The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-04
A CHINESE TEN-SIROKE.

1t is significant news which comes from
China via France. The Chinese rebels in
certain of the provinces have been making
IL exceedingly lively for foreigners in their
neighborhood. For months past they have
been driving and killing Christian men,
ontraging Christian women and destroying
the property of those good people w no have
gone from Europe and America to save the
souls of the Acknowledged disciples of Con
FUCIAs. Stories of the awful butcheries
nave been coming with startling regularity,
and with each the suspicion is intensified
that whilst the imperial government,
to outward appearances, sets its
lace against the doings of its
subjects it is not at heart displeased with
these outrages and butcher1es Matters
have come to such pass that latterly the
great powers of Europe have been consult
ing with each other as to the propriety of
joining forces in making and enforcing
demand upon the Emperor that he will
give money compensation for the damage
already done and will see to it that for
elgners are protected against his people in
every part of the empire. Newspaper
readers have been expecting every morn
ing to read that France, Germany, Great
Britain and perhaps the United States
had ordered war ships to China with in
structions to their commanders to unite in
such formidable demonstration as would
fetch the Chinese authorities to their
senses and cause them 10 put forth vigor-
Gus efforts for the suppression of lawless-
ness in the interior provinces.
But whilst waiting for this announce
ment the news comes that England has
come to an understanding with China by
which mutual aid shall be rendered sin the
event OF certain contingencies Those
contingencies are readily understood as be-
ing an attempt on the part of Russia to go
eastward. The ambition of several gener-
atoms OF Russian rulers has been
to extend the eastern boundary
OF the empire, and that ambition
has been gratifed occasionally until Great
Britain became alarmed for her Indian
empire, and few years ago interfered to
prevent further encroachments on the part
OF Russia upon the petty states which were
being absorbed. Not daring to proceed in
the direction of India latterly Russia has
been increasing the army on the Chinese
frontier, evidently with the view to an
early REIMBURSEMENT of the boundary. 1t is
thus easy to understand why China should
seek an alliance with Great Britain and
why the latter should not be averse to the
combination. 1t is a case of mutual protec-
ton against the encroachments OF a foe
who becomes more dangerous to either the
further he proceeds beyond his present
bounds.
In view OF yesterdays cable news we do
not apprehend that the European powers
will carry out their intention to make q
threatening demonstration in Chinese
waters. These powers will not act with
out Great Britain, and the latter can do
better by keeping China as her friend.
Meantime everybody will be reminded that
1t was long ago the boast of Eli HUNG
CHANG, the Chinese premier, that the way
for China to avoid trouble with the west
ern powers, was to keep on good terms
with one of those powers, when that gov
eminent would stand between China and
her enemies, the battles being those of
diplomacy instead of bullets The willy old
Ii has been rightly styled the BISMARCK OF
China, and never was his peculiar diplo-
macy employed to better advantage than in
forming an alliance with Great Britain at
this critical time.