The Washington critic., 1886-03-12
.IItsTICE TO CHINA.


\ soldier of the Fourteenth Infantry
was tried on the 18th ult. by general
court.martial at Seattle, Washington
Territory, for smashing in the windows
of a Chinaman store in that place,
and being found guilty, he was sen.
fenced to a dishonorable discharge from
The army and three years imprson.
mcnt ut hard labor. The sentence was
approved and is to be duly executed ut
Vancouver Barracks
II may be that the penalty imposed
in this case was too severe, but nobody
will deny that the trial aud its findings
We're in the line of justice even though
il was nothing but "hcathcn Chinoe"
whose windows were smashed.
We merely cite the case to show The
contrast between the short, sharp and
decisive action of the Seattle court
martial and the limping, knock kneed,
evasiyc course that similar cases usually
take in the ordinary courts. We
would further ask if what is possible
in the army for disciplinc's sake is not
equally possible under the civil law for
the sake Of the public peace.
1t is not great while ago that out
RACES upon Cinnamon took place in
Wyoming that are Il blot upon our
civilization. Outragcs of Il like char.
acter have since occurred in Ore.
gon and Washington Territory, but
the Rock Springs infamy is particularly
mentioned because it is in reference to
this that the President recently sent
special message to Congress.
Here was not only an open violation
of the law, but IN infraction Of treaty
obligations; but we have yet to learn
that single one of the murdcrcrs, well
known as they were, or easily might
have been, to the Territorial authori
ties, has been hung for his crime or
that even solitary indictment has
been found,
This great and glorious Government
stands Indifferent and unabashcd in the
presence of this great crime until
months afterwards, as if to add insult
to injury, the President recommends to
Congress that although our Govern.
ment is in no wise responsible, yet it
might be well rs an act of condescen-
sion and magnanimity, TO make some
PREPARATION in money for the indignities
and brutalitics to which the Wyoming
Cinnamon were subjected. .
This, we submit, is the mcrcst tray
esty upon international Justice and to
suppose that the Chinese Government
will accept as satisfactory any indem-
nifty couched in such terms is TO sup
pose that Government devoid of self
respect and common sense.
THE CRITIC published few days
ago statement based upon creditable
information as to what the Chinese
Government expected of the United
States in this matter and what might
be the consequences in case its reason.
able demands were not complied with.
There is no reason to doubt the truth
of the statement. 1t certainly cannot
be disproved by any censorship Of the
news.
At all events the United States should
'nrbe Just as well as generous it should
be just before it is generous, when
clearly in the wrong or it may sooner
or later find itself in trouble compared
with which the evils of Chinese immi.
grafton are as nothing, If we would
retain our commercial relations with
The Celestial Empire, which can easily
be made worth 800, 900, 600 instead OF
SS0,0O0,00O year; if we would pro
mote the liberal franchises now eX.
tended to American trade in Chinese
waters; If we would profit by the sug.
gestions of Minister DENLY who looks
for the wide adoption in China of many
OF our appliances and modes of manu-
facture; if we would prevent stupen.
dous losses and avoid costly entangle
ments and possibly a costlier war, Con
gress should see to it that existing
treaties are religiously maintained, tha
high crimes against unoirending China
men are not committed with impunity
and that whatever legislation is en-
acted to regulate an obnoxious immi
grafton, no measure is countenancci
that looks to reputation or evasion
of any just or valid obligation. Let II
act on the square with China and W.
can rest assured that China will ac
squarely by the United States Other
wise not.
\ CORRESPONDENT of TuE Critic
who attended the Morgan art sales il
New York on several occasions las
week, INDUCES in various free .hande
criticisms of that wonderful display o
money and credulity. While on
readers may not all agree with him il
his judgments, they are none the les
tersely put and refroshingly vigorous
Concerning the merits of the pictur,
by Corot, purchased by the Corcorai
Art Gallery, there will be greater
nnanimiiy of opinion, perhaps. As
yet the artistic taste Of this country /
hardly educated up or down, as tn
case may be, to the Corot standard.
The pending labor troubles hav
naturally had an adverse effect upol
business in New York. The more i'm
mediate result is the difficulty now eX