The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-09-11
Chinese and Christians.
John w. Foster Compares
Butcherles by Both.

BuLcnerleS Dy BOCn.
WATERFOWL, n. Y, Sept. Sex
Secretary, John W. Foster. delivered
an address tonight in the First Pres
byterian Church of this city, Of which
his son.in law, Rev. A. NJ. Dulles, is
pastor. In the course of his address
he made the following reference to
the recent Chinese rios
"The opinion formed by me after
careful inquiry and observation, is
that the mass of the population in
China. particularly the common peo-
pie, are not specially hostile to the
missionaries and their work. They
have been permitted to penetrate
every part of that vast empire with
as little disturbance as the Chinese
laborers have spread themselves over
the United States, and in case of dan
ger the authorities have usually ex-
erted themselves for their protection.
Occasionally, riots have taken place,
but they are almost invariably traced
to the literati or prospective Office
holders and the ruling classes. These
are often bigotcd and conceited to
the highest degree and regard the
teaching Of the missionaries as tend
ing to overthrow the existing order
of government and society, which
they look upon as a perfect system
and sanctified.
"Tbe war with Japan which result
ed in a humiliating peace, and the
loss of territory, has greatly weak
ened the imperial authority and the
disbandment of several hundred thou
sand troops, mostly without receiving
the pay due them, has added very
much to the discomfort and disorder.
Under such circumstances, it is not
strange that riots should occur and
that the widespread missions
should be the chief sufferers.
These riots have beer mostly confined
to pillaging and destruction Of prop
erty, the chief exception being the
Kucheng massacre, which has justly
Mortified the civilized world
"But we in America should be
clary Of our condemnation when we
recall the many outrages which have
been inflicted upon the Chinese sub
jects in the United States and re-
member that the Rock Springs,
Wyoming, riot, few years ago was
equally cruel and fatal in its results,
and reflected more severely upon our
authorities Although only few
weeks have elapsed since the ku-
cheng massacre. the telegraph in
forms us that near a score Of partlcl-
pants have already been condemned
to death, more than hundred are in
prison awaiting trial, and the impe-
rial government is already arrang-
ing to fully compensate the missions
for ali their losses In contrast with
this summary administration Of JUS.
tice by the Chinese authorities stands
the fact that TO punishment followed
the Rock Springs massacre, compen-
sation was delayed for three years,
and then accompanied b. Legislation
against the Chinese which was pro-
nounced by our Supreme Court as in
violation of treaty but without rem
edy.
"I am, however, in full sympathy
whith the prevailing demand in the
United States that the Chinese
government should be held to a strict
accountability for these outrages.
But in doing this, care should be ex-
ercised by our government that it
does not lend itself to advance the
sinister projects of European govern
ments, which are on the alert to turn
the international troubles of China to
their own benefit The United
States is strong enough to act inde-
pendent of European combinations,
and China has never yet failed to
comply with it's just demands. There
seems to be in part of the public
press of our country misconception
of the ground upon which our gov
ernment bases its intervention on ac-
count ct these riots 1t is not be-
cause we are Christian country
and are seeking to support Chris
tian propagandism in China. 1t is
simply because the people in whose
behalf our government intervenes
are American citizens, pursuing an
avocation guaranteed by treaty and
permitted by Chinese law y