The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-11
Claims thnt Our Course Opened CHI
nese Eyes and Led TO Recent
Boxer Uprising.
WAS UNCLE SAM TO BLAMEf
A VIEW OF THE CASE WHICH MUST
AT LEAST AROUSE THOUGHT.
Unhattering Oriental Opinion OF Our
National Government rs Crude
and Experimental.

PEKING, Sept. H.-Yang Szu has given
me a good deal to him about I don't
agree with him; don't want 10 assent 10
all that he said to me to-day. but there Is
material for a good deal OF thinking in
the words that he poured forth at me.
1t is in the southern city OF Picking that
Tang Szu makes his home. Under the
same roof are his Golfers. for Yang Is a
banker. He is a sharp, shrewd. yellow man
-one who has been down 10 Tien-Tsin
and Tong-Ku. and even as far as Shanghai
and Hong-Kong.
The Shan-Si province had the honor OF
being Yang's birthplace. This is quite nat
ural. for nearly all of the money-changers
and bankers in the empire come out OF
Shan-Si. For centuries the men OF this
province nave ruled in China's financial
circles. They are great accumulators OF
money. and they are also honest
These Shan-Si men have means OF "un-
derground" communication developed to
such an extent that they generally get news
from a distance more quickly than the
Chinese officials. Yang and his fellow
provincials who buy and sell in The money
marts have their fingers always on the
popular pulse.
Probably more than any other Chinese
these upper Shan-Si men interest them
selves in what goes on outside OF China
There is a reason for this, a reason so vital
that it breaks down for them all the nat
ural Chinese conservatism and dislike for
foreigners. The exchange on silver in other
countries means much to these Shan-Si
foreigners. Yang Szu knew all about the
recent rise in copper values before the
worlds markets felt the rise keenly. Yang
bought heavily Of copper from sources out
side of China. The little copper cash, of
which 1t takes one thousand TO make a dol
lar, have been so Influenced by the higher
prices that to-day plain copper is worth
40 per cent. more in China than it is after
1t is cast into cash. Yang made a good
stroke OF business on this knowledge. He
and a few Of his clansmen may yet have a
corner on the cash OF the empire.
a TRAVELLED CHINAMAN.
Having speat some years In Shanghai anu
Hong-Kong. Yang uses our English tongue
with some fuency. He doesn't talk with
every one, but for some reason he has
opened his heart-or. at least. his mouth
TO me. and much and strange is the infor-
nation that he gives me-. Yang is a model
Of courtliness. He never becomes excited.
but, leaning back in his odd squat little
teakwood chair, after he has prepared my
meal with his own hands, he half closes
his eyes and looks out at me through those
narrow little Sits while he listens TO my
questions or answers them.
Il can tell you something that will sur
prise you.' said Yang to. me this afternoon.
He has done that so often before that / am
-a4tota rxs%l .~n-s.1 To 49,. -
thing strange, indeed, that will surprise me
after all he has told me-. After watching
me swallow two or three sips of tea he
launched out into what he had 10 say. I
am not going to give his own words too
closely. for this isn't a dialect story, but I
shall follow his words as closely as can
in ordinary English.
do you know who is to be blamed for
the Boxer uprising? 20 asked Yang, presents
ly. Shan-Si is a region where they raise
Boxers by legion. and Yang ought to know
all about IL.
your country is the nation at fault" he
went on, slowly.
1.-The United States at fault for the Boxer
uprising?" / gasped. This was making il a
little too strong for me. But there was no
sign OF levity about Yang. He spoke with
the afr of a man who means what he SAYS.
and L have learned to have a good deal OF
faith in this tall, portly old yellow man.
YES: II is your country's fault" went on
Yang. Had the government at Washing
ton done just as it ought TO have done
within the last ten or twelve years there
would have been no trouble-no white men
killed-no siege Of the legstions-no foreign
devil armies in Picking to-day"
"In the name of common sense. what did
we have to do with it-with this blood
thirsty Boxer business?" l q demanded. And
why the United States more than the land
grabbing powers Of Europe?"
You Americans did not do what you
should have lone in the first place. Once
we Chinese trusted your nation. We looked
upon you as great. ~good-natured. big-heart-
| ed people who would take nothing from Us
for which you Gid not give Us something
equally good in return. But you have
changed all that. You did not stand by US
as our friends. There were rich conces-
sions to be had for building railroads and
for opening UP mines OF great richness. The
Americans came to China prepared to bid
for these privileges. There were men here
from other nations. You Americans made
eNC 49, N-o~ WN%1 ~ ~
US. We would ave preferred that you
| should take all the concessions.
EUROPEAN THREATS. 3
But the men who were here from other
nations had stronger backing in a diplo-
matte way. The nations OF Europe threat
ened us that il the Americans secured the
concessions then these Europeans would
seize our ports and take away from US all
else that was worth having. Your Ameri-
can acted as individuals. What could
your individuals or even your syndicatcs
do when your European rivals had some Of
the best diplomatic corps IN the world at
their backs. Your government should have
backed UP your citizens. That was a great
mistake. i was told AT Shanghai that Eng
land had asked the United States TO join
her IN demanding that concessions be
granted only TO the highest bidders. Your
government at Washington took the view
that IL was a matter Cor individuals. AMI
that the government could not interfere In
the matter. Weak Very weak"
why SOP ! broke In Our government
has never believed In interfering more than