The Washington critic., 1888-08-07
WASHINGTON, AUGUST =, 1883.
lTir BELLIGERENT CmNAMEN.

11IL BELLIGERENT CHINAMEN.
The biggest lie Of the season comes
from Australia by the way of San Fran.
cisco, and is to the effect that the Chi
nese Government being highly incensed
by the prohibition Of Chinese immigra.
ton, has ordered all its subjects in tho
Australian colonies.to close up their bu
siness within three years and return
home.
The Imperial proclamation contain
ing this order goes on to say, or purports
to say further, that China, with what we
should call in the United States militia
force of $4,000, 600 men and the nucleus
of good navy, proposes to so improve
her army and strengthen her naval
forces as TO be able at the end of the
aforesaid period of three years to cope
with Great Britain and obtain ample
satisfaction for the aiTronts which that
Government has cast upon the Celestial
Empire.
1t is not improbable that China has
ordered her Australian subjects home;
but that the Emperor has issued procla-
nation giving England three years no.
tice of his intention TO open an aggres-
sivc warfare upon her is too absurd for
belief
If it be true, the question becomes of
interest to the United States, for this
country, in maintaining the policy of
restriction of Chinese immigration, is
joined in the same issue, and in the
event of war with China could hardly
avoid being drawn into it as England S
ally.
But let us look at the matter seriously
for a moment. Ten or twelve years ago
the Russian statesman, Count Schouva-
loft, read paper at an international
conference in Europe, in which, con
sidering the enormous population and
resources of China, he entertained the
contingency as not at all chimerical,
that some time in the future Europe
might be called upon to resist an in
vasion from China, the most formidable
in history and compared to which the
armies of Xerxes would be but feather
weights.
Imagine an army of 100000 men
we'll supplied with the appliances of
modern warfare, thoroughly disciplined
and provisioned and able to be recruited
up to millions more, as occasion might
require, setting westward like an ocean
in its flow on a mission of conquest. II
would convulse the whole of Europe
and bankrupt her treasures, especially
if supplemented with q navy CORE
spending in strength and efficiency with
the army of occupation.
All this may seem like an idle dream,
yet the idea was conceived by one who
was in no sense a dreamer, and it may
become necessary for China, as an eco
nomic measure, to adopt some sucl
means for the reduction of her surplus
population. What flood and pestilenct
fail to do sufficiently, a general wal
would undoubtedly accomplish and find
its compensations in new elements Of
strength, which China can never expect
20 acquire so long as she continues t.
isolate herself from the rest of mankind
The INDIVIDUAL who amuses himsel
by going around and saying that IN
hasn't seen night this summer whel
he didn't have to sleep under banke
has failed to put in an appearance for tn
last few days. The supposition is tina
he has frozen to death.
TIE ELECTION in Alabama yesterda
was for Governor, State officers ant
members Of the Legislature. Two year
ago Governor Seay out Of total vott
of 1S2,429, received vote of IA, 737
having a majority OF 100000 over all
This year his majority will be propol
tionately as large, the Republicans an
Prohibitionists making no well-orgar
lied opposition to the ticket. Tho elc,
tion, in short, was n good deal like tn
handle of jug, and it was very W,
jug.
The FINANCIAL adviser Of the Khl
live Of Egypt is on his way to tn
ountry. He probably needs a chang
II scene and wants to look at our Trea
ury surplus.
Mn ROGER @. MILLS has been batl
ing in the salt sea waves at Asbury Parl
The Texas statesman has probably bee
listening to Republican opinions unt
has concluded that he was too fres
CiENEEAL CLINTON b. Fisk, Prohib
lion candidate for President, has lea
out with letter Of acceptance, in whiC
he says
Conceived in ayaricious inquty, born OF log
iatiyo wodlock, the licensed saloon, the leg
izod liquor traffic, bastard child Of q oivlzati
protesting purity and virtue, must be strang
by tho civilization which begat IT, or that ciy
ization must 90 forever branded with the scar
lotter of It's own shame.
There would be absolutely no satisfa
tion in having man like that ask you
take a drink with him, would there?
Our or 3lS IMMIGRANTS landed at Ca
tie Garden the other day by Han
burg steamer fully 100 were either dies
tute or physically disabled. 1t won
certainly be within the easy reach
legislation TO prevent such undesirah
importations as those. If it were ON