The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-16
He Is EmbarrassingIy Inquisftive
About the Looting by Christian
Missionaries.
REvIsEs A COMMANDMENT
HINTS THAT CHINA May HAVE A
DAY OF FINANCIAL RECKONING.
China Is Grateful to Russia, but Ex-
poets Most Help from the United
states-PIans of the Court.
.. Martin Miller.

Ii Hung Chang spent four hours yester-
day Nov. s. interviewing me. had gone
TO interview him. The conversation was
conducted through George Mark, NJ D.,
the great Chinaman's physician and inter-
prefer. Three servants stood Immediately
behind his Exceilency dancing attendance
on his immediate wants. Most OF their time
was occupied in keeping pipe, with a stem
three feet long, we'll filed and lighted, held
up to the mouth Of the viceroy without
effort to himself.
After shaking hands, according to the
Chinese fashion. the man who is in Picking
TO get the Chinese imperial government
out Of its muddle and the great powers of
the world out OF theirs, advanced and
shook my hand after the hearty American
way.
Said u; sYour Excellency, the people Of
the United States know you better than
any man Of your race, living or dead. and
look to you as the one man more than
any other who can rise to the emergency
and bring your own country and the great
powers OF the world out OF this crisis in
= way that viii serve the best interests of
all the world You know better than any
other man OF the middle kingdom how
closely together the world Is knit, IN these
days. In all its interests.''
ct am too old; am more than seventy"
vas mis- answer.
"B1t you are now here working on the
matter?" To this he SAD something to
the interpreter, which the latter explained
by saying: His Excellency meant to be
modest when he said he was too old
That" added Dr. Mark, els the way in
CHINA"
Ii Hung Chang at once began firing ques-
HONS at me. machine gun fashion
QUESTIONS ABOUT LOOT.
'How long have you been in Peking?" he
asked "Six days." said I.
Have you secured any loot?' "Not a
BIT"
"where are you hving?" "At DR.. IS,
. missionary. There is no hotel in Pc
king"
How much loot did DR.. - secure?" -I
don't know"
At this point he said something to the
interpreter and laughed heartily. I asked
what his Excellsncy was saying, and Dr..
Mark said he was feeling in excellent
spirits to-day and had cracked joke about
the missionaries footing.
DO you know Mr.. =, one of the Sec
retaries OF the = legation?'' Eyes"
Ills wife is very wealthy, is she not?"
~ have understood so.'
do you know that Mr.. and Mrs. -
have purchased at nominal prices tens Of
thousands OF dollars worth of loot from
American soldiers and others?" II know
nothing about that"
do you know that Dr. of the Ameri-
Board Mfaafoporx COofatxy a,,.7 Tlr
Of the Presbyterian Missionary Society have
secured vast quantities of loot in the shape
Of silver. valuable furs. jade etc. and
have held frequent auction sales here in
Picking and realized enormous sums OF
money from these sales?" Yes, L have
heard much about this and have seen some
articles sold, but do not know how the
missionaries secured them"
do you not imagine China will know
when the day OF reckoning comes and the
ndemnities are demanded?" Have you
maintained secret service. your Excel
lency?' / asked. The aged diplomat made
another joking remark In answer.
CHARGES AGAINST MISSIONARIES.
Yours IS a Christian nation The nation
that entered Pao-Ting the other day, looted
It. and murdered. innocent and inoffensive
Chinese citizens is also Christian nation
believe" said Ii Qneaning France.)
'Lately / have been looking ar what you
call your Ten Commandments. The eighth
one says. Thou shalt not steal Now, /
want to improve that one. I'm view OF what
have seen practiced by Christian people,
Including the missionaries who have come
here to teach our people not to be heathens.
AS the easiest way out of the position in
which the Christians, by their acts, have
placed themselves, and to meet the i'm
mediate pressing needs. / suggest that the
hnfr half
Steal but thou mayest loot F"
But, your Excellency,' said l. shave you
heard the missionary side of the question?
The native converts are destitute; all mis-
sion property has been destroyed. and
through no fault of the Christians but on
account OF this Boxer uprising that the
Chinese imperial government failed to put
down. Hundreds of native and foreign
Christians have been murdered by these
outlaws"
Ii asked: "Can you find any excuse in
your Bible for systematically and delfber-
afeiy stealing as the Christian people of
the>World have done and are now doing in
China, both individually and as nations in
most cases? The disciples of Christ did
not steal or loot when He was crucihed
missionaries are looked upon as willing
70 be martyrs: when one cheek Is struck
TO turn the other. and to meet death
x Ss. thas turn the least from where
duty calls They were the first TO seek
cover OF the gunboats last summer and
leave the native Christians. 1t was not
imagined Tor moment by the mission
ariers' severest critics that some OF them
would become thieves when the oppor-
funity came for IL, but some OF the most
prominent ones have simply been con-
stunned by the disease or epidemic of loot
Ing that has taken possession of all classes
here The native Christians have been
taught a new scriptural lesson The LON
don Missionary Society, like the American
societies. has its native Christians ont
bringing in articles. as every one in Picking
knows These articles are sold at the mis-
sion houses. Have you purchased any pr
ticles from the missionaries?' added Ii
yes. bought a Chinese trunk from Miss
- OF the London Missionary Society,"
What did you want with trunk more
than you brought with you to Picking 2''
Il have purchased few little curIos for
myself and friends" said l. and the Chi
naman cracked another joke and laughed
THE MISSIONARIES SIDE.
your Excellency." said /. 1.-THE mission
aries tell me. in explaining how they come
Into possession of large quantities OF
Chinese goods which they are converting
into money. that there are many former
~ weii-to-day Cinnamon who have LOST
their business, and while they have prop
erty IL IL tied up. and they must have
immediate cash with which TO buy food
for their families. They sell their sable,
otter. ermine and other valuable fur gar
ments as well as silver and Jade orna-