December 28, 1903.J
anxiety and dread, and every day is felt to he a possible black date in history, the forerunner of months of terrible and relent. less hostilities. Yesterday's wire news seems, however, to offer some hopes of the avoid- ance of such a catastrophe.
THE DYNASTIC QUESTION IN
CHINA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
claims of Mr. CHU to represent the MING dynasty, and if they are satisfied of his bona fides they are prepared to cross into Hunan and espouse his cause. It is well known that the people of Hunan-a pro- vince noted for its wealth and intel- ligence-have for sume years been disgusted with the weakness and procrastinating policy of the Manchu Government, and that many influential men there would be glad to see a change to a Chinese dynasty. The difficulty of course is to find a really intelligent and highly-educated scion of the ancient Ming dynasty. If Mr. CHu can satisfactorily fulfil all the necessary condi- tions, show that he is a strong man, a scholar, and a fearless leader, he will be sure to secure a great deal of support, and his following would speedily gather strength with every small success achieved. Mean- time, however, the rebels in Kwangsi bave not, according to all accounts, been scoring any successes. The province is a poor one, and the rebel forces will not long be able to hold out against the troops sent against then unless they receive strong reinforce- ments from Hunan. It will be interesting to note how the new aspirant to Imperial honours fares with his countrymen. Unless he cannot only show that Imperial blood flows in his veins, but that he possesses ability to live up to his pretensions, he will soon drop back into the obscurity from which he so recently energed.
CHINA AND FRANCE.
(Daily Press, 21st December.) There can be no question that the TA-TSING Dynasty has become very unpopular in China. Of foreign origin, it was for many generations greatly disliked by the natives, and several attempts to overthrow it have been made; but as the Manchus studiously adapted themselves to Chinese customs, and Manchuria itself became absorbed into the Empire, the feeling against the Dynasty gradually wore off and the sovereigns were accepted as the Sons of Heaven, divinely selected to reign on the Dragon Throne. Of late years, however, the antagonism to the Dynasty has revived in consequence, urst, of the mistakes made by the Govern- ment and the reverses suffered by them in their dealings with Foreign Powers, and, secondly, owing to the arbitrary treatment of the Emperor by the Empress Dowager, and the assumption by that old lady of the supreme power. Reformers have sprung up in various parts of China, and some have paid the pen Ity of their boldness by the sacrifice of their lives. Still there are others ready to fake up the cause, and although for the most part these Reformers are weak and unable to muster an ar el (Daily Press, 23rd December.) following, yet it is being gradually pro- If the latest reports, derived from good pagated by secret agents and through the native authority, be true, China must have Press. Had not the Reform party in China fallen indeed on evil times. MILTON, in lacked leaders, funds, strength of purpose, poetic exaggeration, speaks in the lowest and successful initiative, they might no depths of deeper still; what in his case was doubt have accomplished much more, though merely poetic licence has in that of China it would not be an easy task to upset the become a grim reality. According to this established administration at Peking. The latest report, Russia, not content with great thing in such a cause, of course, is to having, without any show of quarrel, entered find a leader round whom reformers could on, and in spite of repeated promises to rally, and to whase banner the discontente.l evacuate, still holding an important province of all classes would be attracted. So far of China, has recently influenced France to the man has not appeared, and it is doubt press on China what France represents ful whether the hour has arrived. All as her good offices to act as arbitrator the risings attempted of late years have be wean the two. Unlike the ordinary been abortive in consequence of the In- practice of arbitration, she has made her perial Government being always in a posi-asard beforehand; China is to keep closed tion-thanks to their possession of gunboats, arus of precision, and drilled troops-to quell any mere insurrection of the populace, or even au organised revolt. Hitherto these risings have been led by obscure persons possessing neither a stock of arms nor the wherewithal to purchase them.
