The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-10

took my leave, that he might present his
case. / was told the next day that that
really was the object OF his visit. Their
mother had died. and the lad wished his
| Iother 10 be admitted to the school. Tn
fortunately, there was no money and moth
ing could be done. And yet $50 in gold
would have kept the child in the school for
whole year.
THE MISSIONARIES IDEAS.
The missionaries themselves have no de-
lusions as to their work. They DO not
think that great result are 10 follow i'm
mediately; but they do believe that these
educated young men and women, espec-
tally where they marry and found fami-
lies. are going to perpetuate and spread
the new ideas that they have acquired at
the most impressionable period of their
lives when impulses and habits are destined
to grow with their growth and strengthen
with their strength To return to the dis
cussion of the Russian question. II is
thought that the Roman Catholics. whose
work in establishing missions dates back
TO the thirteenth century, will make a
steadfast stand against any interference
with their schools and churches. More than
twenty years ago there were in China thir-
ty-one bishops and more than one million
Chinese converts. In Picking there Is large
and rich cathedral, number of missions
and many Chinese Catholics Of wealth and
position-several of them men of influence
In court circles. This substantial and i'm
portant ground, gained by centuries of pro-
pagandism. will not be easily or willingly
surrendered, so that there will enter the
political and financial dispute religious
controversy even more bitter and signif-
cant. To die for the faith. with those
who are Jealous in their loyalty to the
church, is a sacrifice from which none
would turn aside. This has alreauy been
shown amongst the priests and nuns who
have persisted in the various massacres
that have occurred-notably that of Isien-
Tsin few years ago, In which one of the
priests, murdered in his own house, had
the flesh literally torn from his bones
inch by inch.
There is throughout the East very firm
conviction that Russian occupation of north
China, IL IL comes to pass, will be preceded
by conflict between Russia and Japan.
This is no news, either here or at home.
1t is believed to be the real cause of the
rapid expansion of the Japanese navy, and
IL is further believed here that the diff
ficulty now brewing will come to a crisis
not later than next spring. The Siberian
Railway does not commend itself to the
japanese authorities, nor do they look with
favor upon what is being done at Port
Arthur. They are aware of the favor which
the dowager Empress shows the Russians.
SO far as she may be said to favor foreign
ers at all. A conservative, with the con-
sentative hatred for all innovations, for
foreigners of all classes and conditions. to-
ward Russia she is respectful and consid-
crate upon the principle, doubtless, that 1t
is wise to be on friendly terms with
powerful neighbor, who. If not concillated.
may become a conqueror.
NO DEFINITE INFORMATION.
Where there Is difficulty in obtaining &C
curate information there are always
thousand rumors afloat. each more absurd
than the last One that has disturbed the
equanimity of the British legation was to
the effect that Sir Robert Hart inspector
Of customs, was TO be superseded by
Russian. There was no ground for such
story so far as any one knows, except the
general disfavor which the dowager En-
hundreds of intelligent mandarins hold
guilty not only Of various unfriendly acts,
but OF fixing the opium traffic upon the
empire.
The customs is the one department Of the
Chinese government that has been admins
tered with perfect honesty and with signal
ability. Sir Robert Hart, an Engfishman
who was honored with a baronetcy by his
own government few years ago. has been
inspector, the head OF the Chinese customs.
for more than thirty years. He exercises
Jurisdiction not only over the customs, but
the harbors and lighthouses and the i'm
perial mail service, and he has. individual
ly. brought about improvements and re-
forms which the Chinese themselves could
never have accomplished. His work has
aided enormously in Developing the COM
merce of the country-especially that be-
tween Chinese ports-and making naviga-
ton practicable and safe, as II is in civil
lied countries. Piracy in the rivers is not
wholly broken up-many of the small
steamers still carrying repeating rifles In
case of an attack-but such depredations
are few and far between, compared to the
condition of things ten or fifteen years ago
perial Tungwen College In Picking, an
American missionary well known through
out the United States, said of Sir Robert
Hart that eff he has not, like the states
men of British India, extended the bound
aries of his own country, he has done
more than any other man to avert the de-
struction of another empire. Much as he
has accomplished" he adds. "he is far from
sanguine as TO the ultimate result"
1t is said of the 81 c." as he is called
throughout the East-not escaping the nick
name which the English delight 10 confer
on each other-that he is a despot. ruling
the customs with iron fist. DR.. Martin esti-
mated the number Of his employees IN
1896 at eight hundred Europeans and four
thousand Chinese. These he moves about
from post to post as he sees fit trying
however, TO give each his turn in the more
desirable berths II is limited by enemies
and he has many-that his own family
is favored with posts in Shanghai, Canton
or the capital. and that a man with marked
social gifts, or who can boast a clever and
attractive wife, may count upon being con-
nected indefinitely with that branch of the
service located in Picking.
BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE.
Lady Hart has spent the last few years
with her children in England hut SIi