The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-23
lnLIRS N CHINA.

IT,. accent events In China, he would be
1917 ~ the conclusion that his countrymsn
io s., ann 70, In common with all other for.
in... ,ssiisnt there. are In immediate dam
,io,ine their lives bv mob violence. and
- aria the oldest. and. In point OF popula-
W. W. ,hs greatest nation upon the face Of the
wv. wv. n about to loss ita identity and
.,,h.r BE- parcslled out among European
49,. ar at least to pass into the practical
W'.,aI oi one or moro OF thsm: and II he were
V.sssn, the various theories which are being
w,.....d A 10 the cause Of the recent out
80. bs would conclude that certain Chinese
49, ~. .oeisties with sAgacity and far-reach-
- .,b.ms, which to say the least would do
49,. erss, credit, arc seeking BY outrages
Wv to,aieners to embroil China In . war
III W. me powsrs OF Europe and America in
"a, that their leaders may Dust the present
T.rtsr ruler. and plnee pure China.
- unon tho throne. while Great Britain 10
I..,ro use OF those outbreaks. II. indeed. she
:. ,ot directly instieating them. In order to
-. China into an alliance with hor as val
W. w .llv In her future struggles with Russia.
w. ~ ,,itsr. speaking after many years OF resi-
tss.. IN China knowledge OF it, lAnRus age.
.ss ultimate association with oil classes Of its
-..ris from the rulers OF the empire down to
~ coolies or day laborers. Is forced 10 dis
...du much OF the inform alton furnished. and
- sbsolutely reject all OF tue theories ad-
v,ncod for reasons given below.
rhsrs Ia no occasion to 20 40 tar adeld. or to
- ,or .ny dsep. laid plot In order to account
"a, tho recent outraRes In tho valley OF the
y.,.tsa The masses Of the Chinese people
A. Intensely superstitious. They belisvs In
..rlo. the avii eye. ghosts. spiris. and In .
M, Of supernatural agencies OF which we
h,,. no knowledge. The most unimportant
.rsu Of life cannot occur until some ono or
r.,, Of the horde Of fortune telisrs found In
s,,r, city or village In tho empire has been
ssrsul,.d, The writer has seen great thronGs
a, n.ops going outside the walls Of PekinR
IA vor.hip and offer sacrifice. not to
a live fox. or even . dead ono, but
At the abandoned hole OF foxl And.
occasionally. whirlwinAs Or cyclones Of
~, most intense superstitious excitement.
coming and going no one can say why or how.
and rousiug the people to an sxtreme OF frenzy
and fear, sweep over portions OF tho empire.
Tsv persons resident IN Peking in the winter Of
1880 will forget the intense excitement
created there BY stories current among the
natives about tail cutting" No weli authen.
Heated case Of q single person who had SUI
Iok00 tu0 IOoo Va hlo 0uooV VINO AuO"us Nv
busIusss was almost at standstill. the people
dared not leave their houses after night
fall. proelamations were issued By the
authorities sxhorting auietnsss and eau
ton, and also. in some instances, CIV
ins In detail certain precautions also
magical In their nature. to be observed In Or
DIR to prevent the loss OF the queue. and yet.
from ths beginning to tho end OF it. no one
sssld tell why tho excitement arose nor what
caused 1t 70 subsids. A similar reign Of terror
existed for several months at another time
throughout the province Of FukisD. caused By
airport that sbme mystsrious agency Was
EsItsrlng . mysterious powder in the wells
from which tho supply Of water was drawn.
During another period OF excitement
h The southern part Of the province
ai Chilli native in the employ OF
snissionary society in passing through
IviTlags was stopped by the old mon OF the
place a. . wise precaution In order to inquire.
stlsh was done most politely. who he was and
vhars no was going. Very intentionally he re-
spondsd that he was " . man below heaven and
lboys the earth" whereupon the villagers. 500
Inc their issrs confirmed. seized the man. dug
EtAvs. and proceeded to bury him alive! All
iorsisnsrs resident In the Interior OF China arc
NALls TO md themselves at any moment In the
midst Of one of these whrlWinds OF supsrsti-
tlous sxeitsment. and In danger through some
entirely innocent but misunderstood act or
VOID Of directing suspicion 70 themselves and
becoming tho victims OF popular fury. Still
further. the masses OF the Chinese have deep
seated distrust and fear OF all foreigners.
They cannot understand why we leave our
own land snd 60 among them. unless It bs
that a. they believe. theirs 10 better than ours.
snd We wish to secure 1t for ourselves. But
psrhsps tho main cause OF their objection to
Is Is found In the belief current among
thsm that all foreigners possess mysti-
al and supernatural powers in . high
dskrss. They bel eve that We have magic
Medicine. little OF which rubbed In tho palm
eiths hand and thus held before the face OF .
Chinese will hypnotic him and mako him tho
uhrsasonng slave Of the foreigner. They be-
hsve that va SCOOP out the eyes OF infants and
youus children and use thsm. with other por-
items Of their bodies. to manufacture this magic
powder. Nothing 10 moro common In passing
along the streets OF Chinese town than to sec
ahativs having q child In his arms on catching
sieht Of tho foreigner hastily cover the child's
syss until the object Of his fear has passed out
ofsght The fearful massacre at Tientsin In
June. 1870. In which twenty-thres foreigners.
1A"ss VI whom WoEo DlbtoEo VI CuSIltys W0t0
put to death In ways too shocking for
print and which cost the Government Of
China bali million dollars and the humilla-
ton II . special embassy Of apology to France.
Wa solely caused BY q rumor. started NO one
knew how. that those gentle women were tax
lnkthe eyes Of Chinese children and making
mAaicine from them. And = cu,ious COM
msstary upon the unreasonlne frenzy OF .
Chinese mob 10 found In tho fact thar In this
massars more Cantonese than foreigners
Wers killed. TO the native ct Tientstn the
man nom the Other end Of China was . for
eisnsr. and though mono OF Thorn were con-
nsetsd with the missionary establishments
mat we're the special object Of the outbreak.
NJ Who could be reached were put to death
Aany OF the so-csllsd missionary ont.
fsess" Es tho result OF opposition on the part
elhs native inhabitants In interior cities and
owns 10 the location Of foreigners In their
mast Aud In few rare oases the popular
outbreak has been directly owing to acts Of In
a''crs'ion upon the part OF the missionaries
themselves. acts due to the possession OF more
Zeal than wisdom.
'ns Chinese Government. In rscoRnition Of
.os benevolent and philanthropio nature of the
WIZ aonsby missionaries. has tacitly given 10
'nls eisss Of foreigners the privilege. not &C.
solosd BY treaty nor allowed TO any other
elA&A. OF 60ttln0 at anv pnint HAafr>N In thA