Evening star., 1899-04-01
a Good Move by Germany.

| IHe GERMAN government IS TO be COM
| mended for its prompt and vigorous action
| in the province of Shang-Tung China, for
the purpose of preventing further disorders
and aggressions upon the Christians. 1t
would be far better for the cause of civil
| ization and for China well if the other
powers which have footholds in China
| We're to deal thus emphatically with the
| so-called government at Pekin.
| These Shang-Tung troubles spring from
| the inability or the refusal of the local
| governments of China to restrain the mob
| attacks of the rabble upon Europeans and
Americans, particularly the missionaries
| Repeated protests to PeIlin and as well as
| to the immediate governors of the provinces
| have proved unavailing. The disorders have
| continued and lives have beeh sacrificed or
endangered. Germany has recently fallen
under the suspicion of seeking by unrisht
! eous means to extend her territorial hold
| ings in China. Much criticism of the Berlin
authorities has been aroused by their move
ments in this direction. But in the midst
! of all this discussion the fact has arisen
clear and plain that China cannot hope to
sustain herself in the present situation
unless. She is thoroughly reorganized, ard
meanwhile it is not to be expected that the
powers shall sit by quietly and witness She
slaughter or the torture or the mobbing of
merchagts, missionaries, tourists and others
who have gone to China, partly for China 5
good if largely for their own.
Germany has indeed been most active Of
all the powers in thus seeking to restore
order along the eastern coast of China
That she has territorial ambitions there is
not denied. They are natural ambitions.
But this latest movement is not inspired by
/ them There iS M in he Of
national entity. Ii Hung Chang explained
| the case clearly to the representatives of
Japan when the time came to negotiate a
| treaty to conclude the war. He showed
! how China is a mass of factions. provincial,
\ racial religious. There are more bitter
| enmities between some of these classes
| and neighborhood clans than is ever enter
| tanned against foreign foe. The central
| government is vested in Il group of aliens
| who cannot command the respect or full
| obedience of the country at large. Con-
stant rebellions in all portions of the land
| attest to the Slight hold which the govern
| ment at Pekin has upon the peop.e OF the
! provinces. The war with Japan was lost
| because of this utter lack of cohesion
| among the various particles which consti~
| tute the gigantic body polite which the
| world calls China.
! Consequently it is practically impossible
| to expect satisfactory results from the
| Pekin government in the matter of controil-
| ing the outlying areas. Appeals to me
capital adduce promises, perhaps, but no
| performances. Magistrates are dismissed
| but the people continue TO show their ugly
| tenpers toward the foreigners. Hatred of
| the outer world is fostered by the scholars
men OF higher intelligence, but no capacity
| for measuring the world by its own
| standard. They incite mobs TO riot and
murder by circulating atrocious lies about
/ the foreigners especially the missionaries
| whom they falsely accuse of the most
| abcmlnable practices. As a result of this
| under-current of agitation the predicament
of the foreigner in some parts of China
| is serious indeed unless his home govern
| ment is active and resolute in securing
| respect for his person.
| If Germany can succeed in teaching the
| authorities. either of Pekn or the capital
| of Shang-Tung, that human rights must
| be respected whether the head wears a pig
| tail or not. this incident will be of benefit
! to both parties. No recollection Of the
| original encroachments upon Chinese soil
| by Germany should serve to cloud the fact
| that she is now engaged in a wholesome
| proceeding, for which she is entitled to
| thanks.