Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-07-24
Chinese Risioss.

Foreigners, whether merchants or mis-.
.sionaries. distant from the seacoast rely for
their safety rather upon, the apathy Of the
chinese than the police force Of the suthor-
Iies. On the seacoast ganboats command
respect and secure protection. Even along
the large rivers Of the interior they can
rarely be summoned in reason to sup
press q mob, and away from these
channels Of communication the for
eiRner must depend for his momentary
safety on the good will of the people or
their stolid aoquiescense in bis presence.
Ia Chins, ss in all Oriental lands, the des-
poiic powers Of The Central Government
are balanced by . practical inability to ex.
ert these powers, except TO suppress = ris-
ing. Ordinarily in Eastern counties local
self government Of q rude sort exists to an
extent little appreciated by the Western OBJ
server.
Within the past three months one Of
those inscru'abie waves Of excitement. riot
and racial fsnstioism which from time to
time appear in China has been felt aloo z
the valley Of the Yang tse, Kiapg. 1t has
left behind it plundered mission stations,
murdered foreigners, and fleeing converts
1t has extended mp TO the very gates Of the
foreign quarter in Shanghai, which 10 to all
iatents an European city, with its own
police and civic departments and = emsr:
and well-e fficered force Of volunteers.
The area affected 10 not large or ex'en.
sive; but it is about Nankirg, where one
Of the fisir q took place. The risinss are
in . r, gion intensely Chinese and anti
Msnchu. and the enihoriite of the Imper
isl Govern ment have done what they can to
protect foreigners, to suppress tie mobs.
and by wholesale executions to discourage
future risipgs. Marking was once the
southern csIital Of China, ~ indeed its
name suggests. The great TAPPING insur-
rectiol against Manchu rule started ia its
reighborhood. and it is the seat Of such ira
ditions and aspirations ss still exis, for The
restoration of the Chinese imperial rule, in
place Of the Tartar tribe whose chief now
sits on the yellow peacock throne at Pekine.
. Under these circumstances it 10 not sur
prising ,hat the MODS Of the past three
months are connected with smother Cni-
nese instruction. This 10 possible, but
not probable. ChinAis scanned with great
secret societies, Of Q number. discipline,
and power uni nown n the Wet. The
order Of the White Lily prac,icaily car.
fiso v" 'uo vhr Nhi rfAncc III AOt quiz.
The kolao Hui, . military lea. volrut go
ctety, Is sid to lead the present m ID. on =
step toward risir & whsn these h, m
foreigners shall have .mbroilrd Pesing II
foreign powerh but II is more ptoosbse
that We are simply Witnessing one Of tho.e
sudden spaemooic waves which from tin Q
10 time pass over en- Oriental community,
aud which the oldest foreign residents eau
neither predict nor explain. Ia the forty
years since the Tai,i ,g resurrection the
hsuchu power has greatly diminished and
the Chinese Increased. Within he lat
year Chinese MaDdsrins have even me-
% cit in the Military Council. ani the old
Msnchg caste 10 today Of less weight in the
Army than ever before. A Chinese issui
rsesion has. therefore, NO longer the causes
u once bad, and 10 not nov probable.