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A CHINESE REACTIONARY.
on
(Daily Press, 15th November.) A pupil of KANG Yu-wer has written a book
"The Present Crisis " which appears to be about as reactionary as any writings that have lately come under our notice. He seems to have wilfully shut his even to the obvious lessons of the past half century, although he has not failed, ap- parently, to see what has been taking place in neighbouring countries. He writes in strong opposition to the granting of open ports, advises his nationals to have no rail- ways but those they build themselves, urges the authorities to drive out the missionaries as BISMARCK drove out the Jesuits from Germany, advises them to dispense with all foreign officials, and in general espouses the shibboleth of China for the Chinese. He is against the open ports because they afford opportunities to foreign Governments to come in and grab territory. His attention ought to be directed to the striking case of Japan, who was compelled to open ports, and whose territorial integrity has been res- pected. He ought to be made to see why it is that there are no "spheres of influence in Japan. The Japanese had possibly as great ʼn prejudice against foreign visitors as the Chinese have, but they showed much greater wisdom in their treatment of them. They had the sense to bow to the inevitable, which the Chinese hare not; and to make good use of the medicine whose taste they did not like. These open ports are China's medicine. She was very sick, and she needed it.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[November 19, 1904,
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Home have emanated from that fin de siècle agreeing that they are any good at all. He Cumberland, appeared to be unaware spirit which prompts people to gird at admits that railways there must be: only, their danger. According to the account in established things. In any case, big as "let us build them ourselves." That our files, they were repeatedly warned, and these "gates" have undoubtedly grown, it sounds fair, and the fair-minded foreigner as repeatedly insisted that there was "no- There had been 1' very is still the case, in Hongkong and at Home, is not likely to disagree with it. When cause for fear. that more remain in the office than go to and how do the Chinese propose to start serious epidemic of cholera in the village, the field. So that prosperity does not take making the railways that must be? We and a report was circulated to the effect that to itself wings, but is kept, by the plud-will look on and appland. It is and has it was due to the distribution of poisono'is ders, in the family." Wherefor, surely, been long apparent that if this work were, medicines by the foreigners. Several hus- we may well be satisfied, and smile indul left to the Chinese themselves, China would dred men went to the mission house, and gently at the men who are, for the credit of be closed until the Greek Kalends, and the cruelly beat the two poor fellows to death, Hongkong, now contributing "beautiful trade of the interior unattainable always. afterwards looting their po sessions. drives for four," and taking wickets for It has not actually been attempted, but German gunboat at Changtel case away next to no runs. We n.ay even be excused there would be nothing unfair in using a specially to bring the news. Another report for wishing them success.
little pressure to force railways upon had it that the murderers believed the mis. China. It would certainly be no more sionaries to have poisonel the famous unfair than the treatment of the British spring at Chenchou, and that they talked parent by the British Government. You openly for some days of what they were must educate your children, he is told. going to do. Mr Bruce was dragged out- If he pleads that he cannot afford it, very side by the hair, and attacked with clubs, well, the Government will do it for him; stones, knives, swords, “and torture,” Mr.
Lowis was speared as he was escaping over 1. but the child must go to school. Chinese Government is the illiterate parent: the roof of a shed. The bodies were shock- these re-actionaries its truant children sadlyingly mutilated. ́. Everything in the place that had a foreign appearance was then in need of education.
With regard to the proselytising intru destroyed by the infuriated mob. They ders, the writer's gracious concession that were somewhat surprised, it is stated; to fio! "there may be good missionaries among no poisons. The soldiers stationed near by them" is too pretty to be spoiled by did nothing to protect them, although a large comment. His complaint that America camp adjoined the mission compound. The tries to get power by showing kindness ChrisIEN had a bad record. Appealed and getting the good will of the to in 1900 for protection, he turned a deaf people" is another typically Chinese senti-ear, or rather, he refused to do anything at ment. The Good Samaritan feeding the all. The Rev. J. W. STEVENSON elicited the starving cur-"Let us bite him," says the pathetic fact that the murdered men had several times said*“Our trust is in God; cur, "he is trying to win our good will.” One of this writer's peroratory outbursts there is no need to run away." He ad le l, reads: "Be your own masters, and not however, that when it was too late, Mr. mere shroffs and toadies to Western masters BRUCE sent to the yamen for help. After- wards, Mr. GILES went up, representing and rulers."
