Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-11
LAYS IT ALL TO RELIGION.

LAYS IT ALL TO RELIGION.
Tho Cause of China's Troubles "a
Seen by the Consul General He
Vow.
San Francisco, July lin regard to
the present situation in China, Ho Vow,
the Chinese consul general in San
Francisco, a diplomat only second in
Importance to the Chinese minister in
Washington, whose predecessor was, in
fact. Ho Vows brother-in-law, says:
The origin of the whole trouble is
interference with our religion in China.
1 do not question the worthy intentions
of the missionaries who have gone
there, but they have made the mistake
of trying to convert a people who are
not educated as q race even to the
point of religious liberation. Good mis-
sionaries merely waste their energies
and incense the people. Studying the
history of the world, we find that all
most every great war has been brought
on by differences in religion.
There is another cause for the pres
sent uprising aside from the purely re-
ligious work Of the missionaries in
proselyting China TO their faith. Ii has
so happened in China that whenever n
missionary has been injured or killed
in the country the nation which he
represented has made the tragedy an
occasion for asking grants of land from
the Chinese government.
Il do not mean TO say that they We're
not right in demanding indemnity for
such misdeeds, but this course, in the
eyes of many of our people who are
extremely suspicious. has been miscon-
strued and misrepresented.
II am positive from the dispatches /
have received that IL was the original
intention of both the government and
the Boxers To respect the Pekin lega-
tons. Otherwise 1T would have been
easy to attack them before June 20. 1
lam sure the government was ready TO
put forth every effort TO protect them.
To-day I cannot speak so confidently.
The bombardment of the Taku forts
has changed the whole aspect of the
situation. AS soon as the tidings Of
that act of hostility reached Pekin l
fear tina the forces which. up 10 that
moment. had been held in control by
the government would become frenzied
land beyond its control, for they would
reason that they We're TO be punished
anyway. and all reason for restraint
would then have been gone.
From a political point of view 1t
seems To be n fatal mistake upon the
part of those powers TO have taken that
aggressive step before they landed suf-
ficlent forces TO be able to support il or
l9to follow it up. They stirred up bee
i hive WHEN not IN a position to aecomT-
! lish anything. 1nsteadsof relieving the
Legations in Pekin they aggravated the
situation. stirring UP an ignorant and
maddened populace TO frenzy.
What effect different policy would
have had upon the Chinese is. ] think.
in the attitude which Ii
Hung Chang, China mos, progressive
and influential statesman, has taken
toward your admiral Kempff, who re-
! fused to join in the bombardment. Ii
has invited the American admiral on
| his mission TO Pekin for The purpose Of
pacifying the Chinese, and he has ex-
| pressed the desire that the United
| States should act as IN intermediary in
the settlement Of the troubles.
admiral Kempff made fine demon
listration of wisdom in declining to join
Fin precipitating hostilities at Tak,l. and
Il
Edence of the Chinese for. his action. All
the same time he showed good military
/ Judgment, for an act of aggression was
as useless as it Mas dangerous to the
Interests back of it.
In my opinion the power would need
an army of about 100000 men 10 sub
/ due this one northern province by force.
| Should there be general uprising
4 thruout China, before they could do
any sort of policing for this great ter
ritory, With its 4oo0oo.Ooo people. or
I bring them under subjection, they
would REQUIRE not less than 100000
soldiers and many millions OF dollars
would be wasted and millions of lives
\ be lost before the entire country could
i be brought under subsection.
These Zealots are not open to reason
! as they are possessed Of strange super
stitions. Very many of the Boxers
4 probably by far the greater number
4 have never in their lives seen an Euro-
pean face and believe implicitly in ths
/ horrible things told about foreigners
The Cinnamon are we'll armed anl
they are We'll supplied With weapons Of
4 the latest pattern, many Of them man.
lufactured in our own great arsenals.
Shan Tups province is notable fol
4 its men of fine; physique and stature
/ This province could probably place ii
i the field nearly 1O.oOO,OOo men, closely
approaching six feet in height What,
4 ever China may have been in the past
she is no insignificant enemy to copt
4 with today Her strength is formid
able and If 1t is expended upon invader:
the result will be terrible slaughter
IF the members OF the legation have
been murdered you cannot bring then
4 back to life by killing in turn. A peace
i full adjustment Of the differences nigh
be had and compensation secured Sucl
4 a policy would save many lives ant
enormous expenditures upon the par
of the injured nations
GERMAN TREATY CLOSED.
Hay and Won Holleben Sign the Reel
4 procfty Arrangement.