The National tribune., 1901-05-09
CHINESE
MASSMEETING.
Second in the History of the
Nation Held at Shanghai to
Protest Against Russian Ag-
gresSiOn.

Special correspondence TO THE NATIONAL TRIBUS E.
SHANGHAI. CHINA.
Another milestone has been raised in
the progress of reform. China, the coun-
try which boasts an absolute monarch,
who claims g descent from divine origin,
most extraordinary proceeding, the Sec
Ond time only since the nation came into
existence four thousand years ago.
trust the reader will not compare this
high-sounding and bombastic prolegOm-
enon and its sequel to that mountain in
the fable that after much quaking and
rumbling gave birth only to a mouse.
To show that a mass meeting i'll China
is something highly significant and fraught
with danger TO the persons taking part in
II, let me say few words on the one and
the only one that took place in this city
some two years ago. After the coup d
etat OF the EmpreSS-DOwager in the Sum-
mer of '9S, by which she once more let
down the curtain and assumed the reins
of Government" she attempted to depose
the present Emperor and place the Heir
Apparent, the younger son of Prince
Tuan, on the throne. Through the op>
position of the foreign powers she was
frustrated in her scheme.
The Reform Party in Shanghai, headed
by Mr. King Lieu-shan, the Manager of
the Imperial Telegraph Company, held
mass meeting independently and were
spirited enough TO send telegraph to the
Empress -Dowager, advising her not to at
tempt such high-handed measures. The
result was a price was set on Mr.. Kings
head, and the prominent members of the
party were put under prescription. Mr.
King fed to Macao, Portuguese colony
near Hongkong, and has been detained
there by the Portuguese Government ever
since.
Such, then, was the fate Of the pro.
~
and it would be supposed that natives
would be wary IN attempting another.
But such seems not be the case, and it is
good evidence of the fact that patriotism
and public spirit are not quite dead yet
In China, and that men are willing TO risk
their lives to assert their opinions for the
good OF the country.
On Friday, March Is, the natives of
Shanghai were much surprised to see on
the front page of the leading Chinese |
daily paper a glaring notice, which, when |
translated, reads as follows:
"'The Russians have been urgently de- |
sirous of the ratification of the Russo |
Chinese Convention. If this should be |
done, a cause Of universal war is launched |
and the southeast of China will witness |
bloodshed, and the future of China will |
be too horrible to contemplate. We hear |
that the high provincial authorities are |
not in favor of the Convention; it is there |
fore the duty of scholars and merchants |
In Shanghai to telegraph resolutions to |
the Viceroys of the different provinces to |
add their voice in the protest against rati- |
fcation. We have decided on the 25th |
day at 8 o'clock to assemble at Chang's |
Garden to discuss the form of the tele-
gram and to await the signatures of all |
Interested. This notice is issued by the
people Of Shanghai"
Promptly at o'clock over 200 gathered
together at the aforementioned spot, and
among those present were the editors of
the native dailies, returned diplomats,
prominent merchants and other distin-
Ruished Chinese interested in reform work.
There were four speakers. The first
one discussed the atrocities committed in
the north by the Allied troops and warned
bis hearers of like sufferings, il the Con-
Tention should become a real instrument.
He enlarged on the prophecy that the rat
lfcation of the Convention means the be-
ginning of the partition of China, so long
talked about and which really will hap