The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-25
CHINESE SIDE.
How the Case Looks
to CeIeStiaIs.
Wong Chow Arraigns Christian Homo
lulu and Talks Vaguely Of
Coming Vengeance.

STIRRING letter, probably written Dy
white man, but signed by Wong Chow.
While the Advertiser cannot of course
agree with the conclusions reached, it
prints the letter to show the mental
attitude of the Chinese leaders since
the fire:
Editor Advertiser: Ubinam senti-
um sumus? Where in the world are
We? Is this the Paradise of the Pa
cifc or is it the region of Hades?
Whichever this may be, recent. events
have brought to light that we are liv-
ing in an era identical with the times
Of two thousand years ago-an age
when outrage of every description
might be committed with impunlty; an
age when there was no law; an age
when human rights were not respect
ed, and when might makes right
was the rule of the day. But we are
supposed to be living in an enlightened
era, a time when human rights should
everywhere be respected, time when
goodwill has gone so far that people
have undertaken to carry the gospei
of truth and equality to their less IA
vored brethren. Recent events have
revealed to US. beyond doubt, that the
very men who are proud to claim de-
scent from noble Christian ancestors,
and make themselves out to be favor
able for the progress of the world at
large. have shown by their actions
that they have returned to the days of
the dark ages, when people could do as
they liked, irrespective of the rights,
the inestimable rights, of their fell
lOw-men.
We need not go very far to find out
the cruel and inhuman practices
which are necessary TO verify our
statement that we are indeed living in
an era identical with the days of the
dark ages; but we have seen the facts
before our very eyes, and will see
more of it if things will not be early
Temedied.
BubOnic plague, it has been said, OBJ
tanned in Honolulu since the early
part of December, and the Board of
Health has adopted measures TO fight
against it, and it has placed China
town in strict quarantine.
The questions arise in many minds
as to whether the prevailing disease
| is really the black, or bubOnic plague,
and also whether the Board of Health
/ is justified in placing a strict quaran-
I tine about Chinatown and cOndemning
and burning the buildings therein with
| impunity. But the Board of Health
/ has officially announced it, in very
truth, to be bubonic plague. This
/ being the case, the question again
arises as 10 whether the quarantine
was strict enough to prevent the
/ plague, if it is plague, from escaping
/ into clean localities. The Board OF
Health has placed military guards
about Chinatown to keep people in
/ their places of abode and thereby les
SEEMING the danger of having the dis
| ease germs being carried from place
/ to place.
| Although the Board of Health be-
\ lieved it to be in very truth the bu-
/ bonic plague, and although it has pro-
claimed and established a strict
quarantine in order to stamp out the
/ plague, yet we know and we have been
/ publicly informed by the press that
| people were allowed to go In and out
/ of the so-called infected district on
/ presenting passes furnished by the
Board of Health. Notwithstanding the
/ criticisms of the press from time to
time, the Board, 1t seems to us, has
taken no notice of them. Is such to
be understood as strict quarantine,
when hundreds OF people could go In
and out of the infected district? In
allowing such affairs to exist, the
Board of Health has openly and de-
liberately violated it's own rules, and
acted contrary to its convictions. To
believe that the sickness in our midst
is In very truth the bubonic plague
and then to proclaim and establish
quarantine (Which is only such In
name), and using this as a preteNt to
condemn and burn Chinatown, is Who'll
ly unworthy of men who claim TO be
gentlemen, civilized and educated, but
a thousand times more unworthy OF
them, when we consider that they are
men who acknowledge and call them
selves Christians.
Talk about plague deaths in China
town, why, the confinement in such
narrow limits, with heaps Of rubbish
burning in the streets every day
alone would make any one SICK, anC
1t is wonder why more had not sue
eumbed to the so-called bubonic plague
1t makes ones blood curdle TO Wit
ness the events of Saturday last
Thousands Of people were forced tC
leave their homes at a moments no
tice and TO wander along the high
ways Of the city; their places of abode
we're made desolate and their belong
tngs scattered about along the streets
or destroyed In the cruel conhagra
ton, just because a set Of men Ia!
thought IL wise to wipe Chinatown out
The great fire was said to be an acct
dent and an act of Providence. Car
this be so, when men, other than th'
inhabitants OF Chinatown, were seer
pouring oil in various places wner'
fire had not touched? Why, such ar
gument is ridiculous.
Think Of the sufferings incurred bl
the people; think OF the lame and tn
halt: think of the sick and the weak
think OF the women and children, an'
". Il