The herald., 1894-12-21
BLOOD ON THE CHRYSANTHEMUM


Creelman's account OF the savagery OF
the Japanese army at the storming OF
Port Arthur is not pleasant reading for
those western" nations who have been
"pointing with pride" at the advanced
civilization" of these "Frenchm mon Of
the Orient" The details OF atrocities by
the "unspeakable Turk" in Armenia.
published on the same day, while they
thrilled civilization" with proper hor-
ror did not startlo our refined senses
as did the butcheries perpetrated by
the Japanese. We had imbibed the
idea that these people were a brave,
gentle, chivslrous raoe-an artistic,
esthstic. poetic people who would rather
propagate q new variety OF chrysanthe.
mum than cut the throat OF their Bit
terest enemy. In this We were measur-
ably mistaken. In the cutting OF
threats they can give the Turk
cards and spades and beat him
at his own game. The chrysan-
themum prediction is but the
pale yellow glamour OF fad idealized-
the faint reflex of a temperament capa-
Bile OF appreciating concord uI
sweet sounde," yet barbarcus enough to
fiddle while cities burned"
Civilization at it's best but q thin
veneer of barbsrism. All that redeems
the sturdy Saxon from the inherent
brutality of his nature is his chivalry.
The Greek was the highest type of
ancient civilization. but it was a civili-
zation in outward seeming only--a
whited sepulcher having the charnsl
rottenness of treachery, deceit and sen.
suslity.
The Japsnese are not Greeks. neither
are they of Saxon mould or disposition.
They are merely refined barbarians, ca
pablo of assimilating the virtues of
superior races while retaining all the
ferocisy of a piraticsl. village sacking,
rapins loving ancestry.
And yet western civilization" cannot
logically condemn this instinct in race
popularity believed to possess the gen tie
virtues Of nation of esthetes. In the
itself liable to similar ebulitions, and
aside from sporadic lynchings and indi-
vidual homicidsl tendency, delights to
applaud the pugilist of the prize ring
and the brutes OF the football
gridiron. Then it must be remem bered
that the victorious eoldisrs CT Port
Arthur eaw the heads of their comrades
strung by the nose as hideons garlands
for the porticos of Chinese temples !;
they were maddened by the vision of
tives displayed in mockery over the city
gates. These were spectscles suffi cient
70 stir the blood OF less warlike race
than the Japanese, and to rouse vindic-
tive fury in the hearts of people even
more esthetically inclined than the
subjects of the mikado.
1t is disappointment, however. We
had hoped 30 much from these ami able.
suave, courteous children OF the Orient.
Through them we had expected to filter
"the fierce glare OF the nineteenth CEN
tury" upon the arid wastes of
madieval Asia. Our missionaries
and philsnthropists had counted upon
eventually "sprsading the light of
Christianity" over the vast area OF be-
nightsd Buddhism, which, like Alph.
the sacred river. spreads Through cav
erns meaeureless to man, down to a
sunleRs sea-" Now, alas these hopes
are blasted. The blaze of a millennium
has gone out in the night OF barbarian
and the skies of q golden promise are
crimson with the reflected glow of seas
of blood. The gentle Jap is no longer a
fond delueion n-he is a murderous, raw
ening. diabolical reality-a monster Of
hdeous mien, not one whit better than
hia Chinese antagonist and no more
worthy of civilized consideration than
our own banditti, against whom We have
been compelled to erect the barrier Of
Law without Justice and Order that in
cites Anarchv.