Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
BISHOP THOBURN'S VIEWS
HIS OPINIONS ON PRESENT AND FU-
TURE CHINESE PROBLEMS.
He Advocates the Direction of Chinese
Affairs by q Strong Civilized
Power.

| Bishop Thoburn of the Methodist Episco-
| pal Church, who for many years resided in
China and India, and who recently returned
| to the United States from the former coun-
| try, does not have much fear that the Chi
nese army will amount to very much after
| the allies begin to make aggressive move
| ments.
| The suggestion was made to Bishop Tho
| burn by a correspondent that there might
be union Of all the fighting men in China,
in which event they could raise an army
Of enormous proportions. To this the bish-
op replied that 1t would be impossible to
| get all the men of fighting age in China to
| join In a common movement. They are, he
went on to say, not now united among
| themselves. and they would have very few
| leaders Of even ordinary fighting ability. 1t
| would be found also that they would not
have modern arms. except at few points
near Pekin and other large cities. An or
| ganized European army of $4,000 men,
under good leaders, could march through
the length and breadth of China without en-
countertng much opposition except at the
outset.
When asked IL he thought the present
| trouble in China would blow over, Bishop
| Thoburn answered that it was extremely
| difficult to base any opinion on the facts
as they have been reported to us at this
| distance. The present uprising might be
| put down and peace after the old-fashioned
Chinese way restored but no settlement
| would be permanent unless 1t was made
| upon very different basis from that
which European diplomats have cherished
! as their ideal during recent years. While
putting down one uprising another might
| be expected to occur al any time in the
| great Chinese empire. The problem to be
| solved was that Of a permanent peace for
the 400 100000 OF eastern Asia. and the
| settlement of local disturbance in Pekin
| at this time would not affect a problem of
| such length and breadth.
| Bishop Thoburn was asked If an army
| OF the strength he had mentioned would
| be able to maintain order in the event they
were victorious. and to this he is quoted as
saying that the reply to this question
| pire, with 3O0O0O.OOO Inhabitants, peace is
| preserved without difficulty with an army of
| I5,OOO men India Is one of the most peace
able countries in the world. Life is. abso-
| lutely safer there than in many parts OF
| the United States. The chief secret Of the
| astonishing success of the British govern
ment In maintaining unbroken peace among
| 5O0, OOO,OOO people is the fact that all these
millions are disarmed No man is allowed
| to carry arms without license.
| -. Chinese Must BE Disarmed.
There will never be abiding peace in
China until a powerful American or Eu-
| ropean government takes the work in hand
overthrows all the Chinese armies estab-
fishes vigorous government all through
the interior and disarms the people. In con-
| nection with this there must be rigorous
| and vigorous change of administration.
Abuses must be swept away with strong
| hand. Continuing. Bishop Thoburn said he
| did not think the administration of the af-
| fairs of the country should be taken wholly
out of the hands of the Chinese. On the
| other hand. as much power should be left
| in the hands of local officials as possible,
| but the central government should be either
| European or Chinese under European con-
| troll. In other words, China should be adj
| ministered either as India or as Egypt is
| ruled at the present time. Perhaps the
| Egyptian model is the more to be desired.
| He favored these heroic measures, he said,
| because he had no doubt whatever that
both the English and American idea of
| maintaining what IS called the integrity
| of the Chinese empire is utterly hopeless.
| A year ago, when he was asked similar
| question. he replied that the proposal to
| preserve the integrity of the Chinese en-
| pire was like trying to preserve the integ-
| rity of an iceberg, floating under blazing
sur into the warm waters OF the southern
sea. The events Of the past few weeks
abundantiy justified. he thought, these opin-
/ ions. If this policy is continued by the
| English-spe;iking nations. other countries
will gradually absorb the empire This
would be fate which both the Chinese and
the English-speaking peoples would deplore
| for centuries to come.
| The Prophecy About the Pacific.
81 think the bishop proceeded, "Provi-
dence indicates somewhat clearly our duty
in the immediate present. AS to the future.
we can only trust to the development of
| events for further guidance. Without any
planning seeking, we have been placed
In possession of the strongest naval posi-
| ton in the immediate vicinity of China We
are destined in the early future, unless we
blindly refuse to accept opportunity
| which Providence manifeStiy is Offering us,
to become the strongest naval power in the
| Pacific. Nearly forty years ago a brilliant
| Scotch writer published an article, in which
| he pointed out that the Pacific ocean was
| destined to become great American lake
| Our country lies face to face opposite to
| China. We ought to maintain not only
| strong position, but the leading position in
| that part of the world. AT the present time
| our leaders are trusting altogether too
much to Secretary Hays agreement with
| European powers to maintain an open door
in China. That agreement is worth nothing
whatever unless the American government
| Is prepared to enforce it's terms If neces-
| slty calls for 1t. Russia could promise to-
| day and tomorrow quietly inform our gov
| eminent that, owing to the change of
boundary lines, 1t had been found necessary
| TO introduce common fiscal system
| throughout the entire empire. In such
| case the promise given to Mr. HAY would
| not be worth the ink used in writing it.
| think five or six of our strongest men-of-
war should have been sent at once to the
| Chinese coast, and force of not less than
| ten thousand troops quickly as possible
| IN order that the world would be convinced
| that we know our rights and dare to main
| tain them.
The Wolf of Cubic.
| From the Contemporary Review.