The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-10
AFRAID OF THE RUSSIANS
CHINESE NOT ALONE IN DREADING
THEIR AGGREssIONs.
The Missionaries Fear Their Work
VIII he Undone, but VIII Not
Yield willingly.


Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal.
PEKING. China, Nov. S.-The apprehen-
sion of Russian aggression in China is not
confined to the Chinese. There Is a great
deal OF anxiety among Foreigners
Is. Europeans and Americans. The English
and Belgians have extensive interests.
which they are developing with every pros
pect of success. chiefly in the direction of
railways and telegraph lines. In addition
to this. the English control the most Of the
steamship lines Of the coastwise trade, and
are constructing new lines for the naviga-
ton OF the great rivers-a concession
granted by the government, and which is
destined, IL undisturbed, to open up vast
districts I'm the interior and along the west
ern frontier. which are now almost mac
cessible. One OF the new lines, which is
still in process of development, is under
the management OF Mr.. A. ]. Little, an
English gentleman who has lived for many
years in China, who speaks Chinese huent-
Iy and was associated with General Gordon
in the TAPPING rebellion General Gordon,
as all students OF recent Chinese history
know succeeded an American. General
Ward, who organized Chinese troops,
armed and disciplined them, led them into
battle and fell in action under the walls
of Tsche. III they are not interrupted,
Mr.. Little believes that within ten
years English steamships VIII make
travel upon the upper waters of great
rivers like the Yang-Tse as comfort
able and as easy travel up the Hudson
or down the Mississippi, in the United
States. To supplement this. the American
railway between Canton and Hang-Chau
will open another great tract, anording an
outlet for the products of other almost in
accessible regions. and, by increasing the
wealth of the people. creating demand for
hundreds OF commodities not now in use.
In North China there is already great
demand for American cotton drilling and
sheetings used in the manufacture OF cloth
ing, and 1t is this territory. first Of all.
which will be claimed by Russia, and which
viii result in the exclusion OF American
importations. or the exaction OF heavy
duties which will be virtually equivalent
to prohibition.
DREAD THE RUSSIANS.
There is also much uneasiness among the
American and English missionaries, who,
In the event OF the supremacy OF the
Greek Church. would not only be forbidc
TO . eacl. aut must inevitably see their
schools closed. which represent not only
years OF labor, but the expenditure of vas
sums OF money. Here in Peking clone
there are compounds within which there
are churches and fiourlshing schools for
boys and girls, under the management or
the London board, the Congregational,
Presbyterian and Methodist churches OF
the United States. 1t is the custom in the
East to belittle and misrepresent the work
OF the missionaries, but this has come from
people personally opposed to them and
who have never taken any pains to inform
themselves to what they are really do
ing. In the first place. 1t is worthy of COM
ment that instead of being divided by jeal-
ousy and envy, all these bodies. with the
= one exception of the narrow, ritualistic
English society, are working together In a
harmony and unity which might furnish an
example for religious bodies elsewhere.
They visit each other frequently, hold
union services regularly every week. advise
and take counsel together. irrespective of
differences of creed. The schools are add
mirable, conducted upon the plan OF the
best schools at home, many OF the teachers
having had previous experience In Ameri-
can public schools, academies or colleges.
The pupils, as a rule, are from the poorer
classes Of Chinese, although there are
among them the sons aud daughters OF
merchants and weIl-to-dC farmers. But this
Is OF little consequence in China, where
literary proficiency-that is, proficiency In
the Chinese classics-is the stepping stone
10 the highest preferment, and where the
competitive examinations upon which de-
grees are AWARDED are open to rich and
poor, young and old, high and low alike.
The education the pupils are receiving in
these admirable mission schools is the only
possible salvation for the Chinese women
oppressed. miserable. downtrodden like all
other women in the far East; unwelcome
in most families. looked upon as a hateful
burden from the hour of their birth; mar
ried t. iaen whom they never see until the
wedding day and VINO may be cruel and
rslsiye; taken home to live in the hus-
bands family, for whom she is servant
ever afterwards. II is the rare exception
that a Chinese woman is either contented
or happy. Upon the birth OF son her posi-
ton becomes one of greater dignity. but
should she add daughters to her husbands
household she Is rcyiled and beaten and
her nniseries accumulate.
EDUCATED GIRLS.
Chinese girls trained in the mission
schools are like another race OF beings
Their minds enlightened and broadened.
they are incomparably more intelligent
ard self-reliant than those who remain in
ignorance. No attempt is made to change
their mode Of living beyond intoxicating "a
love of order. cleanliness and righteous
ness. which they are rarely ever taught in
their own homes. Their rooms In most of
the compounds are simply rows of small
Chinese houses. They sleep on mats in the
kaug. or brick bed. They eat Chinese food
and wear Chinese clothing They very fire.
quently marry young men who are stu
dents in the boys schools and colleges
and carry into the homes thus founded
the instruction they have received, and
which In China, where learning is revered
above all things and where the teacher
may sit In the presence OF the Emperor
gives them an authority and an influence
that the ignorant could never hope for The
boys from the mission schools being taught
English. mathematics and the natural
sciences. are in demand In the customs, the
railway and postal service and as tutors
In the Imperial University. Eight received
appointments from one college in the In
terior-a Presbyterian institution presided