Great Britain, and had two ringleaders and six others beheaded. The lost and damaged property was made good. Several offic als were cashiered in the November following, but to YU LIEN-SAN, the scoundrelly goverdor, who actually reported his understrappers as "deserving of punishment," nothing was done. By dint of strecuous representations, Sir ERNEST SATOW caused the commuidant of the native troops to be executed, a "precedent" which it was hoped 'would have a salutary effect, not only on troops detailed to protect foreigners, but also on the mandarins generally. That, then, was the occasion of the indemnity since paid to Sir ERNEST SATOW. It now appears that the China Inland Mission has a sentiment and a rule forbidding the acceptance of such "blood money"; and that, as the relatives of the murdered men had not asked for compensation, they refused to take it. The British Government was placed in the embarrassing position of holding money collected from Cuina for a purpose to which they thus found them- selves unable to apply it. It is stated that the money was first offered to Nouconformist societies at Home, with the proviso that it be used to benefit the people of the province where the murders were done? The same mysterious scruple seems to have prevelited its bestowal here alsu. The Yale Mission works in Hunau, and had the seûse anl good feeling to accept the trust. That, ap. parently, is the reason why the British Government has handed a British got in. demnity to a foreign, institution:
If the Chinese were their own
masters, if they, that is to say, could master their stupid passions and prejudices, cul- tivate a little more faith in human nature, and emulate some of the methods of there "Western masters and rulers," the "shroffs and toadies" might show more inclination to return within Chinese jurisdiction. But Peking is corrupt, the provincial officials are thieves, and all outsile the "shroffs an toadies" are as densely stupid and ignorant as they were a thousand years ago. There- fore the more sensible, business-like Chinese continue to prefer their investments of money, brains, or energy under a rule that National integrity is a fine thing, just as experience has proved honest to them. This individual liberty is, but the day has long they find in the foreign settlements, and so since gone by when it could be allowed to one way to spread those glad tidings-that assume a character detrimental to others. an honest administration is a possibility, It is detrimental, of course, to another to and not merely a Confuciau dream-is to be deprived of some privilege that ought in have more foreign settlements, or more open duty to be offered. The liberty of the sub-ports. But for the examples of those taken ject is as sacred as ever, among foreigners, but it has had to be encompassed about by all sorts of legal limitations, which, instead of impairing it, as some have loosely thought, help to conserve it. The man who st.inds too much upon his individual liberty is generally a curmudgeon, and the society compelled to endure his presence has various right and proper ways of guarding against painful contact with his obtrusive elbows. China was a curmudgeòu among the nations, and has been treated as one. The sooner she recognises that her neighbours are not merely land-grabbers, but civilized people willing to associate with her as they as ociate with each other, the sooner will her troubles be over. Instead of kicking against the pricks, as the ignorant rabble, the bigotted officials, and this particular pupil of Kawo YU-WEI's are doing, they might do worse, than listen to the students returning from Japan on the subject of how that nation has turned to account the lore and offerings of the foreigner.
As for the railways, it is rather remark- able to find such a reactionary writer
or granted, it is doubtful if any Chinese would yet have been brought to consider official honesty in the light of a possible policy as well as an ideal.
AN. UNWANTED INDEMNITY.
(Daily Press, 16th November.) Two or three weeks ago, there began to circulate in this part of the world state- ments that a large sum of money obtained from China in the form of an indemnity had been handed over by the British Government to the Yale University of America, because a Home missionary society had refused to accept it. As it seemed à | remarkable circumstance that a missionary society should refuse money, and most people had forgotten «hat the indemnity was paid for, the paragraphs naturally gave rise to some speculation. The amount in- volved was about £3,400, and the occasion of its payment was the murder of two mis- sionaries in August, 1902, at Chenchou in Hunan. The victims, the Rev. J. R. BRUCE of Australia, and the Rer. J. H. Lowis, of
-the
The Governor has given his assent on behalf of the King to the following Ordinances passed by the Legislative Council-Ordinance No. 15 of 1904-The Imbecile Persons Introduction Ordinance, 19 2; and Ordinance No. 16 of 1904 To enable The Trustees of John's Cathedral Church in Hongkong" to hold and deal with property for the purpose of promoting the work of the Church of England in Hongkong and China.
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