The Washington times., 1901-07-19
Circulation Statement.
Disorder in Pekin.

Disorder in PeLin.
AS an illustration of what may be eX-
pected after the withdrawal of the for
eign troops from China, it is reported
that the portions of Pekin already
turned over to the police control of the
Chinese are scenes of wild disorder and
violence. An armed band of native
marauders nightly prowls the quarter,
robbing houses, and maltreating China
men in the employ of Europeans wher-
ever they can be found. What is true
now of part of the city will be of the
whole when the Celestials have it all
to themselves.
The apparent certainty that a period
of anarchy will follow the allies evac-
uation of the Empire ought to move the
civilized Governments to warn their cit
liens or subjects to keep away from
China, or. if their business is impera-
tive, not to move a f0rlong from the
treaty ports, where they are likely
more or less to be under the protection
of the wsrships of Western Powers.
AS for the missionaries who have gone
back into the interior. word should be
sent them at once to leave the country.
as il will be impossible to aid them
when the outbreak comes, and their
presence is serving no purpose what
ever except 10 add fuel to the flame of
the Chinese hatred toward foreigners.
None of the Governments involved
seems to care to warn its people of the
imminent danger which menaces Euro
peans and Americans in the Flowery
Kingdom. The reason is not far to seek.
Although every Cabinet from St Pc
tersburg to Washington and Tokyo is
aware that a fierce anti-foreign out
break has been carefully planned and
organized by the Empress Dowager and
Prince Tuan, and that it will not be
long in coming to a head, one and all
are anxious to dodge the responsibility
of refusing consideration to appeals for
the protection of Caucasians of one sort
or another in China, which would be
frantically made in every civilized ma
tion by the friends of those whose lives
will be endangered after the evacua-
ton. The cut and scuttle from Pekin
preclude the Mckinley Administration
fact that it early abandoned American
interests and people in China to the
care OF Europe and Japan, and has no
new disposition TO engage in their pro-
lection. renders the subject an embar-
RAISING one to tackle. Other Govern
ments are in d somewhat similar situa-
ton. They do not want to be hampered
in their determination to drop the Chi
nese business and get out from under
without loss of time, by popular out
cry. Hence, they are taking a cold
blooded view of the matter, perhaps as
suming that if people are hare-brained
enough to trust themselves to the ten
der mercies of the infuriated Chinese,
knowing what reasonably they have to
expect in consequence, they are hardly
sane enough to be reasoned with.
We are not informed concerning the
extent 10 which American missionaries
and their families may have returned
to their old posts. but it is to be feared
that too many have deliberately thrust
their heads into the tigers mouth. If
the crown of martyrdom is what they
are after, there is nothing TO be said.
That is exclusively their own business;
except that their attempted resumption
of their religious propaganda will add
to the gravity of the international sit
uation by tempting the Chinese to COM
NIT such hideous atrocities as to shock
civilization into another punitive in
vasion. On that account il would have
been wise if the Powers had agreed to
permit China TO exclude all foreign
missionaries for a short term of years,
in order that the present vindictive
feeling Of the populace toward them
might have time to die out. Innocently
no doubt, but not the less certainly,
they were instrumental in creating
much Of the sentiment which led to the
Boxer movement. Their return to the
interior may have the effect of helping
that organization to its feet again, and
so, indirectly, of aiding the game Of the
cruel and murderous Tsi Hsi. But it
seems probable that they have taken or
win take the chances and scout advice,
and that within a year the American
public will be shuddering over fresh
horrors reported from Chinese mission
stations OF all nations and denomina-
tions.