Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-06
JUSTIFYING THE BOXER.


From the first. the virginian-Pilot
took no stock in the theory that the
war on the Chinese was war for
the advancement of civilization. BY
their attack on the legations the
Chinese very foolishly gave the Powers
an opportunity for exploitation that
they were not slow to utilize. Con-
sideration for the safety of the lega-
TONERS was secondary to the desire for
material advantage. as clearly ap-
peared in every manoeuvre of the al
lies. From the nature of the case the
cloven hoof could not long be con-
cealed. There has been even less eff
fort to preserve semblance of dis
interested action than might have been
expected; there has been a more bru-
tai disregard of the rules of war, even
of the commonest dictates of human
ity. than the harshest critic of the
Powers could have anticipated. The
Brooklyn Eagle. which has been sup
porter of a strong policy in China,
puts the case admirably when it de-
clares. ''our war for civilization is a
hell of barbarity." With pardonable
vehemence the Eagle then proceeds to
give a statement of the case that is
worthy of most careful perusal:
by the latest accounts the men who
speak the languages of SenateS and
schools have cut swath of destruc-
ton along the Peiho Valley that is
more complete than any which the
Boxers left in their advances on the
city of the legations. 1t is compared
to Il corn field after Il visit of locustS
in region where the people have kill
ed of the birds. Every destroyable
and removable thing has disappeared.
The soldiers. not content with SELLING
all they could lay hands on, have
smashed and burned what they could
not take away. Shops kept by harm
less and friendly Chinese have been
riied Of all their contents; homes have
been looted and reduced to ashes; the
few terror stricken people who remain
ed about their villages and begged the
strangers to spare their goods. were
beaten and kicked: Chinese were i'm
pressed into service as pack animals
and made TO carry supplies on their
backs. being SO worked and whipped
that many of them fell dead in their
tracks; some of the people whose food
supplies had been taken from them.
and whose very clothing, poor as it
was. had been stripped from their
backs huddled like sheep in yards,
trembling at the advance of the white
monsters; women are outraged, of
course. and children have been swung
up by the feet and their brains dashed
out against rocks; old men and women
have been dubbed and bayoneted and
sabred to death: farmers at work in
their fields and people quietly walking
the roads near the armies, bearing
goods or messages. have been shot
dead, because they made good targets"
This. it may be stated. is what It
means to be a participant in the work
which we have been given to under
stand it is the highest duty of the
Western nations to perform. We COM
mend the Eagles contemptuous expo
stion of its Infamous hypocrisy:
And this is war of civilization?
This is war carried on in the name
of a merciful God2- This-is a-rel,ilfe.
for the protest of a faction against
white mems interference? It is to this
end that white missionaries have been
preparing the yellow people for the
coming OF the forces Of law. morality
and enlightenment! Is there one man
with a human heart in his breast who
would not be Boxer, If he were a
Chinese. and fight to the last gasp
against the entrance OF this devirs
horde into his empire? If there is. let
him hide himself in knowledge Of the
shame in which his fellow men would
hold him."
This is n courageous. if somewhat
belated. recognition of the fact that we
emphasized in the beginning of this
unhappy business. viz: that the Chin
csc have been more sinned against
than SHINING Whatever were the
Boxers crimes against foreigners, and
their insane ferocity need not be min
imized. the foreign soldiery has given,
to the last detail, measure for meas
ure of brutality. On both sides 1t has
been murder. not war. Now and here
after it must be to every normal mind
matter OF unspeakable adherence
and disgust