The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1898-04-20

armor girdeds up his Joins, and pre-
pared TO defend his honor War has
actually existed fer two months. Spain
mus set of our continent"
situation IN China.
But. while we view with interest our
diplomatic conditions, We will be wise
If we sweep the horizon and realize the
great history that is being made in the
Orient.
The situation i'm China grows rapidly
from bad to worse. The imperial gov
eminent is drifting hopelessly TO ruin
The emperor, surrounded by eunuchs
and concubnes, If not besotted imbe-
Gle, is a puppet in their hands. 1t Is
case of ignorance teaching the ignor-
ant, or the blind teaching the blind,
and so far as can be seen by even the
wisest and most experienced observers
the end is not far off.
The Japanese have a proverb which
says: There is no medicine for a fool
and every days revelations in the cap
ital of the far east show that the say
ing is as true of the emperor as of the
humblest subject, and that even IL the
means of salvation for himself and his
throne were offered him again and
again, as it has been more than once
in the last decade, there is not the
slightest chance of his accepting it.
In Hopeless Plight.
Corruption, cowardice, and stubborn
ness unite to place the country and its
government in a helpless plight. Their
only chance for the last quarter of a
century has been to call disinterested
Americans to aid them in the work of
regeneration and reorganization, and
this has been shown to them repeatedly,
but in vain. First General Upton, then
General Grant, and finally Generals
Gordon, Wilson and Foster, with more
or less particularly, pointed out to the
Chinese statesmen the road by which
humiliation and ruin might be avoided,
but they rejected all counsel and stead
lily held on TO their corrupt methods
because they were sanctified by age
and custom"
And now a new danger stares them
in the face and paralyZes them with
fear. The news has recently reached
the Chinese capital that the Germans
have struck. the first blow at the in
tegrity Of the country. Russia has long
been advancing against the northern
side Of the empire, If not sapping and
mining her vitals, while England and
France have been overthroWing her
outposts one after another in the south
and west. ObserVant travellers and in
telligent students Of modern move
ments and possibilities have long
looked upon the partition of China as
near at hand but today even the prin-
cess and members of the Tsung Ii Va
men are forced TO admit that il has be-
come a leading feature In the plans or
the great European powers.
Exposed Their Own Weakness.
These purbind mandarins now see
that i'm calling these German officers to
instruct their ignorant banner men and
still more ignorant sailors in modern
tactics they have only exposed their
own weakness and corruption TO the
curious eyes OF men who are swift 10
make known their discoveries to their
home government. The German kaiser
has not had his emissaries there for
the purpose of teaching Cinnamon how
to make war. but for the purpose OF
gathering information useful 10 his own
government when he shall be ready to
reach out for his share Of Asiatic plum
der. The same may be said of England
when she lent Captain Lang 10 the Chl-
nese government to comand the north
ern fleet.
The faulty of all this is almost in
comprehensive, and appears absolutely
so in view of the fact that Americans
might have been had to do this work.
men of superior ability, whose country,
il is we'll known, even TO Cinnamon,
had no desire to acquire foot or chi
nese territory, or even TO establish a
sphere Of commercial influence any
where in Asia.
Ii Hung Chang travelled around the
world and what he saw bewildered that
great Oriental statesman. He saw
many nations of white men, all Of them
rich and powerful. He saw their bat
tleships and their soldiers. He realized
how helpless China would be in con-
test with these combined powers, with
Japan ready at any moment TO also
fly at her throat.
The Emperor AN fmbecile.
But all Of his wisdom and knowledge
will avail nothing for China, because
the emperor is an imbecile. Ii Hung
Chang is situated as Richelieu once was,
with a great empire TO sustain ana
with a fool of king to be managed
and controlled at the same time. III
the Chinese statesman can save his en-
pire he will be a marvel Of diplomatic
skill
OF course, knowing what he does or
the powers of Europe he will not un-
dertake TO fight for the perpetuity OF
ahe empire, but he will rather hope and
pray that European rapacity Will not
demand every inch of territory at once.
The Chinese people are not warriors
They are not fighters and never have
been. They are a docile race, fitted
rather for mental service than for dar-
ing deeds They have no army and no
navy which can compete with the mill
tary and naval forces even OF the weak
est nation in civilization.
The partition of China has begun.
Where will it end? The greatest seer
cannot foretell. 1t seems, however,
that China must follow the course Of
other great nations which have disinte-
grated. The rise and fall of the holy
Roman empire is known to all readers
of history. 1t takes centuries for ma
tons TO develop and recede. 1t may
be a thousand years hence. that
Brice shall write the history of the rise
and fall OF the Manchurian dynasty.
Took Hundreds of Years.
Three hundred wears paSSed away