown that the prisoner did not in instance receive a fair trial, but necessarily follow from the unfairne trial that the prisoner was not guiltyvði was also shown that many members of th General Staff were unprincipled und gnant, but that again does not prowa' that In the case of DREYFUs no one, we think, shé - object of their malignancy was cloni looked for anything but an acquittal or a branded. A second trial was ordered and so reaffirming of the sentence of the first Court, far as appears from the telegrann Ahat: have and the brief Reuter's telegram published been received it was conducted with to-day does not enlighten us as to how the corum. It may be that after: the Court second Court has arrived at a middle course. was placed in possession of all "the" From previous intelligence, however, we evidence and arguments a majority of know that in his examination DREYFUS the members arrived at an erroneous admitted that he had had relations. with decision, and did so knowingly and cor- " an Austrian woman," though he said he ruptly, but the latter is rather was guiltless of the indiscreet conduct at assumption to make. The people ✨ on tributed to him in the revelations that had the Continent and in America" who been made in connection with the incident. started the movement to boycott the He also admitted having visited Alsace Exhibition have the proceeding, privately in order to study the transport Court before them and are in question, but he denied that he had ever tion to form an opinion on spoken to or dined with any German | case than we at a distande military officers. It would appear, not leaves us in the dark withstanding his explanations, that the their action reflects public opinion Court must have been fully satisfied that opinion of is action. Wea State secrets did become known through | told
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British lives to be placed in jeopardy; DREYFUS, and under circumstances that what "hat the popinion - U
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and, secondly, because if order be not speedily restored France is very likely to step in with a clnim that the duty of pacification devolves upon her as the protector of the Roman Catholic Missions. There are great
it is divided- call for exemplary punishment. Consider in condemning the ing the conditions under which the second has certainly trial has been conducted the verdict by surprise of the Court, provided it has been arrived interesting at unanimously, will, we should think the charac
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Bambers of Catholic-priests, the majority of command: public confidence. The first | Fròm the f
them French, in the Two Kwang, and vari-
trial was conducted for the most part with extenuatin
ous outrages upon the missions have closed doors, and the ground on which | ferred that
taken place that have not yet been atoned
the decision was afterwards impugned
for, and still more are likely to take place | was that the bordersau or incriminating do-
was indi
in the future if the present lawlessness is eument was insufficient to prove the pri- been reduced from transport
didy
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