Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-09-11

practically no danger as long as the
| war lasted. and 1t is only since the
hostillties ceased that the danger has
commenced We have had proof OF the
fact IN the recent mRasacres. and
think can explain the reason.
I'm the frst place the great mass OF
Chinese are disappointed with the re-
suit of the war, and are taking revenge
on all the foreigners whom they can
kill with impunity.
I'm the second place the killing and
plllaglng receives great encouragement
by reason OF the depredatlons commit
ted by hordes Of disb0nded soldiers all
over the country. The Chinese govern
ment has a peculiar method OF dis-
posing OF It's troops at the close OF
war. when the soldiers are no longer
needed they are discharged from nerv-
Ice at the place where they happen to
be at the time. The fact that an army
may be several hundred or thousand
miles away from home when II Is dts
banded. 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 express
sion, they have to beat their way
back TO the place from whence they
came That they should pillage and
commit depredations is therefore only
cumHtances. and tranquility viii not
reign IN China for some time TO come.
Just before ! left Japan / learned that
an American missionary, who has been
laborng near Pekln since 1868, has
been assaulted and severely cut with
d knife. His name Is ID, $. Sheffield.
and | have known him quite well for
years. II is only fair to the other,
however. 10 say that the assnilants
were arrested and will be tried for
their offense. II such prompt action
were taken In the cases Of other Offend
crs the Wholesale killing OF mlssion-
aries In China would be speedily stop
ped 1t Is almost impossible. however.
to fnete out justice to offending Chin
csc In the Interior provinces, and the
fault IN the fault OF the government"
Mr. Holcomb says the most Interest,"
Ing question in the Orient, at the pres
ent time. outside OF the missionary
massacrcs and the cholera. Is the APP
pronehlng conflict between Russia and
Japan.
''That Japan and Russia will become
mixed up In a dispute which will re-
suit In war. goes without saying" he
said. and the commencement OF actual
hoaulltieE " not far on. The Japanese
have big grievance against Russia,
aud Russia is preparing to make things
warm for the Japanese. The other day
/ was told very frankly by Japanese
officials who hold high positions In the
government that Japan would live to
rue the day when she permitted her
self to become mixed up In war with
China. II has given Russia an oppor-
tunity she has long waited for.
mo one knows better than l how
narrowly Japan escaped u war with
Russia when she got through with her
war with China. The Japanese were 10
lncensed at Ruasia's attitude In the
innttcr OF the cessiun of Lao Tung
peninsula that the Japanese officials
talked seriously OF engaging Ia
gquabble with Russia. I was In Japan
at the time ana heard 1t all, a certain
member OF the japanese cabinet. whose
Acquaintance I made when he was sent
No peklng us the Japanese minister to
china, said To mo at the time Russia
has six lrou-cdd battle ships, We have
but one, and thut we captured from the
Chinese. II We had but four lrOn-clads,
or only three, We would defy Russia
That IL lust what Russia wanted them
10 do, Russia will yet 20 aggravate the
Japanese that they win declare war
Then Russia will attempt TO drive the
Japanese out OF Corca whore they are
now nnAters OF the situation. Tho
Japanese are debating affairs In Corea,
for while the king remains ON the
throne, he does nothing that counts
In authority. The fight between Russia
and Japan viii be over COrea and II
viii come Just as soon as Russia finds
that Hhe wants an open port ON the
Pacific"