New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
CHINA'S FUTURE.
K. VAN BERGEN, OF SHANGHAI, THINKS
PEACE CANNOT BE RESTORED UNDER
CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY ALLIES.

CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY ALLIES.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Beyond Japan and Russia. not one OF the
great nations possessing treaties with CHINA
knows, or appears to know. anything whatever
about the ruling power of the Middle hihsoohh'
This ignorance IS shared to almost the same
degree by the United States and Great Britain
Forty years of diplomatic intercourse have
failed to dispel it. The only two British MINIS
ters at the Court of Peking who did understand
the Chinese ruling class sufficiently to overcome
its inertia-Sir Thomas Wade and Sir Harry
parkes-could not bring the Foreign Office to
share their views The State Department at
Washington, as we'll Downing Street, in Lon
DON argues from the hypothesis that the sons
of Han follow the same lo9ic to which we are
accustomed, whereas their ratiocination is not
only different, but in reality antagonistic. AS
if to emphasize that fact. everything a CHINA
man does is exactly opposite TO the manner of
action as performed by His books begin
where we look for the end: he keeps his hat on
where we take ours off; in mourning, we dress
in black, while he dons white. 1t is thus in al
most every ordinary action of life. There is
absolutely not a single point of sympathy be-
tween him and us. Our religious and social
system is based upon respect for the truth, a
sentiment which the Chinaman is wholly un-
able to comprehend.
In drawing attention to the lack of mutual
sympathy, it should be understood that the an
tagonism extends chiefly to the literatt, those
tens of thousands of Confucian scholars from
whose ranks the officials appointed The
people. natural traders own to that degree OF
sympathy which originates in the love of gain
and is measured by the amount of profit No
traveller in the Middle Kingdom has ever been
attacked spontaneously by the people. Every
case of assault upon a foreigner has invariably
been traced to the local kuan. mandarin
whose instigation easily proved II is.
therefore. with the people but with the
literati that the treaty Powers have TO reckon
while the farce is going on at Peking TO restore
the status quo ante.
1t is not generally understood that what to
simple is very complex question
for the Ia Using dynasty Of all countries
China is the where precedent rules su
preme and that rule points to the fact that
the loss of the capital implies the fall OF the
dynasty That. and nothing else. the rea
son why Prince Kung. in 1860. objected so
strenuously 10 the allied British French forces
occupying Peking 1t will be remembered that
Lord Elgin contented himself with holding one
OF the citys gates, act incomprehensible to
the Chinese. If the British Plenipotentiary at
that time had insisted upon declaring the
throne vacant. and had filed 1t with pro-
been little opposition, The Chinese are
attached to their form OF government; the per-
son OF their sovereign is utterly unknown to
them. While the absence OF a Tien Tsz'. or Son
OF Heaven. might. and probably would. produce
a commotion the very large majority of people
and nterati care very little as to who is ruling
in the purple Forbidden City.
THE DYNASTY DEPOSED.
The fall or capture OF the capital is equivalent
TO the deposition Of the dynasty. Thus 1t is. in
the eyes Of Chinese and Manchu alike Nor will
a return TO Pekng relieve the ruling house; IL
has lost face by the flight from Peking and
even more by the deseCration Of the inner pal
ace. Such thing making terms with an
enemy and loyalty executing them is simply
beyond a Chinamans understanding and forty
years OF leniency have taught him only respect
for the foreigners valor and absolute contempt
for their ohtuseness.
Granted that a Christian nation and
that we are morally obliged TO live up to the
tenets Of our creed, this should not prevent us
from taking precautions against the constant re-
currence OF the Chinese running amuck. Surely.
10 make our flag respected. to extend protection
10 our citizens. does not conflict with the doc
trine OF Christianity. The Individual may par
don and forget personal annoyances but the
State is In duty bound to insist upon its rights.
Condoning the murder Of American citizens in
China, whether missionaries or merchants, or
accepting paltry few ounces of silver for life,
is not only failing in duty but inviting a repe-
ttion OF the offence.
If such murders had been rare. or even had
they been the result OF some sudden burst of
mob violence, excuse might be admitted in favor
OF government where autonomy of the differ
ent parts undermines the central authority But
this is not the case. AS said before and il hears
repetition. the cause of the murders has invari-
ably been found in the local or provincial au-
thorities, and those instigators should have re-
ceived adequate and public punishment If that
had been insisted upon. if some red buttoned
mandarin. beyond reasonable doubt guilty of the
shedding of Caucasian blood. had been made TO
expiate his crime as our human laws demand
the Boxer movement would have been nipped in
the bud, and the Middle Kingdom would offer
safe field for missionary and merchant
II is nothing less than morbid To insist upon
making excuses, pleading ignorance in favor or
the Chinese Government 1t has had forty wears
to grow acquainted with what we consider the
customs and usages of civilized people 1t has
not failed to obtain assistance. The best hooks
on international law have been translated. and
other works of equal value are published in
Chinese, owing chiefly to the assiduous work of
the missionaries. 1t is not ignorance-it is hos
tility, active hostility, which animates the lit
eratL 1t will break out periodically. and with
ever increasing violence. unless their power he
broken now and forever.
Sir Robert Hart, an authority who cannot ba
accused of lack of sympathy for the venerable
empire and its stultifed inhabitants. predicts at
an early date another effort to proclaim China
for the Chinese-in other words 10 expel the
foreigner. The special correspondent of The