The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-09

Peking court. WIN DaSoneL anu piHpo IheJ
swept through the country. and murder anu
the baser crimes became the pleasure and
play OF the tiendish horde.
Tue allied armies were buried mere by the
great Christian nations TO rescue the foreign
ers who still survived. To punish those who
had violated every law OF humaLiiy. and tC
make new and lasting peace. They we're
met with armed resistance, and the cam paigri
which began with the relief of Tlentsin and
ended with the rescue of Pektng.
The allies began by inauguratlng the unJus
tifiable policy Of showing no quarter ana foi
lowed II by throwing down every barrier az
their leaders the foreign soldiers went 10
shocking extremes. Murder became almost q
pastime and the violation OF women priv.
ilege. There we're not many things done by
allies did Tot do In calmness.
In the face OF all this. beset by temptation,
with rich loot within the reach or their
hands, with the example OF other Christian
solaiers before them, the American troops
did not forget their manhood, and that Is why
am 80 proud OF them.
The American has too high an estimate OF
life to shoot down either the unarmed and de-
fenseless man, or the armed man who sur
renders, and consequently the American
column was the only one that look or held
much affection and esteem for woman to vlo
late her person and honor, and 40 through all
this disgraceful part of the affair but one
American was guilty OF that kind OF miscon.
sentenced 10 life imprisonment. but becau sc
the case against him was not particularly
strong, and there were other mitigating cir.
cumstances there was com mmutation to twen.
ty years imprisonment.
General Chaffee, the gallant commander
who led the American forces into Pekin, and
still commands them, insisted that his men
should respect private property. He per-
mitted them To take such things as were nee
essary for their own subsistence and the care
of their animals, but issued strict orders that
they were not to steal or destroy private prop
erty. There were violations OF bis order, but
they we're the exception and not the rule.
The portions Of the cities aud country po-
llced by Americans were the first places that
Chinese could resume work or business In
safety. and the Chinese themselves have come
to learn q new respect for our people. There
has been much disorder among the Chinese
themselves, and those guilty In that respect
with those charged with having part In the
movement against the foreigners nave oeen
treated with great severity by the allies.
Hundreds OF them have been executed In
Tientsin and Peking. most of them upon evil
dence that would not be accepted In an Amer
lean court OF law. Beyond that Chinese have
been beaten in these mmary courts TO en-
force admission anu CONFESSIONS This prac-
tice ia regarded with contempt by the Ameri
cans. and the offenders who have fallen INTO
their hands have In every case been given
full and impartial bearing.
In the early days OF the occupancy OF Pekin
a iew-three or four-Chinese were executed
by Americans, but they were guilty OF con-
duct that would have resulted In similar
treatment al home. Some OF me allies, nota:
bly, the French and Russians, have matched
the Chinese In brutality and have gone down
to their level of baseness. The British dis.
avowing any intent OF going TO war with
China, and posing as her friend. sent bands OF
Indian troops, led by white officers, through
laging expeditions. The stolen property thus
gathered has been sold officially, and the pro
ceeds Of the sale, amounting TO thousands OF
dollars, is to be apportioned as prize fund,
n1ds, Official a ba haas OF
Americans and was eventually sold as gov.
ernment loot. The money TINS obtained,
amounting to, believe, 81, 700 (Mexlcan,l was
used to buy rice and other food for the starv-
ing Chinese under American propection.
Gen. Chaffee was greatly annoyed ABOUT
this loot and for a time planned to burn IT.
He finally decided that 1t would be better 10
sell IL and use the money IN relieving distress;
His order directing that the money be paid
over to the American municipality In Pekin,
refers to the articles sold as "looted and stolen
properly"
In another respect have the, Americans
taught their allies lesson in decency and
fairness. When the foreign troops first landed
they impressed thousands Of coolies. and with
force OF arms compelled them TO Work. Iney
were driven about like beasts and treated
with the rankest brutality. Many Of them
help, and heir i'm prisonment worked hard.
ship beyond the grinding toll they were
driven to. Gen. Chaffee declared that no man
should work for the United States without
getting reasonable compensation fair
amount of food and decent treatment. The
average pay Of Il Chinese coolie Is somewhere
between 10 and % silver cents day, but Gen.
Chattee raised the standard to IS cents day.
England and Japan followed his example, but
II was not until weeks later that joint meet
ing OF the commanding officers In Pekin form.
ally declared that impressipg should atop. II
has not entirely stopped, for here In Ilentsln
locally Chinese are not free from molestation.
The Americans have, in every condition
which they have confronted here, preferred
to meet the people with all the dignity and
fairly. and when the enemy quit they spared
his life, and In ordinary dealing with the peo-
pile have been firm, but fair and honest. Inc
policy Of others which took the down 10
Chinese standards was brutalizing and deoas'
ing.
The situation has not sufficiently cleared to
discuss with certainty the future OF the hum
dreds Of American missions In North China,
that they will be bigger and qetter than ever
before. The Chinese could burn down the
missions, but they could not burn out or tor
1ure out the Christ-like zeal OF the mlssioners.
work OF restoration is to be slow, arduous,
The end Of the fighting and sieges left the
missionaries broken In health, tir-
ed, weak, and worn. But the spirit is there
and the new task has already been taken up.
The Chinese government In the negotiations
now in progress endeavor to restrict and
hamper the missions, and 10 that end may
ucational and religious interests In the crafty
game Of diplomacy. 1t is felt, however, that
the government of the United States will
look carefully to the protection Of the mis-;
siona, and that their interests and work will
he carefully safeguarded.
The future OF China Is still an unanswered
question. The best opinion here holds that
her integrity as nation Will be preserved,
and that she will be given chance to pay ~
the family of nations. The old country is In
bad way, and one must indeed be optimistic
to expect to see her in the march OF progress.
She is bopelessly In debt, and the events OF
this year will add millions to her financial
burden. Her people are the victims OF cor
rupt system Of government, and reform for
the hundreds Of Ills that cry to heaven Tor
correction seems far away. Her educational
and judicial systems are sorry farces-traves.
ties on the names Her religion has been per.
verted to the depths OF superstition and moral
foulness. And yet there are elements oil
great strength among the people. They are
at once the most Industrious people on earth,
and in their daily lives they have reached
the acme OF economy. Home and family are
worshlpped by all Of them In com mon creed.
They are clever, too, and could be led to bet
ter things In my humble judgment our
people should insist upon the integrity OF
China, and If beaten In that contention, TO
demand OF the nations that divide the coun.
try that we retain the privileges formerly en-.
loved by US. This country Ia a great and
natural market for the product OF our fields
and our mills We have already enjoyed an
enormous trade with II, aud we should meet
any interest or country that menaces IL Win
f1rmness.
Our men who fought for us out here have
created a new interest for us out here, and we
want q full voice In the worldwide concert
now in progress One must visit the scene tc
know what our fellows went through here
Tientsin was worse battered than Alexandria
and the old Ninth Infantry with all OF Its ex'
perience was never more sorey tried than at
officers of rank with whom they were CO.
operating, the command was led into hope.