The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-08-07
ooRDoN's PROPHECY.
Remarkable Forecast Twenty Year.
Ago of Current Events In China.

There was probably no European
more qualified to express an opinion
OF the Chinese than Colonel Gordon.
more commonly called Chinese Cor
don, whose strange career closed at
Khartum In January, 1885, says the
New York Sun. His military asso-
citation with them during the two
years, from 1868 to 1865, when he com.
manded the ever victorious army, "A
it was styled. gave him a unique ex-
perience of the Chinese and an insight
into their somewhat complex charac-
ter.
With the crudest of material and In
spite of the strongest opposition, an
opposition that would have been fatal
but for the loyal support he received
throughout his short term OF service
under the emperor of China from Ii
Hung Chang, he organized q force
that, under European officers of near.
Iy every nationality. including some
Americans. suppressed the Taeping re-
bellion, then threatening the existence
of China and the dynasty. The opin-
ions he expressed, therefore. have at
the present moment exceptional value.
One, which he gave cOnfidentially to
q friend in 1880, when he was just on
the point of leaving for India, where
he had accepted the post OF secretary
to the viceroy, Lord Ripon. is just now
of particular interest. Speaking OF the
Taeping rebellion and of the courage
of the Chinese troops. he denied that
they were towards In one sense He
held that they did not fear death.
though he had seen them stand I'D
bravely sometimes and then fee like
sheep afterward. But what Europeans
would have to consider was, he said,
the awful consequences OF a general
movement, when least expected, In
the vast inert mass of hundreds of
millions OF men to overwhelm the for
eign devils, whom they hate like
poison.
The danger of such an Outburst, Cor
don said, became greater every year
on account of the way the Chinese
were being continually harassed by
the European states with demands for
compensatiOns, in some cases just, in
others quite frivolous. When they saw
that their only means of meeting the
aggressions was to organize an army
with improved weapons. then they
would buy guns and rifles and ships,
and with the aid OF Europeans, who
would always be found ready to drill
and organize them, they would create
q formidable army.
OF one thing Gordon felt quite sure.
march up to Chinese troops in position
or In defense Of a position and sweep
them away like flies would soon be
over. There would be no more mill
tary promenades by a few hundred
British and French troops through the
country, driving thousands of Chinese
before them. Speaking of the authori-
ties, Gordon said a mandarin was
never to be trusted, and he was only
too glad when he left their service.
The English. in his opinion. made the
mistake OF thinking they were well
come wherever they went. but in Is
or 20 years they would find proof to
the contrary. With all their super
stitions. their vices and their ignorance
the Chinese were, in Gordon's estima-
ton, far too good to be ruled by the
class that governed them. The gov
ernments of France, Russia and Eng
land, he emphatIcally declared. had
for the 40 years before the time be
spoke treated the Chinese most scan-
dalously.
Current events are proving how &C
curately Chinese Gordon judged the
situation. and the regret is that GER
tain defects of character and tempera-
ment should have caused him TO aban-
don n position in which he could have
rendered great service to China and
civilization. In the light of what Is
passing in China today, Gordon's
words Of 20 years ago have a prophet
ic ring.