The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-03
CHINESE SITUATION.

baSSadorS were rescued. The Empress
is no one knows where; the Chinese
Emperor has disappeared and in point
of fact there is no Chinese government.
AS far as assisting in the rescue of the
embassies the vanished government did
nothing but oppose the entry of the
foreign troops to the utmost.
Ii Hung Chang, that astute states
man is cabling for peace to every gov
eminent in America and Europe, but
all turn a deaf ear because they claim
that Ii has no authority, while the
Russian General claims that his coun-
try is at war with China and is not
disposed to enter into negotiations for
peace. Meanwhile there are incendiary
fires in Picking and street fighting is
being carried on. 1t is hard to make
out from the kilograms whether the
Imperial Domains have been occupied
by troops or whether they have not.
Some kilograms state the Japanese
have possession, others that the Rus
slams have. 1t will be a grievous mis-
take if the Forbidden City is not occu-
pied, for nothing will have a greater
effect upon the Chinese mind than the
capture of this, to the Chinese, sacred
enclosure.
But one can see riffs within the lutte.
The generals of the powers are evil
IDENTIFY not in full accord They, them
selves, do not know exactly what to do,
and are waiting for orders from their
various governments. Now the gov
ernments are not agreed also. So we
may expect that there will be a halt
at Picking, though it is quite on the
cards that the Russians and the Jap
anese will push on independently.
Apparently the campaign is being
carried on by a council, but councils
composed of various nationalties are
kittle cattle to deal with, and remind
one of the councils of the crusades,
where there was endless dickering and
withdrawal. If the German comman-
der in chief arrives in time he may
bring unity for a time, though even his
presence will not assure unity. OF
course this attack on Pekin had to be
a united effort, but once the pressure
which required united effort is with
drawn, the component parts are liable
to disintegrate.
In considering the Chinese question
and the manner in which the country
should be treated, it must be remem-
bered that there is a long list, a very
heavy list of outrage in China even in
the last ten years. While it may be
argued that the Chinese Government
cannot be expected always to hold its
turbulent population in check, vet it
can be fairly shown that outrages up
on Europeans and Americans have been
almost continuous for the past ten
years, and eliminated in the attempt
ed massacre of the ambassadors and
the actual destruction of some Of the
legation buildings.
The fact is that the various powers
have exercised remarkable leniency in
their dealings with China, and have al
lowed outrages of a most serious char
acter to go unaVenged or to be paid for
by an indemnity and the execution of
some two or three supposed participa-
tors in the outrage, who in nine cases
out of ten had nothing at all to do with
the crime, and the execution had no
possible deterrent effect.
After the British minister, Sir Harry
Parkes and his colleagues were seized
as prisoners when negotiating with the
Chinese, and exhibited about Picking
and the surrounding country in cages.
all that there was in the way of a re-
prisal was the burning of the summer
palace, and some indemnity. The fate
of the palace is represented. by Chinese
writers as having been bought about
by fire which the Chinese Emperor call
ed down from heaven to scare away
the barbarians, and in point of fact
they soon after retired and negotiated.
After the terrible massacre of the
French priests and nuns in 1871. when
after unnamed brutalities there were
flung into the river and hoated past the
passive shipping at its mouth no re-
prisals We're made and only a money
indemnity was called for.
OF later outrages the following is a
tabulated list:
February 4, 1SS9-Riots at Chin
kaing; British Consulate and foreign
ers' houses burned.
September 8, 1SS9-Insurrection in the
province of Fukien.
December, 1S99-Insurrection in the
AMOR district of Manchuria; rebels
seize town of Ian eli Tuan and defeat
the imperial troops
December, 1SS9-Massacre of native
Christians at Jong Tuy Tsin, and other
places.
May -, 1S91-Anti- European riots at
IMuhu; much destruction to property;
BRUSH consulate wrecked, the Consul
and his wife barely escaping with their
ilVes. ,o, AS6SH
June, 180l-Increased popular and
anti-foreign agitation throughout Chi |
ma, The secret societies became so |
bold that the foreign legations unite in |
threat to bring in troops unless order
S restored.
June 8, 1S91-French church and or
'hanage burned at Woosieh.