The Indianapolis journal., 1895-09-03
MUCH LIKE ANARCHY
SITUATION IN CHINA DESCRIBED nv
ONE FAMILIAR WITH 1T.
Chester Holcomb's View OF the Cause
Of Recent Riots-Russia and Japan
Sure to Come to Blows, He.says.

SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. 2-Chester Hol-
comb, who has just returned from China,
after twenty-one years service in the
American legation at Peking, says the re-
cent massacre is traceable to- thz~-EesaltA
of the recent Chlnese-Japanese war. 'At
the commencement Of the recent war be-
tween China and Japan,'' said he, '1t was
generally feared that the lives OF foreign
ers in China would be in great danger as
long the war lasted, and it is only since
the hostilities ceased that danger has COM
menced. We have had proof of the fact in
the recent massacres. and think can ex-
plain the reason. In the first place the
great mass Of Chinese are disappointed
with the result of the war and are taking
revenge on all foreigners. whom they can
kill with impunity. In the second place, the
killing and pillage is given great encourage
ment by reason of the depredations COM
mitted by hordes OF disbanded soldiers all
over the country. The Chinese government
has a peculiar method of disposing of its
troops at the close of a war. When the
soldiers are no longer needed, they are dis
charged from service at the place where
they happen to be at the time. The fact
that an army may be several hundred or
a thousand miles away from it's starting
point when it is disbanded. and the fact
that the soldiers may not possess any
means of getting home does not interest
the government in the least The troops are
turned loose and, to use an American ex-
preston, they have to beat their way back
to the place from whence they came That
they should pillage and commit depredations
Is. therefore. natural TO such people under
such conditions, and tranquility viii not
reign in China for some time TO come.
Just before left Japan / learned that
an American missionary, who has been
laboring near Peking since. 1880, had been
. and csr BY knife Ms
him quite we'll for years. 1t is only fair to
say, however, that the assailants We're ar
II such prompt action was taken in the
cases OF the other offenders, the whole
sale killing of missionaries in China would
bic, however. to mete out justice to Of
tending Chinese In the interior provinces
and the fault is the fault of the govern
Mr.. Holcomb says the most interesting
question in the Orient at the present, out.
side Of the missionary massacres and the
Russia and Japan. That Japan and Russia
will become mixed up in a dispute that will
result in war goes without saying" said he,
tilites is not far off. Then the Japanese
have a big grievance against Russia, and
Russia is preparing @ to make lake things ling warm
told very frankly by japanese officials who
hold high positions in the government that
the Japanese WOulu i've 10 rue the udy
when she permitted herself to become mixed
up in a war with China. 1t has given Rus
STA an opportunity she has long waited for.
No one knows better than how narrowly
Japan escaped a war with Russia when she
got through with her war with China The
Japanese were so incensed at Russia's atti-
tude in the matter of the cession Of Lao
Tung peninsula that the Japanese officials
talked seriously OF engaging in squabble
with Russia. / was in Japan at the time,
and heard it all. A certain member of the
Japanese Cabinet, whose acquaintance /
made when he was sent TO Peking as the
Japanese minister to China. said to me at
the time: Russia has six ironciad battle
ships We have but one, and that We cap
tured from the Chinese. IL we had but four
ironclads, only three. we would defy
Russia That is just what Russia wanted
them to do. Russia will yet so aggravate
the Japanese that they will declare war.
Then Russia will attempt TO drive the Jap
anese out of Corea. where they are now
masters of the situation The Japanese are
debating affairs iQ Corea, for, while the
King still remains on the throne, he does
nothing that counts in authority. The fight
between Russia and Japan will be over
Corea, and Ii will come just as soon as
Russia finds that she wants an open port
on the Pacific"
tonight.