Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-09
THE CHINESE PROBLEM.
Some Interesting Observations Of
a Shanghai Merchant.
BOXER TROUBLE LONG BREWING.

Uprising - Christian missionaries
and How They Arouse Antagonism
Russian IntercessIOn Necessary.
Ernest de Bavier, a merchant engag
ed in the Chinese export trade, who ar
| rived at New York from Shanghai the
ship China. recently gave some infor
nation to the New York Evening Sur
reporter concerning the trouble in Chi
ma. Mr.. de Bavier left that country
before the Boxer uprising had assumed
serious aspect. but he said that he as
well as all discerning foreign residents
knew as far back as u year ago that
such a condition as now exists was
only a question of time.
There are three main points to the
present trouble" said Mr.. de Bavier.
zone is the hatred for native Chris
tians and foreigners; another point is
the improvements which foreign gov
ernments have forced upon the en-
plre and lastly, the missionaries. The
missionaries are all right in them
selves; they are fine men without ex-
ceptiOn. But the pinch comes when
they invoke the aid of their various
countries in behalf of prosecuted ma
tive Christians. All official Cinnamon
like to squeeze money out of their in
feriors, and they do SO with great reg
ularity.
These little extortions, however, do
not work In the case of the Christian
Chinaman, for the simple reason that
when an attempt is made TO squeeze
money out Of u native Christian the
native runs to the missionary. The
missionary goes to his legation, and in
short time there is fine row about
the ears of the extortionists. You can
imagine how they feel. Suppose some
Of your politicians were deprived of
their pickings by foreign interference
would they not be angry? Well, it is
the same way with the Chinese Off
Gals. That is one of the causes of the
present trouble in a nutshell.
Now as to the improvements which
foreign governments are making in
the Celestial empire. You know that
representatives of the United States
are putting a big railroad through Chi
ma and likewise the Russians and the
Belgians. Now, the Cinnamon are not
ready for all this. They do not seem
to grasp the magnitude of the work in
progress. AS n result they are afraid
yes, the natives are absolutely trem-
bling. They do not know what is
next. Foreigners control por-
lions of the city of Picking, and the
government cannot arrest a ma
tive in the foreign quarter without per-
mission. Foreign troops watch the
TO see that the machinery
turns smoothly. Can you wonder that
they hate and fear u.s. Suppose the
police here had to get permission from
some Chinaman before the arrest of an
American criminal hiding in China
town could be made. You cannot i'm
agine such condition: Well, it exists
In China.
Il repeat that it is these causes alone
which make Cinnamon detest foreign
ars. 1t is not the religion that China
cares about; ii is the mixing in public
affairs. Prominent Cinnamon frequent
" declare, however, that the Christian
religion is not for that country. Our
religion is DID, they will say, and is as
well established as yours. Our code of
morals is rs high as yours. and it Is
lived up to in about the same proper
ton as Christians live up TO theirs. We
ove our religion, the religion of Con-
'ucius and Buddha. Why don't they
20 to the Zulus or some such people
who have no religion"
"As a matter of fact we, and by we l
refer TO the whole civilized world,
reat the Chinese as though we were
heir conquerors. The Chinese govern
nent got tired of this, as we all knew
{ would. and it was decided to fright
IL the foreigners with n make believe
general uprising. The Boxers furnish
d just the tool, and they were encour-
ICED by the government without a
lo.bt. The trouble was that the
natter got beyond government control |
md now there is no telling where 1t |
will stop. The question which con- |
ronts the government now is whether
shall favor the Boxers or the foreign |
rs. In short. those in authority have |
'ot themselves in a pretty mess. think |
hey will eventually favor the Boxers, |
{ they have not done so already.
1--WE first began to hear of the Box |
RS about a year ago. The society was |
organized as an athletic So
iety, but that was only n mask. In |
eality it was a political society. And 1
-Ou may be surprised when 1 say that 4.
t was not organized to fight foreign |
rs; ii simply had to do with internal |
fairs. 1t was against the govern
nent- About n year ago a report :
would come to Shanghai of n riot of (
ONE trouble in a neighboring village.
there would come a report saying the
lot was caused by the Boxers. China, |
s you doubtless know, is n land OF
ecret societies. There are all kinds.
is secret. Consequently lit
lie attention was paid to the Boxers.
But now the Chinese government
ONES forward and makes a play
which speaks we'll for the cunning
rain of some mandarin The auiuuS I