The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-09-25

preuted:tated will not hold water at all
with those who understand the China
man." said Mr.. Menier. 81 saw q
factory at Tien-tsin turning out thou
sands of Mauser cartridges every day,
and there is another factory in the
same place making Mauser rifles, quite
as good rifles as are turned out in the
+ European or American factories. The
foreman of the factory was German
named Wolff. They have powder fac
tories ineyery province working all the
time and they can supply an immense
army with arms and munitions Of war.
The most secretive and barbaric race
in the world has hoodwinked civiliza-
ton perfectly.
"Sheng, the director of the tele-
graphs, and Kang-Yi, the president of
the war board, are working together.
1t is my opinion that they have count
ed Ii Hung Chang out as being too old
for active participation in so important
a game as that now being played.
Kang-Yi is one Of the worst foreigner
baiters in the empire. He is the invent
or of innumerable refinements of tor
ture and is credited with being very
close to the empress.
"The tsung-li-yar.tn is nothing in
particular-merely bluff, like the
private secretary of great railway
president. whose business is to stand off
importunate callers. This body has not
the power to decide ownership of a
lost log. 1t considers all matters relat-
ing to foreigners with great elaboration
and then, If it cannot shelve them per-
manently, passes them on to the grand
council, which consists of the emperor
and empress dowager and eight others
selected for their craftsmanship and
influence.
''They have sent for Ii Hung Chang
to go to Picking and sit with the grand
council. Wang Wen Shao, president of
the board of revenue, is also member
of the tsung-li-yamen. He is also
commissioner of the railway and min
ing bureau, and l was brought into
contact with him officially twice during
my residence in Chilli. All the men
are in the game. They, have been play
Ing it for years. never found out
anything about it, and few Europeans
suspected that there was anything seri-
Gus on.
''The foreign element soon becomes
used to the idea that nothing China
man does or says is especially signifi-
cant because the Chinaman has diff
ferent way of thinking than any other
man on the face of the earth. He rea-
sons backward. Yu-lu, viceroy of Chi
Ii, is supposed to have influence at
court and they rate him as one of the
greatest scholars in the empire, but he
has no more sand than cody. Any
thing he said would be prejudiced from
the start.
"The men at the head of affairs are
of character no European or Ameri-
can can comprehend. No Chinaman
fears punishment. have even seen a
man sentenced to death by the most
inconceivably cruel system Of torture
purchase substitute from among the
crowd for ridiculously small sum of
money. If the Chinese believe that
any act of theirs will enhance their
spiritual welfare or that of the nation.
they will hesitate at no atrocity, ire
spectiye of future punishment. The
nations ought to take all sorts Of
chances to reach Picking. No risk is
too great to be accepted. There are
women and children there who will
meet the most fearful fate"