The National tribune., 1900-10-04

Local Administration of Laws-Atrocitie'
of Invading Armies-Russians Take Ter
rible Revenge.
Special Correspondence to THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
SHANGHAI. CHINA. Sept. 1.
The Americans. in company with the
English, were the first of the allies tc
enter the Capital of China. The walls
of the Forbidden City were blown to
pieces with dynamite aud now the allies
flags float over the Imperial City. The
past week has witnessed n most remark
able episode not only in the history of
China but also in that of the world, of
the 10Th century. No one is able to fore
cast confidently the results that will en-
sue from it. 1t is supposed that the alb
sence of detailed news is due to the exer-
else of the functions of the censOrs,
though people are wild to hear of the
experiences and doings of the besieged
foreigners during the late Boxer regime.
A regrettable piece of information has
been received by us, j. e., the escape of the
Empress-Dowager and the chiefs of her
bloody following to the Businesses of
Shansi. A detachment of japanese cav
airy Immediately went in pursuit and ru-
ing with the Emperor. Another story
says that the Emperor never left Pekin
against the wish and importantly of the
old lady Considerable uncertainty exists
as to the whereabouts of Prince Tuan,
the arch plotter, but it is generally be-
ieved he is in hiding in Pekin, together
with Kang-Yi, Hsie Tung and Chung-Li
Naturally at this stage of affairs poll
cics for the eternal pacifcation of anti
Christian and anti-foreign feeling are be-
ing suggested. As the Chinese proverb
says, ITO cure a disease you must dis
cover its cause" so sober-minded people
are trying to arrive philosophically and
logically at the real cause of the late
troubles.
China embraces two antagonistic ele
ments, the Manchus and the Chinese, the
former being the ruling class. The Man
chus are the privileged persons. They
work not. neither do they toll, living on
the fat of the land. They have far bet
ter chances of becoming officials; they re-
ceive pensions for having conquered the
Chinese; they are unjustiy protected in
taxes, etc. Such is the status of the
Manchu element. As a matter of course,
the Chinese officials, who are subservient
to the powers that be, act in every way
to please the Manchus.
The burning of the Summer Palace in
1860, the elimination of the foreign wars
of China, has never been forgotten, and
the people are taught and stirred up to
hate the foreigners. The Imperial fam
fly fears the advancement of its subjects
In western knowledge and thoughts, as 1t
may most probably be the cause of the
overthrow of the Manchus. Only by
keeping the people in the old ruts do the
Manchus hope to retain the throne, and
they hope to do this by making the masses
the buffer between the foreign invaders
and themselves. The Chinese as whole
are not anti-foreign. They are infiamed
to be so by the Mandarins, the instru-
ments of the ruling class.
THE ROOT OF THE TROUBLE.
The position of the Chinese convert has
been repeatedly discussed. There is no
doubt that he falls back on the church
as protector in case of taxes, lawsuits, |
ETC; the foreign missionary, being keenly
sympathetic of all and any oppressive
acts, will lend his assistance. But we
must remember that this oppression and
tyranny are the lot of every Chinaman,
and naturally jealousy arises, when, with |
the help of missionaries, the converts are
seen to be exempt from all the common |
petty tyrannies. The fact that, therefore, |
many converts have been helped by mis- |
Eionaries to obtain justice and often more |
than justice according to the laws Of the |
land is sufficient reason for the ignorant |
to hate missionaries.
1t is inevitable that the spread of Chris |
tianity clashes with the beliefs of the |
Chinese. The most prominent doctrines
of heathenism in China are "Eeng-shui,
geomancy, and the worship of ancestors, |
neither of which is countenanced by Chris |
tian teaching. The defiant attitude of |
native Christians is a source of suffering
to their relatives and of annoyance to their |
III. IffRF Nfarrl
q Christian he ceases to be n real China
man. He is literally an outcast, unable
to take part in any social affairs. Births, |
marriages, deaths are all wound up with
the rites and ceremonies of their religion
and a convert finds himself obliged to alb
stain from these conviyial gatherings or
to remain away, thus incurring the dis
pleasure of his friends if any remain after
his conversion. Thus slowly but surely
strong tide Of anti-fOreign feeling has
been flowing and gathering in strength.
REMEDY PROPOSED.
A native of prominence and wide expert
ence suggests the following general prin-
ciples for stopping Christian riots forever,
but whether they are practical or not re-
mains to be seen:
Harmony should be the guiding prin-
ciple in dealing with missionary troubles.
Chinese officials must not be partial to
uOH-cDUNeElS, nOI " tpuNtIIS.
When a magistrate should decide unfair
ly in lawsuits, the parties should have
the right to appeal till both sides are sat
isfied. Any magistrate, foreign or ma
tive, who should repeatedly decide un-
Justly will be removed by the proper au-
thorities from his Office.
When threatenings to create q riot are
heard, the local authorities should at once
send the missionaries to the treaty ports
with n proper guard, al the same time
sending soldiers to protect the churches
concerned. But when non-convcrts. for
the sake Of inquiry or discussion, should
visit churches, they must not be turned
out unceremoniously, thus sowing seeds Of
trouble.
Missionaries come to spread the Gospel.
and not TO take part in politics or to act
as lawyers. When their followers should
be arrested in case of lawsuits, crimes.
ETC., missionaries must not come TO their
aid, either by their own presence or by
applying to the Consuls.
Missionaries must be very careful of
the people they convert. Let them inves-
tigate the converts status, antccedents
and purposes in joining the church. Thus
the church will not get into bad fame.
As to taxes 10 the Government ana sub
scriptions for public or private offices,
converts are to be treated similarly as
non-convertS.
If any convert should misbehave, It is
the duty of the missionary to eNpcl him
from the church. TIM people will nd
mire the uprightness N tice OF foreign