The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-12
The Coming Traeedy in China.


The Coming Tragedy in China.
II IS difficult TO see. IN the lights now
before as, how a frightful tragedy-per-
haps the most frightful % the Christian
erals to be aycrted In China. These Chi
ncse whom We call the Boxers and
whom, in our pictorlals. We represent as
brutal and degraded monsters, are really
devoted patriots. so far as their purposes
and convictions are concerned. They are
engaged I'm rcselting and In endeavoring
10 destroy what seems 10 them 20 be
menace TO their religion, their customs,
their self-respeCt- everything that men
and nations hold in reverence and honor.
What Is more 20 the purpose, they have
behind them the sympathy and moral sup
port OF nearly the entire population, to say
nothing Of the scarcely-veiled good will Of
the government. Let Va not delude our
selves with the fallaciOus idea that they
are the rabble Of China. Let us rather
face the fact that they stand for the best
thought and most patriotic purpose of the
Chinese people.
Ii Is well known that the original inspi-
ration OF England's entertainments was
the opium trade. India was a large pro-
Queer OF opium. The ignorant and miser-
able millions IN China were the chief con-
sumers OF England's holy product The
Chinese government sought TO check the
trade. England demanded the open
door" And thus. through a combination
OF the vilest avarice, the most staggering
turbulence and the most ingenious Ca
jolery England inserted the thin end of
the wedge into China's national integrity
Then came the missionaries-innOcent and
cTedulous agents OF the schemes of spo-
liation Matched i'm Christendom. The
Wretched victims of Englands opium were
pretense Of saving their drugged and
cIouded souls. Further conflicts arose;
further aggrcssiOn5 were contaminated;
finally France and Germany. seeing how
the sacrifice of missionaries could be util-
lied in the acquisition Of territory and the
exploitation of organized rapine, followed
England's example. The German Empe-
ror sent a fleet under the command of his
own brother, Prince Henry of Prussia,
into Chinese waters Two German mis-
sionaries had been molested. perhaps
kiTled-we remember the piracy more
clearly than we do the details Of the pre-
text-Prince Henry seized province and
a seaport, and proclaimed further and
mere deadly manifestations of the mailed
fist and the divine mission. and all the
rest of it. in case the Chinese people
should provoke the Emperor by further
contumacy France and Italy were al
ready in the equation. The irritant was
In full activity The material for the alb
horrent drama accumulated day by day
Can any thoughtful and fair-minded man
Christian missionaries? We do not refer
so much 10 the latter's purely religious
activity, though as a matter of fact that
has too often been extensively conducted.
We refer TO the invariable use which the
European governments have made of this
activity by trumping up grievances and
justifying encTOachments. The mission
aries go 10 China, as a rule, in perfect
good faith but, as we solemnly believe
upon a fruitless and misguided errand. In
most cases they mean well and are pro-
foundly convinced that they are usefully
and devoutly serving their God. II is quite
possible. indeed, that little if any harm
would result from their efforts, but on the
contrary much good, if the Chinese people
were nat taught 10 associate them with
the arrogance, the avarice and the pirat-
teal demonstrations of the European pow
ers at China's expense II has come to
pass that they recognize in the mission
aries the vanguard of a hostile and a
pagan invasion. II has come 70 pass that
they feel themselves called upon to aban-
don the religion the customs, the tradi-
lions. and the ideas of incalculable cen.
turies-which to them means, and IS
Chaos-or 10 grid up their loins and fight
for national integrity. for their affairs and
their fres-for everything that touches
their manhood and their pride
Unless We intend to set up the hypoth-
esis that the Chinese are srmin, TO exter,
duty OF true Christians. we had better re-
feet a moment before we commit our
selves to the too-evident purpose Of the
European powers. We have no right Il
attack the religion. the customs, aEj
social organization OF China We would
not permit any nation 10 attack ours
Why should we take part IN a crusad,
against China-a crusade which. If di
rected against the United States, V,
should regard as infamous and resist I,
the bitter end? Would il not be better, il
morals and In national honor, IS well a
In common sense and true civilization, 4
recall our missionaries finally than {,
take part in this rspacious and wicke,
raid on China and defle our hands witt
the blood Of robbed and martyred victims
We ere told that Jesus 'orgave Barabba
his sins. Is h anywhere stated that Jesu
JUSTIFIED BaraBbas IN their commission?
In South Africa.
while The London rabble are SCREAMING