The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-31
Unpleasant Truth Concerning the Con-
nict Between the Old and
New Civilizations.
CHRISTIANS" VS.. "BARBARISM'
EXTENT OF VANDALISM,
DESTRUCTION AMI ROBBERY.
Christianity Has Received a Setback
from Which 1t VIII Not Easily
Recover-Oriental Lessons.

[George Leach's special correspondence Golfers
Weekly. reprinted by permission. Copyright by
+. +. Collier & Son, 1901
Editors Note: George Lynch. the war cCTre-
s%pondent, who is becoming widely known through
his graphic and daring criticisms of the Chinese
years ago, when he penetrated through the des-
ert wastes Of western Australia. After this feat
war correspondent during the Spanish-American
war. He was at the front in the advance on
the Spanish generaltssimo. After the peace pro-
tocOl Mr.. Lynch was sent to France 10 report
called out on the field of honor by one of the
most rabid anti Dreyfusards, and overcane his
9 goep war MI Snor fyrc PeiUre the s outSeeaf to 8 south ate
Africa by the illustrated London News. He was
at the front. and sent the earliest reports or
Elandslaagte. Beitfontein and Nikelson's Mex;
Al this last engagement ne was wounded. and
thenceforth shared the fate OF those shut up in
Ladysmith. After he had fully recovered he
undertook TO run the Boer lines alone, penetrat-
the hands OF a detached Boer outpost. As a
prisoner OF war he was sent TO Pretoria. He
Ill IN recognition OF his impartial reports OF the
whole situation. While in Pretoria Mr.. Lynch.
IKE so many Others, contracted enterie FEVER.
malaria. contracted in Cuba. He had scarcely
recovered when the troubles arose in China. and
his services were once more demanded at the
'front.'
While attending the coronation the other
day beg pardon. the inauguration-of
President Mckinley, I asked a member of
the on foreign affairs what he
thought of the position in china
"Barbarians don't interest me-" he re-
piled. He there voiced the opinion of mil
lions, both in America and in Europe. This
Is their mental attitude toward one of the
most interesting crises In modern history.
To those who have eyes to see what has
happened In China in the last nine months
is pregnant with the greatest interest,
where West met East. where the younger
civilization probed knife-like into the heart
of the old and laid bare what had hitherto
been kept secluded from Western eyes. To
the impartial and attentive mind of any one
accompanying the allies the discovery was
Immediately made that, Notwithstanding
any preconceived ideas, the last name that
should be applied to these Chinese was that
of barbarian" Phases of thought and de-
v~elopments of refinement so subtle and ex-
tremely complicated were to be found that
were beyond immediate grasping, and GER
tainly beyond the appreciation of the aver
age man in the street. This want OF ap-
probation and understanding of the older
civilization is not by any means confined
to those who are casual visitors.
There is a certain section of Europeans
who, although they have lived the greater
part of their lives in the East, are as far
away from any real understanding OF their
pig-tailed %neighbors as if they had been liv-
ing in London or New York. This is the
case with the majority of Europeans living
in the treaty ports, and more particularly
with a certain brand Of young lingo West
erner who very frequently has left his
country for his country's good. These
young gentlemen might be called the
Founders of the Bund," where they are
perpetually to be seen in evidence, arrayed
in straw hats and white ducks, and enjoy
ing an amount of luxury in the East which
was unknown to them at home.
CHINESE "NIGGERS.'
All this rather curious class regard Chi
nese as ''niggers." AS far as they possibly
can they treat them as such, and, more
over, they regard those men Of intellectual
grasp and sympathy who take the trouble
TO study, and in many ways take the side
of the Chinese, as Cinnamon For in
stance, Sir Robert Hart and Sir Henry
Moore at Hong-Kong are labeled China
men by these gentry. 1t is a much more
easy solution of all difficulties regarding
China 10 be able to class the Chinese as
Triggers" to treat them as such, and u
use the methods which in South Africa,
Australia and elsewhere the white man has
invariably pursued.
In firing on the Taku forts without any
declaration of war, the allies entered on a
career of niger treatment which they
pursued in their march from the sea IL
Peking. and which they have since pursued
by means of punitive expeditions through
the surrounding country. The murder OF
Baron Won Ketteler and the attack on the
Legations were absolutely inexcusable, al.
though there are people who aver tina,
Baron Won Ketteler's conduct as a minister
OF a foreign court in insisting on having
some Boxers executed was, to say the least
of it, extremely unusual and provocative
at a time of critical and turbulent unrest
But the attack on the legation. horrible a:
it was, has been avenged tenfold. The con
ouct of a great portion of the allied troop.
has been so utterly disgraceful to Western
civilization that it is a most ~disagreeabl,
task to a historian to refer TO it, and it Il
absolutely impossible TO go into a descrip
ton of details. To an impartial observer
if the term barbarian" was to be apple,
to either side, it might just as fittingly b.
applied to the invaders as to the invaded.
In this desperate war without wounded
there were hundreds killed on the Chimes,
side for one killed on the European, AM
the horrible fortunes and deaths inhicte.
on the Missionaries found their counter
part in the treatment of Chinese womer
and children by certain sections of the al
lied troops.
As an instance of similar horrors. tn,
bayonets of a company of Russian infan
try (and throughout the campaign the Rus
sian soldiers invariably carried their bay
onets fxed) were stained by the blood O
an infant which they had tossed from on
TO the other. In the burden Of dead bodie
which the River Pei-Ho carried from Pc
king 10 the sea were TO be seen number
of the forms of young girls.
VANDALISM OF THE FINEST.
In civilized warfare there is general!
some little respect shown for the priest
-anc places of worship Of the conquere
people, but here there was none whateve,
Horses were stabbed in the temples. and tn
art heirlooms OF thousands of years of tn
nations life to be found therein were mutt
lated and destroyed where they were no
Z stolen. In q street which had been name
Gasalee street. where / lived In Pekine
for a whole week we're to be- seen. da1 b