New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-15

movements now progressing under our very
yves The organization OF the American Asso-
-iarfcn 81 China is matter for congratulatfon
a. ing all who are engaged in missionary work
here. TIE fact that the names Of several mis-
sionaries appear in the list Of its officers seems
n Doint 10 tha conclusion that the invidious and
h7irtful line which has been drawn between
things secular and things religious is being OBJ
liberated I'm practice. The great commercial
and evangeIistic enterprises which have been
launched IN China ard elsewhere demand prac-
tically the same conditions FOR their successful
7rosecutiGn and If honorably and wisely con-
Quoted instead Of being antagonistic. are mutu-
aHy helpful
Generally speaking the state Of affairs in this
province is not only critical. but highly danger
ous These people are naturally peaceable and
REASONABLE [ have moved freely among them
for nearly fifteen years. and have to bear
witness 10 the fact that II has been the rare
exception TO receive other than respectful treat
nent But TWO things are unfortunately true.
one is thar they are densely ignorant OF nearly
ell the scientific historical and geographical
facts which are the common heritage Of the
civilized world. Closely connected with this is
n innate suspicion CT every person and every
thing which comes from beyond the horizon Of
their narrow vision.
FELLOW CCUNTRYMEN AS ALIENS.
This is trre not only in cases where the i'm
portatirr. whatever il may be, IS from foreign
countries. bur is the case to no small degree
where tre alien object is from a distant part
a their own country. An English speaking
Cantonese gentleman with whom I once walked
on the streets Of Chinanfu called my attention
10 the fact that he was the object Of the same
sort Of -fdcule that I was that moment ex-
periencing.
r. This dense ignorance and this deep seated sus-
r,cior Of all that which is foreign combine to
make a soil from which anti-foreign demonstra-
-sons sprfng with q suddenness and fury which
I can only Uken 70 the devastating prairie fires
az our own Western States. Il thus happens
that in the morning one may walk out and be
rleasantlv greeted by his neighbors on every
hand. n the afternoon q silly rumor may in
some way gain currency, rumor which would
not rs believed In a well regulated American
nursery. and by nightfaI those very same neigh
bors nav have TONED a bowling mob at your
compound gate # you succeed in weathering
the storm well and good for in a few weeks the
storm VIII have blown over and the neighbors
before mentioned VIII show signs Of being more
or less ashamed of themselves. IT, however,
your house is pulled down about your ears, or
worse still personal injury be inflicted, the sub
sagueDt repentance OF your neighbors will not
70 far toward r1ending matters.
have described what is the normal condition
n, affairs and has been the case up TO two years
aeo Al al points where enlightened foreign IN
4nencs has been brought 70 bear the state Of
affairs described above has gradually improved
Catholic and Protestant missionaries went
everywhere and converts multiplied There was
little or no criticism of the work Of the mission
ares. except that the impression gained ground
in certain quarters that the Roman Catholic
missionaries were TOO prone 10 take up law
SUITS for their converts. I say nothing as to the
ground for this allegation. simply record the
fact that The allegation has been made by all
classes Of people with growing frequency for
The last Ten years.
Naturally the official class was especially irrl-
tated by what they considered 10 be undue in
reference with their prerogatives as civil mag
istrates
MURDER OF MISSIONARIES
Whether il was due TO this increasing irri-
tation OF not 7 unable 10 say Ou' e-i1
first opzn violence toward the missionaries prohe
GU IN me turbulent Prefecture Of Tsao-Choa- ID
he extreme southwestern corner g TINS prov
sse Finally in the autumn Of 1891, two Ger
nan Catholic missionaries were muroereu III
that region. and then quickly followed the seiz-
ne Of Tsingtau and Kiao-Chau Bay py the
Germans This at once introduced a new and
pren4 factor into the situation. The Governor
Z Ping Feng. was ousted from his position at
ne Instance Of Germany, and the influence OF
German became paramount IN Shan-Tung
Then followed the coup d'etat Of lSSS which
thwartsc the schemes Of the progressive young
Emperor and threw the reins OF power back
into the hands Of the crafty Empress Dowager.
The effect was instantly felt
There was a strong conservative reaction
The demand for books OF foreign Information
tei of These among the literary classes VINO
hsd begun 20 favor reform, shrank back
aIarmed. This cannot be understood II II be not
considered that perhaps nowhere upon the earth
Is the power OF authority so readily acknowl-
edged as IN China The people have been ac-
c1stumed 70 look up 70 the comparatively snaH
literary class as 70 infaIlible guides. Moreover
tie whole government is based upon the patrl-
srcaa idea The result Is that as the oflciaIs
lead the people generally speaking follow. IN
The present case both these powers conceded
t5T the literary class had been watching Win
fal0usy the growing power Of foreign IDEAS anu
he steady waning OF it's own prestige because
cit
TROUBLE MORE GENERAL
The German prospectors began to move INTO
Ne Interior. and soon vague ruHors Oh Dl
nsny's intentions were abroad. To cap the Gil
h-sx the crops for the last three years nave
pesn poor. and this stimulated the genera us
Content. IN the autumn Of 1898 open rouoie
s.eke cut IN this prefecture II was primary
-saectee against the Roman Catholic nlihSioA'
W. soon became general. A German priest vas
seized and matreated near the city or JlchAo
-'t lar from Tsingtau. The writer and TWO coz
.ragaes were besieged by an armed force iof
sssersl days in a small village in the saIlIe
ssheral region The looting OF Christian sta-
.ots' both Roman Catholic and Protestant De
Ness general The officials made fine spescHeS
b.. were apparently jealous for our Interests.
a. a. NE Impression gradually went abroad that
-. were hampered by instructions from above