Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-23
POLITICAL RIOTS.
The People In China Employ This
Method to Punish Omcials.

The People In China Employ This
Method to Punish officials.
From the New York Recorder.
Margherita Arlna Hamm of New York
has made many wonderful trips through
China, and understands the people and the
language probably better than any other
American woman. She has been greatly
interested in the recent riots in Ku-Cheng
as she visited that city while exploring the
southern provinces, and made some careful
analyzations Of the laws. habits and do
ings of the people. The position of the
missionaries she considers very dangerous
She said, anent the late riots and massa-
cres: THE massacre at ku-Cheng Is one of
those frightful events, which can only oc-
cur in China. Ku-Cheng is a pretty city,
within a hundred miles from Foo-Chow,
and has long been a favorite station for
The American, English and other mission
airy societies. They have done good work
there, and said to have several hun
drcd converts. On several occasions they
have been threatened by the mob, as mis-
sionaries In that land often are, but Moth
ing particularly bad cruel has occurred
in that locality for many years. In the
immediate neighborhood, however, there
have been many outrages from time to
time.
What is needed in the present case is a
demonstration by the great powers that
will compel the Chinese government to
make rigid example of every human be-
Ing who took part in the massacre at Ku-
Cheng The only thing there is to do is to
behead every person who took part in the
outrage. Criminal law in China Is very
simple. Every minor offense can be ex-
plated by fine or bride. or both. Every
larger offeEse is punishable with death
NO other course has the slightest effect
upon the popular imagination. Deeper than
q nd - ~
the world, is the extraordinary fact that
the Chinese people use the riot as the DO
litical agency of great potency.
In their system of government, to use
responsible for all that happens in that
state, the mayor of city for all in the
city, the alderman of a ward for all in his
ward. and the captain of an election dis
trict for all in his district
IF a serious riot breaks out in his dis
trict. the captain is degraded, disgraced or
beheaded: break out in a ward the alder
man; II in the city, the mayor, and if in
state, the governor. This being the law,
whenever any official becomes too tyranri-
cal or corrupt the people get up a riot
This is done cold-bloodedly, and nearly
every detail is arranged beforehand. Very
often the houses that are to be burned are
marked one week in advance, and a similar
program Is put on foot in regard to the
people to be killed.
THE present riot probably is of this
LASS Il, euu. t:oH 10 It's DeilS antl-CnrlS-
tian and anti-foreign in character This
having been larger riot than usual, and
having been directed against foreigners,
who are one hundred times more import
ant than a Chinese subject, it is fair to
presume that ku-Cheng is suffering from
the malgovernment of Tai-Tai, a Tao-Tat-
l1ai-Fang-Ting or a Fan-Tai, these four
officials corresponding to a district com
mander-fn-chief, a project, a county Judge
and county treasurer
such Is the civilization which these
heroic women are endeavoring to reform
and Christianize. They have a larger task
than what had the disciples 1000 years
fering the stripes, the tortures and the
ignominious death which were awarded
the founders of our faith