New-York tribune., 1900-07-04
THE DIVIsIoN OF CHINA.


The announcement is made that the central
and southern provinces, comprising the bulk of
the Middle Kingdom have refused to follow the
anti-foreign lead of the usurper Prince Tuan,
and are forming themselves into a separate
federation, with their capital at Nanking. Their
policy is one Of progress and of friendship with
foreigners, wherefore they expect to receive the
moral If not the physical support of the Powers
which are now attempting to coerce the Peking
Government into something like decent conduct
This is by far the most important news we
have had from China for many a day, and it is
particularly auspicious and promising of good
We canRot4say, of course, how far the Chinese
Viceroys are in earnest Neither can we predict
the course which the European Powers will
adopt toward them. But it seems proper to say
that il such movement has seriously been
undertaken by the Chinese it is worthy Of the
most cordial support by all outside Powers as
Offering the best possible solution of the veX-
atious Chinese problem.
Such division of the Chinese Empire would
mark the redemption of China and the Chinese
from rhe reaction, tyranny, corruption and deg
radiation of Tartar rule Lord Wolseley made
the other day the curious statement that China
contained 4000O0000 people, all of the same
race and speech and practically homogeneous.
Such is not the case. dictionary makes a
"Chinaman." The latter. which is as much a
barbarism in etymology as ''Melican man."
means any native inhabitant of the Chinese
Empire, whether Chinese, Tartar, Tibetan or
TurkOman, while the former means explicitly
and solely the true Chinese of the Middle King
dom. The distinction may seem strained but
is most instructive. For, apart from numerous
tribes and clans, the people of that part of the
Chinese Empire with which the world com
monty comes into contact are divided into two
great branches. the Chinese and the Tartars
between whom there are radical differences and
immemOrlal hatreds. OF this there is striking
reminder in the famous Great Wall, which was
built by the Chinese to keep out the Tartars
Another reminder of IT was given in the colos-
sal TAPPING Rebellion, which was an uprising
Of the Chinese against their Tartar oppressOrs.
\ third is denoted by the two capitals, Nanking
or the Imperial Capital, which was for centuries
the capital Of China and Peking, or the North
ern Capital. which was created by the Tartars
after their conquest of the Middle Kingdom
With the differences between these two races
for they are practically separate TaCes-we need
not here concern ourselves save in two or three
respects. One is indicated by the difference
between the two capitals. Nanking is situated
on tidewater easily accessible. while Peking is
on sterile plain, as nearly inaccessible as a
city can we'll be. The policy of the Chinese is
one Of open commerce and free intercourse with
all the world, and of hospitality and friendship
while that of the Tartars is one of seCusion
isolation and hostility. Again, the Chinese
character is honest and straightforward while
the Tartar is deceitful and devious Wonder is
often excited by the apparent contradiction
between the testimony Of those who declare the
Chinese to be the most honest tradesmen In the
world and Of those who say China is the seat Of
supreme dishonesty and corruption. Both state
ments are true The one refers to the true
Chinese merchant, the other to the corrupt
Tartar Office holder. The lies the bribery the
peculation, the intrigues and all the crimes that
nave made Picking a sink OF niquity are the
doing Of the Tartar dynasty and It's Tartar
retainers.
There could, then, as we have said, be no
more hopeful sign of the times than a Chinese
uprising against the Tartars. 1t would mean.
if successful, the regeneration of China-not of
the Chinese Empire. but OF China What would
become of the rest of the Empire is problematic
1t might fall into anarchy or he partitioned
among the Powers. in which latter case japan
would probably get the major portion of the
provinces, would be fitting, seeing that she
is the only Power able to cope promptly with
the Boxers and bring order out of chaos The
important thing however, Is to preserve China
the Middle Kingdom, with its vast population.
vast wealth and incalculable possibilities and
to bring it into line with the worlds progress
There can be no means of doing that com
parable in ease and efficiency with simply Civ
ing the rule of the country to its own people
"Chna for the Chinese"