The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-12-19
Washburn, Wis, Dec. 10, 100.
A LITTLE TALK ON CHINA.

HE L OW els itIO Oulll ICsoOoA0oidS ~
and will be for some time, in order
to get about a settlement of the
Chinese affair. Some OF the nations
wished to impose severe structures
upon the Chinese government, but
it is likely that more moderate
means will be the ultimate result.
Tt appears to THE TINES that in all
this trouble a great amount OF pup
tic sympathy has gone to waste up
on the foreign missionaries, and we
are beginning to believe, more and
more, that if it were not for lot OF
fools working under the name OF
Christianity that there would be
very little trouble to settle in CHINA.
China and the nations got along for
centuries, and were in perfect ac-
cord, until the missionaries were
sent to the Orient to convert the
ssheathen. Trouble has followed
ever since, and naturally the home
governments gave protection to
their citizens in China. When
Pekin was entered and the foreign
ers were rescued, a thing happened
that has caused many people to
wonder good deal whether CHINA
has not been imposed upon, and
whether they are not justified to a
certain extent in feeling aggressive
towards the foreigners. The gen
erals and officials in command OF the
foreign troops hesitated very much
about invading the Sacred City"
of Pekin: but it was the insistence
of the missionaries that caused the
Holy city to be raided; and the pos
sessions and relics so sacred to Con-
fucians to be destroyed. These
missionaries seem to have taken
especial delight in destroying those
things which were the most sacred,
not only to the government, but
which represented in large meas
ure the ideals of religion which we
Americans fail to understand. But
we ought to appreciate that these
things were as sacred to the people
of China as the sacred houses OF
worship are to the Christians: or to
better illustrate, they are as much
to China, as are the headquarters OF
the Catholic church at Rome to the
Catholic people of the world. There
is hardly person enough a Vandal
that would approve OF the destruc-
ton of the palaces OF the Pope OF
Rome; but what would be the dill
ference whether it were Rome that
was entered and destroyed or the
Sacred City of China. More than
that the entry of the Sacred City
was the signal to destroy everything
in sight. And now from the
foreigners in China comes all sorts OF
suggestions as to whati' the best way
of dealing with the problems, most
of the foreign officials and residents
advocating moderation; but reports
from Washington say that the state
department is being daily petitioned
by by the missionaries to behead the
Empress dowager, the Emperor, and
pretty much everybody else in
authority in China. Is this follow
inc the Masters teachings? To our
minds the missionaries seem TO be
about as lacking in sense as the
Cinnamon, and while it perhaps
would not be good policy for a
government to recognize. still the
best way to settle the trouble be-
tween the Missionaries and the Box
ers would be TO select an equal mum
Der of both, and ship them out to a
small island, and let them settle
things to suit themselves. This
would do away with indemnities, in
reference of the nations, and all
other kinds of difficulties.
Incident to the Chinese trouble
the recent talk made by Minister
WI Ting Fang is Of interest. He
compares Christianity and Confuc-
ianism, of course holding to the lat
later as the correct religion. Mr..
WI said:
Il do not believe that heaven is an
exclusive place. The advocates of
most religions are all trying TO make
a private park OF it for their own
adherents. Whatever heaven may
be. | believe it is a place for al good
men irrespective of dogma.
Referring to the doctrine Of sub
mission and humility taught by