The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-07-11
THE CRISIS IN CHINA.
Brief Statement of the True State of
Affairs. -UnWeIcome Missionaries.
Outraged by Railroad Engineers.

AHdlrS. -UnWelC0me MISSIONARIES
Outraged by Railroad Engineers.
The sntiforeisn movement in
China, or uprising CT the "B,xers" as
they ere called, has assumed propor-
tions which Justify the belief that
China and Earope are to day facing
graver crisis than Rome did when
Attila appeared before her gates.
There are two phases of the situa,
ton in relation to it's effect upon the
world at large, and there are at least
two prime causes of the outbreak.
First Of these, are the missionaries
It is undoubtedly true that these
people, no matter how we'll meant
their intention, are most uDwelcome
in China. 1t is an interesting fact
that Christianity finds rather barren
soil amorg the dark skinned races,
and that the Christian religion has
never fourished, and exists only as an
exotic east of line drawn north and
south through to Jerusalem. When
in this country some time ago, Ii
Hung Chang the "Grard Old Man
OF Chins," spoke often of the mission
ary question and it is remembered be
said it must sooner or later cause
serious trouble. He once asked
whether it were possible for the
European powers to arrive at an
agreement to forbid missionaries to
90 to China. He used to say that
the Chinese did not so much object
to Christianity as the sleek, we'll paid,
supercillous forei gners" who we're
sent to China to teach and preach.
The average missionary, said the old
Vicaroy, Invariably jsrred on the
nerves Of the Chinese, and he thought
it would be immensely to the benefit
of all concerned if the missionary
work were copfGed to natives, of
WI IN there were plenty to carry on
the work, if it must be carried on,
which be did not by any means ad-
NIT.
This is by no means the popular
view OF the question, but it is never
theless the impartial and unpreju
diced statement of the situation.
The labor element and the politicians
in this country have practically de-
MED the Chinese admission to the
United States, and have mobbed and
murdered them upon slight provoca
ton. Yet We demand that they &C
cept cur missionaries whether they
are wanted or not.
In the Shantung province, Belgian
and German capitalists are construct
ing railroad AID riots have occur
red there and foreign engineers have
been assassinated While 10 ore
can justify these cowardly measures
of revenge, it must be admitted that
these people have extraordinary prov
ocation, for the railroad people in
the Sbapgturg province have treated
the natives in a most abominable
manner and have provoked the riots
of which they now complain. This
portion Of China is one of the most
densely populated sections Of the
earth, and the people have struggle
for existence. Every inch OF ground
is cultivated: every straw and every
sprig of vegetation is utilized in some
way for the support of life. The
country is divided into little farms
which are cultivated almost with
microscope, one might say, because
it is necessary for the subsistence of
some family, md the dead are buried
in the gravel hills where nothing can
grow.
Through this country and under
these conditions railways are being
constructed by the German and Bel
gian engineers, wLo show most
brutal Indifference to the rights ard
he people, They run their lines
across the farms, they tear down
bouses, burn villages, destroy crops,
seiz, supplies, impress labor and
treat the people in most cruel and
arbitrary manner. II the same
things should occur in the United
States Or Europe or in any other port
of the world they would be attended
by the same results. The Boxers
we're organized to resist and revenge
these outrages, and they use the only
means within their power to punish
their oppressors. A CLinaman never
gets any sympathy either in America
O. elsewh here, and the consciousness
Of that fact compels him to carry on
his operations with as great a secrecy
as possible.
So much for the causes of the out
break against the foreign devils
Now what will be the outcome? If