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to foreign commerce the important marts of Moukden and the mouth of the Tatung, and is to place under Russian control those parts of Mauchuria through which the Manchurian railway passes, and Russia is to have the exclusive right of mining in the Manchurian provinces. In the event of China agreeing If the report from a native journal at to these remarkable concessions Russia is Shanghai be correct, however, there seems to engage to withdraw from what is left of some probability of a leader being produced Manchuria by next March. For this piece who may command more general support of officious interference, which it is not sug- aud possibly prove a really formidable gested has been asked for, France, of course, aspirant to the supreme power in China. expects an adequate compensation, and the According to this authority, an effort is to consideration is almost equally staggering. be made by the malcontents in Hunan to
France is to be permitted to put down the restore the MING or last Chinese dynasty, rebellion in Kwaugsi, but characteristically and a secret society has been formed at not a word is said about retiring when the Changsha called the Kwangfu Hu or suppression is complete. The whole affair Society for the Restoration of the Lig in bars, in fact, a remarkable resemblance to a other words, of the MINGS. Although only transaction wherein China was interested at two months old, this society is said to have the very verge of history. The state of Cheo in a membership of nearly two thousand. The those days had its headquarters in what is chief of the society is a man of the surname now the province of Sheusi. The Hiung Nu of CHU-the surname of the MING Imperial were then, as Russia is now, pressing ou House-and he claims to be a lineal descen- the northern frontier, and had advanced so dant of the Emperors whose dynasty he far as to threaten the capital, situated near seeks to restore. It is further alleged that, the modern Hsian. Chen had fallen on unlike many other existing secret societies evil times, and was governed by a weak in this Empire, the majority of the members king. The Duke of Ts'in, ancestor of the of the new society are well-to-do and educat-great SHI HWANG-TI, offered his services to ed men. The leaders of the Kwangsi rebels drive away the Turks, which he did success are said to have been investigating the fully. He had said nothing about restoring |
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the town when the Hiung Nu were expelled, so he quietly remained, and the unfortunate king and all his people who remained about him had to emigrate, and take up a new hoine in Honan at the town of Loyang. Such was the hard measure dealt out to the ancestors of the present Chinese, and it would be well for the modern administrators of this Government to lay the story by for reference.
We
We have told the tale of the French as it has come to us from Chinese sources, ap- parently without any inkling of its import- probably in ignorance of the fatal results ance to the very existence of China; and
of a former trial of the same methods. do not in any way vouch for its truth; nor do we believe that the French have been acting the double part attributed to them. The whole tale, indeed, bears on its face evidence of having been more or less con- cocted by Chinese brains, and its chief interest lies in the curious light that it throws on the state of confusion and help. less unpreparedness in which China finds herself after the warnings of nearly half a century, and the inability of the Chinese official mind to grasp the main features of the present situation. the
One part of story is nowhere
undoubtedly true has the incapacity of the governing body been more markedly shown than in its inability to put down the state of disorder for soine
years back prevailing in the province of Kwangsi., It would be dignifying the movement now going on in Kwangsi by too high- sounding a title to call it a rebellion. It has, in fact, no object and no leader, both generally beld necessary to constitute a rebellion. It is really but an expression of the discontent of the people at the absence of any system of government. The unpaid officials sent to take charge of the various offices, finding themselves without resources of any sort, owing to past neglect, are com- pelled in self-defence to institute a system of collection akin to that described by SCOTT, that they should take who have the power, and they should keep who can." The so-called rebellion is merely a return to primitive usages, and Government and people alike suffer. That the French, whatever the shortcomings of their own administra- tion, should protest against such a state of affairs is natural enough, and the French Minister in Pekingas protested, and still protests in the strongest terms against the system. This is, however, a completely different thing from representing him as the willing minion of Russian intrigue. Doubtless from the very nature of the case he finds himself the not altogether willing instrument of Russian schemes, and doubt- less ready to take advantage of any circum- stance likely to advance his national claims. The remedy is, however, in the power of the Chinese Government itself; under the best of circumstances the province of Kwangsi never has been self-supporting, and under present conditions less so than ever. If Peking will recoguise this unpleasant fact, and supply the deficit, there is no reason why Kwangsi should not become as peaceful and well ordered as the best of the Eighteen Provinces. The sums annually squandered under pretence of re-establishing peace could pay the expenses of settled govern- ment, and leave a good margin improvements.
for
The Standard's Tokyo correspondent wires rejects the cardinal principle of the Japanese that it is believed Russia's reply virtually claims, and that if it is so, unless Russia recon- siders the position, hostilities are ́almost inevitable,
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