New-York tribune., 1901-01-20


horrors with the noyades of the French Revolu-
tion. But so also do various other deeds wrought
by troops of other nationalities. Yet it
counted to me by those Cinnamon with the
panstaking exactitude and Unconditional brevty
of the annalist whose emotions distance of
space and time have quieted Anger sug
gested no epthets. hatred prompted no
inents, but it was none the less clear to me that
there reservoir of pent up passion in tha
breast of the narrator and his fellows which,
We're the occasion propitious. would drive him
TO mad deeds of cruelty calculated to make the
very devils tremble.
The story has been often told since then. not
% merely IN the North but throughout the length
narrated on the spot are these: Some three
hundred hard working coolies eked out a very
cheerless existence by loading and unloading
the steamers of all nations which touched at
Taku. For the convenience Of both sides they
all cooped themselves up in boat which
served them as a permanent dwelling When
times We're slack they were huddIed together
there like herrings IN barrel. and when work
was brisk they toiled and moed like galley
slaves. Thus they managed to get along doing
harm TO no man ard good to many The attack
OF the foreign troops upon Taku was the be-
ginning of their end. Hearing one day the
sharp reports of rifle shots this peaceabIe and
useful community panicStricken. In order
To save their dreary lives they determined to go
ashore strong in their weakness and trusting
In their character of wOrkingmen who abhorred
war; they steered their boat landward. In an
evil hour they We're esped bv the Russian
troops. who at that time had orders. il is said
10 Sl1y every human being who Wore a piestafI
Each OF the three hundred iefenceless coolies m
once became n target for Muscovite bullets
1t must have been siCkening sight when il
was all done. But it not on that "senti-
mental ground that the Chinese felt indignant
AT at h-they stlSmatized it as an act of cruel in
justice. 1t also utterly useless 1T NAV
pe right TO give no quarter to your enemies in
battle. some OF them said to me. when talking
the matter over; Ito that appears to be a
rule which only warped minds would lay down
ana none but savaGeS would follow. But in mil
itary matters We are behind the times and may
he wrong. Stlll even if it be advisable TO shoot
down your enemies in battle without mercy.
! hob r..a-t
are your enemies. and thai you and they are in
battle? Those coolies were no mans enemies
and they stood in greater fear of n skirmSr
than a mare does Of the hunting hound. I'll
troops know that that is They were poo.
unenviahle wretChes. wildly holding t" u,
last runE of hfes ladder, and whose dealt:
would be mourned 10y no man. The only people
who ever missed them have been sea captains.
who could not get their work done at the bar
Why. then butcher them? They could infIict
no harm upon Europe. and would not if they
couid. Their lives were spent in working for
the foreigner XIII the Boxers shoot down th-
Imperial troops. and hang all who have abetttd
either. If wholesale slaughter be helpful To YOU
but why massacre the innocent Europe has
done I answered nothing but l. Thought
that, without the aid Of "sicky sentimentalitv'
an ordinary mind could perceive truth in III.
principle and force in the argument.
CUTTERS RUNNING WITH BLOOD
The streets and houses Of war blasted cities
were also the scenes of narrowing Tragedies
calculated - scar and scar the memory even of
the average man who is not given To "sicky
srntimenta!ity." In war they would have passel
unnuticcd, in times Of peace thostilities wer,
d"hnitively over they ought To have been
stopped 10y drastic measures IL mild means ha|
proved in"neciuaL speak as an eyewitness
when | say for example. that over and over
again the cutters of the city of Tung-Tschau
ran red with blood. and / sometimes found il
Impossible to 80 my way without getting my
boots hespatterrd with human gore. There were
Few shops. private houses and courtyaris with
"C' dead bodies and pools Of dark blood. Amid
a native population whose very souls Quaked
with fear at sight of rifle. revolver or mill
tary uniform. reign OF red terror was inau-
gurated for which there seems no adequate mo-
live Even if all the Chinese within the city
thu latter would have queIled il almost without
an effort. Yet they We're kept with Damocles'S
sword continually falling their heads. M
{ natives life or property was safe for hour.
Men | had been speaking to before luncheon
were in their graves by sundown. and no mortal
viii ever know the reason why.
The thirst Of blood had made mad Thl
p"ttirst and most despicabe wbpper snapper
Wh" happened To have seen the light of day in
Eur"p" or Japan had uncontrolled power over
/ the life and limbs. the body and soul. of the
/ most highly cultivated Chinaman in the city.
From his decision there appeal.
Chinaman never knew what might betde him
an hour hence if the European lost his temper.
I He might lie down To rest after having worked
like beast of burden for twelve fourteen
hours only 10 pe suddenly awakened out of his
sleep. marched few PAGES from his hard couch
and shot dead He was never told, and probably
seldom guessed. the reason why. | old
man and woman who thus hurriedly
hustled out of existence. Their days work done
they were walking home when a fire broke out
little barge ON the river. They Were the