Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-01

may herself be punished but they realize
that this can only be done by bringing her
with the rest Of the court back where they
WIN De In the power of those who are faith
ful to the emperor. They at first believed
that 1t was the intention of the allies to
restore the emperor to the throne, but the
long delay which has occurred since the
relief OF Pekin has convinced them OF the
Interior motives Of the powers, while the
numerous punitive expeditions that have
roamed about over the province of Chill,
destroying cities and towns and butchering
the inhabitants, has satisfied the Chinese
people that the powers intend nothing less
than the partition of the country, and that
these expeditions are merely the beginning
o. military operations which are intended
to overrun the whole empire.
In a State of Ferment.
The continued demands Of the ministers
at Pekin for the punishment Of those In
whose power the emperor and empress are
is regarded by the Chinese people either as
the grossest stupidity or as a plain indica-
ton Of desire to prolong the trouble for
the purpose Of creating grounds for claims
which China will never be able to satisfy.
The result Of this is that the whole empire
Is in state of ferment and patriotic Sc
cret societies are being organized every
where, while Chinese newspapers in every
provincial capital are demanding war fol
the purpose of preserving their territorial
integrity and Of saving their homes and
themselves from the aggressions of the for
eign powers.
have about exhausted their influence in
preserving quiet and In keeping the people
from breaking out. 1t is known that many
OF them have notified the powers that they
Will be unable to do so very much longer.
They have succeeded in accomplishing what
they have only on account of those pecu-
liar powers which make the Chinese wee
roys and governors almost absolute mon
archs within their provinces.
Suffered for Their Sentiments.
Yet these viceroys are themselves in such
a state of doubt concerning their own
futures that they hardly know what to do.
Several of the leading officials Of China
have given up their lives under circum-
stances which practically made them vol
foreign sentiments. Two Of the leading
ministers Of the tsung Ii yamen are said TO
have changed the wording of an edict
ordering the assassination of all foreign
ers. so that it became one ordering the
protection of foreigners Knowing when
they changed it that the change must be
discovered, and that their heads would pay
the forfeit, they cheerfuly took the step,
hoping that the delay so gained might
bring events to pass which would prevent
the possibility of such q slaughter as was
contemplated The change was discovered
and they were beheaded, together with
three other members of the imperial boards
at the capital who had been parties with
Them in the mutilation of the decree. 1t is
not too much to say that these men we're
heroes and that the foreign world owes
much to them, for which it is to be hoped
that some day suitable memorial to their
memory may be raised.
But the problem which confronts these
ViceroyS and governors who have so long
succeeded in preserving peace and quiet In
their provinces is what assurance have
they that their heads shall not be the for
felt for their friendship to foreigners?
Death or Rebellion.
AS matters now stand with the old en-
press, the actual reigning sovereign, she
may at any time order them deposed and
beheaded for their failure to stir up an
anti-foreign demonstration in their prov
inces, and in the absence of backing or sup
port by the foreign powers. in whose be-
half they have exercised all their power and
influence, they will have no choice but to
submit themselves to the empress orders,
and allow themselves to be beheaded or to
raise Independent standard of revolt and
become rebels
The powers are asking too much Of these
vioeroys, as they are also asking too much
of the central government. With the peo-
pie clamoring for war, and the whole popu-
lace satisfied on account of the punitive
eA petitions and the long delay in the
gotiations that the powers intend the sez-
ure and partition of the country. 1t Is not
unreasonable TO Del6Ne tndt the VlcerOyS
may give way to popular sentiment. to the
wave of national feeling and patriotism,
and join in movement inspired by spirit
of desperation to preserve China for The
Chinese. That the Chinese people have
determined to compel the world to recog-
nize their rights there can be no doubt. and
it may as well be understood now as later
that there can be no permanent settlement
of the Chinese problem that does not give
substantial justice to the Chinese. Should
the delay in the peace negotiations be con-
tinued much longer there can be no doubt
that the desperation Of the people will
drive the whole empire into a crusade for
permanently Kidding their country Of those
who have come to plumber and divide 1t.
BY Sheer Force of Numbers.
That ultimately these yellow people
would succeed is certain, for the compare
lively small forces that civilization would
be able to land on their shores could not
hope to stand against the hordes Of Chi
nese that would rise up to overwhe m them.
If the resources of the powers We been
axed to organize the expedition f. the re-
lief Of Pekin, what would they b. able to
do in the face of outbreaks occurring 81
multaneously at every port and city along
the coast?
There are over twenty of these treaty
ports of China, each one of which would be
az difficult to reach and hold as was Tien
Tsin, and If they could not hold these points
of vantage along the coast, what could they
hope to accomplish against those great
provinces in the interior? The whole popu-
lation Of the United ST les is less than one
fifth Of China. European Russia has less
than one-fourth. Germany about one
eighth, while Great Britain. France and
Japan have each about one-tenth as manv
China's population exceeds that Of all
Europe and North America combined. hut
China's strength is even greater than her
mere preponderance Of population would