The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-08
DAYS Of Missionaries
Uprising China

points in common with New York city.
ITO become tatoi, or mayor, Of Tien-
Tsin,' he said, costs a candidate no less
than 100000 taels, although the salary is
only 5000 taels, and even this he does not
take, but sends it with a polite note to
the viceroy. That dignItary usually re-
turns one-half with an equally polite
note, saying the amount Is too large.
Then the new mayor returns the greater
part of the amount, and when the trans
action is closed the viceroy finds that he
has been compelled to take the lions
share of the salary. To defray the ex-
penses Of securing the position the candi-
date for the tatoiship receives large sums
Of money from merchants and manu-
facturers, who are remembered during the
tatoPs term Of office They all make
money out of the Office and the official
himself becomes Independently rich.
1t is against the law Of the land 10
export rice or breadstuffs, but a certain
amount Of money given to the mayor,
which he divides with other officers,
makes them blind to the offense, and the
goods are sent away at a large profit
The system of extortion and corrIIp-
ton Is brought hcme to the poor China-
nun who may happen - have business
Ett"r" Mandarin I'm the shape Of a
lawsuit. He krows this. and on that ac-
count breads the ordeal. BY curious
arrangement the plaintiff as we'll as the
defendant must go to prison until tho
case has been decided The man who ac-
cuseS another Of stealing his horse must
crawl on all tours from the door to the
space set aside for that purpose In front
of the Mandarin, and after he mas stated
his case, either himself or through en-
Official who Is not lawyer but g. sort OF
notary, he must duck his head and NAV
not look up Then the accused person.
in the sams posture, has his hearing, and
If 10th are paor the case may be quickly
decided. But If they have money both are
sen to prison while Tie Mandarin coll
si1ers the case. and dGriag tho term Of
their detention they are bled TO the last
dregs.
HE WHO PAYS MOST WINS.
1.-The decision Is invariably In favor OF
the man who pays the most, and although
the horse thief may be condemned TO 100
bamboo strokes. an adequate fee will
make this punishment nothing more than
counting 106 on the palm of the culprits
hand with bambo.
knowing all this, the Chinese will en-
dure much before they go to law, but
when they have become converted they
have no such dread, because any injustice
or fancied wrong IS reported to the mis-
sionary, who runs to the consul and re-
port on Christian persecution is sent to
Europe or to America Is 1t any Won
der that the Chinese rebel?
THE Chinese have their peculiarlties,
which do not impress the foreigners IA
vorably; but as a class they are good
people. The children love and venerate
their elders, and it would be hard to find
a Chinese boy who would not give his life
willingly to please or serve his father.
The young man is perfectly satisfied to al
low his mother to select his wife-that Is,
his first one. The law recognizes only
one wife. but winks at polygamy. When
the wife IS Of equal rank with her hus-
band her approval must be secured before
the additional wives are admitted. but II
she is lower in rank than her husband,
she has no choice in the matter The
children all call wife No I mother and
if she should die No. 2 advances to her
place.
FATALISM IN EVERYTHING.
1.-THE fatalism Of the Chinese shows It
self in all their doings, and this makes
them take matters generally In q philo-
sophical manner. The culprit, when he Is
taken to execution, has his hands tied
at his back, but IS neither otherwise
bound nor blindfolded. He kneels and
calmly awaits the stroke Of the heads
man. This lack of fear makes them good
soldiers also so far as fighting qualities
are concerned; but they have no organiza-
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