The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-11
THE MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Hard Lot OF the Men Who Preach the
Gospel To- the Beafhen.
Special Correspondence Chicago Daily



News
Shanghai. June al--The new republic cf
Formosa has lived and died I'm the period
of day. and ms the Japs are practically
in peaceful possession OF the island pub
lie attention is for the moment centerei
on the Yangtzse valley. where, as I men
toned In my last letter, such outrages
have again taken place. The missionaries
being unfortunately still shut up In the
yamen at Chengtu. full details have not
yet reached us OF the horrors which pre-
ceded their confinement, neither do Wa
know yet what they Gre still suffering. ir
at all.
All that is known is that the property
and belongings. public and private, OF
every mission In CheDgtu have been utter
~ destroyed. and that the missionaries
have just escaped with their lives. When
IL is taken into account, however, that
one of the ladies now in the yamen -
Just recovering from n severe attack OF
typhoid fever and that two or thres
others have very young infants. the fact
that they must he suffering very consid-
erahle trials IL self-evdent They must
he without all or most of the. TO us.
necessaries OF life, and certainly of COM
fort and compelled 10 live on native food.
They must lack clothing and chiness
yamen. even with good supply Of conl-
forts, is anything hut n desirable resi-
dencs in this hot weather, especially sB
their accommodation must be very limit
ed As far as we know. however. IN the
absence Of direct communication. no lives
have been lost and II is 10 he hoped that
these unfortunate people will not perma-
nently suffer from the nervous strain they
must now he going through.
FGrther outrages on a smaller seals
have taken place Mt other stations. II is
stated aud fears are entertained that
they win spread all along the Yanrtxss
valley. After the usual feeble course of
bringing pressure 10 bear upon the Tsunz-
lie yamen. ncw invariably adopted by tho
foreign representatives al Pekiug. and tho
isgtie from Pekina of several mandates
70 the Yangtzse officials 20 preserve order.
ctlnboats have at last been dispatched fo
Ichang and Hsnkow. There have been 80
many Of these riots that ~ Is surely TINA
the powers recognized the fact that China
IS not a civilized country controlled by
central government and smenahie tn inn
rsrfal authority.
China is a mass Of independent and cor
rupt principaiities. which each 70 their
own way and cast imperial rescrfpfs i'm
the fra III TO observe them does not SUIT
their convenience. TO issue commands
from Peking 20 viceroy or mandarin in
secheun. therefore. Is utterly futile. and
the only possible chance of redress is to
deal with each province individually
A short tine back the truth Of this was
Illustrated in the instance of piece of
land belonging to a Catholic mission at
Efpkeafeg and which was calmly apprc-
rrtated nv a Chinese mandarin. who built
: wail around H. The mission appealed
a. the French consul who appealed 90
pakgnx of course without the slightest
ef.ac, when. however. French gunhos.
1.isf,ea Kfulxeaieg and the consul sent
,rora IN the officials that II the VAN was
-. ,er.oweS ne would have II removed
himself the obstruction suddeniy oisap-
,eared In spite os this ami many other
,rsta,ces of the kind the foreign repre-
ser,a,ives continue 70 follow the short
etyhtsd modern policy Of treating China
- rreetsaIv the same footing as a Euro
-,ean mower. and the result - European
humiliation.
rats mild conciliatory mode NJ treat
-,a-. se altogether thrown away on
,.C,,,.ry IKE China. the country par ez-
caiienea fucapable % sprrectsting either
tra motives or principles OF any exnlbi-
tor, Of courtesy and CONSIDERATION
country treapabie Of EaialuE integrity
ana honesty and humanity among its
c,.,, r,eon,e n hardly likely 10 be infiu-
enced when these virtues are oispiaSeh
,e.,-sra her bv Others. There - Just now
. tsna DISPUTE in allegiance At Keeling.
vhten is such a rlaring instance OF Chi
80 troacberv and Chinese contempt fsr
,no foreigner that IL IA difficult 10 realize
,oar ,na ministers have withheld their
b,rsa Certain property which had for
--eara heer ivfmg waste was recently sold
>. tse local officials 20 certain foreigners
~ build BUNGALOWS on. ss a sort of sani-
sart,1rp. the land teing on ore Of the
breezy heights which may be found here