The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1900-12-13
CHINESE PROBLEM.
Causes That Led Up to the Recen,
Troubles.

Causes That Led Up to the Recent
Troubles.
In our foreign intercourse the domi-
nAnt question has been the treatment ol
the Chinese problem. Apart from this
our relations with the powers have been
happy.
The recent troubles In China spring
from the anti-foreign agitation which sor
the past three years has gained strength
IN the northern provinces. Their origin
lies deep In the character of the. Chi
nese races and in the traditions of their
government. The Tai Ping rebellion and
the opening of Chinese ports to foreig1
trade and settlement disturbed alike the
homogeneity nd the seclusion Of China.
Meanwhile foreign activity made itself
felt in all quarters. not alone on the
coast, but along the great rivers. arteries
and in the remoter districts. carrying new
ideas and introducing new associations
among a primitive people which had pur-
sued for centuries . national policy OF
isolation.
The telegraph and the railway spread
Ing over their land. the steamers plying
on their waterways. the merchant and
the missionary penetrating year by year
farther to the interior, became to the
Chinese mind types of an alien invasion,
changing the course of their national life.
and fraught with vague forebodings OF
disaster to their beliefs and their self
control
For. several years before the present
troubles all the resources Of foreign d.
plomacy, backed by moral demonstra.
tions of the physical force OF fleets and
arms. have / cen needed to secure due
respect for the treaty rights of foreign
ers. and to obtain satisfaction from the
responsible authorities for the sporadic
outrages upon the persons and property
of unoffend.ng sojourners, which from
time to tim. occurred at widely sep
arated points IN the northern provinces.
as in the case of the outbreaks in SEE
Chuen and Shan Tung.
Posting OF anti-foreign placards BE-
came daily occurrences. which the re-
peated probation of the imperial power
failed to check or punish. These infiam-
matory appeals to the Ignorance and
superstition . OF the masses. mendacious
and absurd in their accusations. and
deeply hostile in their spirit, could not
but work culminative harm. They aimed
at no particular class of foreigners: they
were Impartial in attacking everything
foreign Ar outbreak In Shan Tung, IN
which German missionaries were slain.
was the too natural result of the malevo.
lent teachings The posting of seditious
placards. exhorting to the utter destruc-
ton of foreigners and of every foreign
thing continued unrebuked. Hostile
demonstrations toward the stranger
gained strength by organization.
The Boxer Agitation
The sect commonly styled the Boxers
developed greatly In the provinces north
Of tte Yangt.e. and with collusion. OF
many notable officials. including some IN
the immediate councils Of the throne ITSELF.
became alarmirgiy aggressive. Noforeign-
er's life. outside & the protected treaty
ports. was safe. No foreign interest wAs
secure from spoliation-
The diplomatic representatives. OF tue
nowers in Pekin strove in vain to cheek
This movement. Protest was followed ~
demand. and demand by renewed protess.
n he met with perfunctory edicts from
t,s ma lace aud--evasive and futile aseur-
ances from the Tsung II Yamun. Inc
circle OF the Boxer influence narroMeo
about Pekin. and while nominaly sGe-
matized as seditlods. 1T was fet tnat Hs
sr,,rit nervaded the capital itself. that
the imperial forces were imbued with its
doctrines and that the immediate coun-
seIors Of the Empress Dowager were II
fuIl sympathy with the antf-fore'sn
movement ,,Is,-
tsors II China, and the imminence q
merrill 10 our own diversified interests =. =.
the empire, as we'll as to those OF Al
the other treaty governments. weEe ..son 49,
/ crofonnd solic;tude. The United States.
from the earliest days Of foreign inter
cours. With China, has Followed poncy
81 peace. emitting no occasions 90 teS
INV rood-wiil. TO further the extepg0n
~ Ia vful trade. to respect the sovereign
- 81 It's government. and to insure. q
ali legitimate ana kinoly ~ - 80.