Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-30
A Nero Of Sell Rel iraint.


Some men become heroes by doing
things and some by refusing to de
things. The latter method is the less
spectacular and gets the smaller re-
ward. but it is not the lesser in degree
or the commoner in occurrence. In the
midst of all the exciting and the sad
news from China the heroism of Rear
Admiral Kempff at Taku has not been
given its due prominence In strong
discussion of that battle the New York
Sun calls attention to, the Importance
of his course. 1t holds that since
Dewey entered Manila Bay no naval
commander in our service has been
called upon to decide more moment
Gus question than that which Rear aAd-
miral Louis Kempff decided on his un-
aided Judgment before the forts at
Taku. He had been invited and ex-
peeted to Join the European command
ers in the attack on the Chinese works
at the mouth of the Peiho river Every
professional. alId national and humanity
natural impulse urged him to take
hand in the bombardment The cir
cumstances of the emergency seemed
to Justify him in cooperating with the
ships of the other nations. Kempff
turned the matter over in his level
Nd Al,
csc flag. The other commanders went
ahead.
1t is now well agreed that the course
of the commanders there was a stu
pendous blunder. The sequel at .Pekin
and elsewhere throughout China has
shown that instead of promoting the
safety of the foreigners in China, then
menaced only by the Boxer movement,
it multiplied their perils. 1t turned all
the unstable elements Of the popul-
alton in the direction in which the riot
ers We're proceeding. 1t eXasperated
the government, the army and the peo-
pie. and united all parties in a common
hostility and in joint resistance. 1t
preciptated the attack on the legations
in Pekin. 1t probably prevented the
successful advance of the first relief
expedition beyond Tientsin. 1t built a
wall of hatred and desperation between
the beleaguered diplomatists and mis-
sionaries and those who would rescue
them If an awful fate has in fact be-
fallen the Americans and Europeans
and japanese in Pekin, the signal for it
was given by the guns of their friends
eminent has any color of right and
justice in its case at this time, it was
afforded by the act of unnecessary
folly in which Admiral Kempff refused
to participate.
More thanthat, if the consistent policy
of the United States in China for the
past fifty years. and the crystal clear
declaration of it by President Mckin-
ley's administration, gives us especial
der present and future circumstances
to serve the cause of civilization and
peace. the advantages of this position
We're preserved for us by Kempff. He
could have destroyed them at Taku if
he had cared more for Il pretty fight
than he cared for consequences or his
duty to his government.
We do not know how much of a
statesman and diplomat this American
sailor is, but we do know that at least
once he saw clearly and a long way ahead
through the fog that bafiled his foreign
colleagues vision. He can We'll afford
to remember now the public criticism
t. which he was at first subjected. here
and abroad, for supposed slusgishness
of temperament, or lack of true naval
spirit. or timidity in the face of unac-
customed responsibilities. His master
ly course deserves full and generous
recognition at Washington where his
modest report has just been received.