Arizona daily citizen., 1901-06-03
THE ROBBERY OF CHINA.

The plea OF China for more II 5rciful
terms should at least serve to call the
attention of the world to the crime
which the socalled Christian nations are
committing against that unfortunate
country. There is no room to doubt the
truth OF the Chinese claim that the
country cannot pay the indemnity de-
manded. Its only course would be to
secure loan, and the interest on that
loan would tax the resources OF the c"un-
try to the utmost, not to mention the
principal The eait tax and the Ii kin.
which il Ii proposed to devote to indem-
nifty payment, have heretofore been part
of the ordinary revenues Of the country,
and the revenues have not equalcd the
expenditures for some time past. The
two taxes combined have yielded about
5000 900 taels and unless there is an ln-
crease from these sources they cannot
amount to the sam OF $i2 600 900 pro-
posed TO come from them. Whatever
they amount to their diversion will take
just that much from theSordinary re-.
venues and leave q deficit to be met by
additional taxes on an overburdened
country.
IL seems very plain that the powers
want to impose burden that China
cannot meet without booming herself to
permanent industrial bondage, The
motive for such action is easily seen
The powers want either actual partition
OF China or partitioned control OF 1t,
which would amount to much the same
thing. The pressure for this has been
exerted for years, Great Britain makes
pretense of opposing partition, but she
forced her Kaulung concession in 1898,
and supported the Italian demand for a
concession at Sammun bay ard the Bel
gian demand for q concession at Han
kau. Moreover, the British have ex-
torted very extensive railroad conces-
sions in Shan si and in the Yangste val
ley. The Germans and French have
both undertaken railroads in their
''sphere OF influence" and it is conceded
that this building of railroads ID the
chief cause OF the anti-foreign sentiment
In China. The reason is that the trans
portation in China is chiefly by men
carriers and boats, and every mile OF
railroad that is built is estimated to
throw 200 men permanently out OF EN-.
ployment. In thickly populated coun-
try, where wages are next to nothing,
the distressing effects OF such change
can hardly be over estimated. Yet the
foreign capitalists insist in building the
roads and their countries want clubs
over the Chinese to eforce their de.
anands. Hence this unreasonable in
demnity demand.
But II may be urged, China has violat-
ed the laws OF civilized intercourse aud
deserves TO be punished. II Is in this
connection that the offense ofthe Christ
ian nations looks blackest. Who was
responsible for that offense Undoubt-
edly the empress dowager and her asso-
ciates, who dsthroned the rightful en-
peror. The masses of the people on
whom the burdens fall h d nothing to do
with 1t. 1.-THE punishment.fell where II
ought the ofiense Of the Chinese might
justify II, but instead OF that the Offend
era are called back to control OF the gov
ernmens by the powers and continued
In their usurped authority. The Grim.
inaIs are rewarded and the innocent are
punished. And this is done with the
full knowledge that the influence OF the
empress dowager 10 Of the worst charac-
Ter. while the deposed emperor was hon.
estiy trying to do what he could for the
uplifting relief OF the Chinese people.
The Christian powers have knowingly
allied themselves with the forces OF evil,
md for no imaginable reason except to
better themselves commercially and
politically. From every. point of view
the policy followed 10 disastrous TO the
masses of the Chinese and disgraceful 10
the so-called civilized nations.