Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-08-20


and how nearly approaching the ma
ture of a religion is the reverence of
the Chinese for their social customs.
Yet the disregard by foreigners of all
that the Chinese hold sacred is delib-
| erately made a constant source of ir-
| ritation. In the words of one of our
own officials, "among the Chinese, the
unsullied reputation and modest de-
meanor of females is very highly es-
teemed; and the rules for separating
the sexes are very strict, both in re-
gard to their personal intercourse, and
the seclusion Of their apartments" !"
Yet the Chinese female converts are
led to disregard this public opinion
and, by open defiance of the usages
common among the respectable classes
of their own people, give offence to
their relatives and neighbors. In
some cases the marriage contract has
been interfered with by the foreigners !;
and it was to such cause that the
death of one of the missionaries in
1869 was due. 1t is to be noted in
this connection that while the assas-
sins of the missionary were executed,
one of them beheaded and the other
strangled, certain convicts engaged in
| offensive operations against the Chi
nese Government have never been
punished; and that in another in
stance native convert who headed a
mob that killed two hundred natives
was, through the influence of the mis-
sionaries enabled to escape beyond sea,
and was never traced. Many of the
assaults on foreigners which have
awakened indignation in Europe and
in this country, were kindled originally
by the deliberate violation of Chinese
law, or of usages which have the force
of law. 1t has been no uncommon
thing for the foreign missionaries to
assume governmental pretensions, and
thus strike directly at the home au-
thority of the local officials. The as
sassination of the Governor of Macao
in 1S49 was the result of cutting roads
through the graves of the Chinese bur-
led outside the city, and the riot in
the French Concession in 1875 arose
from the same cause. When We recall
the venerati)n of the Chinese for their
ancestors, it is not surprising that
public opinion took the form of violent
resistance to the desecration of the
graves. 1t is not difficult to imagine
that something similar might have oc-
CURED even in an American city, had
an identical cause existed.
Everywhere in China the foreigner
has sought to enforce his will by the
exercise of arbitrary power; the guns
of war vessels and the sabres of ma
rines are his only arguments. And
inasmuch as the Chinese, though ply
sically brave, are badly armed and
worse disciplined, it was only to be ex-
pected that all the resources of Asiatic
diplomacy would be brought to bear
with all Of native craft in defence of
native rights. Nor shall we fail to find
that, after all, the subtlely and fore
sightedness of the Asiatic have more
than equalled the force of the invaders.
The claim that foreigners should trade
without let or hindrance in any part of
the Empire, and that the payment OF
internal taxes should be remitted in
their favor, has been successfully
evaded or resisted until Great Britain,
who controls seven-eighths of the trade
with China, has virtually ceased to in
sist upon it. 1t is not likely that any
other country will hereafter seriously
attempt to enforce it. The indirect
efforts to secure the purposed domi-
nance of foreign influence in the in
terror of China by the introduction of
railroads, telegraphs, and steam navi-
CATION have been brought to the same
dismal end.
Meanwhile Chinese merchants, en-
tering the paths of competition which
were opened to them perforce, have in
great measure crowded European
traders from numerous ports more or
less remote from Chinese coasts. This
is true of the trade with Saigon, in
Cochin China, with Bangkok in Siam /;
with Singapore in India; with Batavia
in Java; and with Manila in the Phil
ippine Islands. A short time ago the
British India Steam Navigation Com
pany had strong line of vessels on
the route between Calcutta and Sing
apore. touching at intermediate points
A Chinese company started line be-
tween Ranoon and Singapore, and in
a short time the British line, except
for a government subsidy, would have
been compelled to stOp,-the carrying
business, at latest accounts, being re-
duced to the lowest ebb.
Six years ago foreign company
without concession from the Chinese
authorities laid short railway to con-
meet Shanghai with the river entrance
to the harbor. 1t was conceded that
the foreigners who undertook the en-
terprise had no right to do so; and the
American minister expressed the opin.
ion that the body of ministers at
Pekin ought in advance to hold Ian