Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-08-06

Mantchuria, and may yet find its place
among the grains grown in our own
country, if, indeed, it has not already
done so.
This faculty of observing the impor-
tance of apparently trivial things lay
literally at the foundation of one of the
greatest works of China. The Tartar
horseman from their infancy were seen
to have legs banded to the curvature
of the sides of the saddle, and there
fore weak in marching or fighting on
foot. Hence the Great Wall, thous-
and miles in length, was built, and the
Tartars were shut out in the same man.
ner and with the same childlike fore
cast as the wild beasts that shared with
them the wide pastoral wilderness of
the North. The accuracy of percep-
ton and the close study of what passes
under their observation form the basis
of the strong initiative power Of the
Chinesc-the faculty that renders them
such dangerous competitors in the
practice OF every art affording scope
for manual dexterity. The same fac
ulty has also made them proficient in
arts which they employ alike in the
ordinary relations of life and in the
highest work of diplomacy. They
have been we'll said to be nation of
actors. The Chinaman is as subtle
and facile in whatever requires intel
lectual work as he is in the perform
ance of manual labor. Add to these
faculties that of a suavity and polite
ness which, though ordinarily formal
in the extreme, is nevertheless refined
and delicate. In nothing does this ap-
pear more clearly than in Chinese dip
lomatic correspondence with the rep
resentatives of other countries. The
communications from Caucasian pow
ers have often been singularly rude
and uncourteous when compared with
the polished and considerate phraseo-
logy employed by the Chinese digni-
taries. No civilization can be wholly
deprecated which has fostered and de-
veloped the characteristics which We
have thus far seem to be inherent in
the people of China,-characteristics
that, almost without exception, are
found to be universal with her people ;
with the ignorant, as with the educat-
ed, with the laborer as with the man.
DARN. And these qualities, always
formidable in contests of diplomacy
between nations as between individuals,
become doubly so when through long
growth and persistence they have been
intensified, and made Interchangeable as
elements of national character.
However Objectionable from our
standpoint the Chinese type may be,
it is of marvellous symmetry when
considered by itself. Its more ignoblc
parts not in any wise consistent with
those which compel respect; on the
contrary, its virtues give vigor to its
vices, and the two together, combined
in closest union, afford racial individ-
uality that for aggressive purposes is
of more than giant strength.
The slow and deliberate savagery
OF the Chinese has been remarked
from the earliest times in which they
came in contact with the western
peoples, and as shown in every relation
of personal life and national policy.
In the ninth century the foreign trade
of China temporarily acquired consid-
cradle magnitude, and led to the set
tlement of many foreigners in her sea-
port cities. One hundred and twenty
thousand OF these were massacred at
one time in the capital city of Tche-
Kiang. These were Christians, He
brews, Hohammedans an Magians,
whose numbers were ascertained from
tax-lists; OF the number of natives
who were murdered on the same occas-
ion, no record exists. There is no rea-
son to suppose that this was the first
instance of the promiscuous slaughter
of large population. Nor from that
time to this has there been a single in
stance in which bloodshed has not been
carried to the utmost, whatever terri
tory has been conquered by arms, or
cities have been subjugated by siege.
Less than seven years ago, the city of
Schuchang, in the province of Kansuh,
was held by rebels, and was invested
by the Imperial forces. The fortifica-
tiOns. were preached by the explosion
of mines and then carried by storm.
After the surrender the chiefs were
hacked in pieces. Nearly sixteen hund-
red men were laid on the ground in
rows and then beheaded. In the
words of the Pekin Gazette: "The
same night a corps entered the city,
and set it on fire; bullets and spears
did their work till five thousand and
four hundred, save about nine hundred
females, children and old folks, were
given to the flames, and peace reigned
in Schuchang." The official account
then adds with the greatest equanimity
d" that the maiden and the wife had far
from escaped violation" and closes
with the statement that the enemies
Of the Emperor had been executed
as their muster-roll was called, like
sheep or pigs in their pens, not one es-
Gaping" Such is now, and such has
been from the earliest times, the Chin
ese idea of conducting war.
The ingrained ferocity of the people,
A~~ - kL1 S1~1eo.k c-I l.,