The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-01-08
CHINA WOULD BE FREE
Empire Under Peace Guise Pre-
pairing For Great War.
PREDICTION OF CHARLES CANNON

Superintendent of the American hi
BILE society Thinks "a Gigantic Eff
fort TO Crush the Foreigner Is
Likely 10 he Made within Ten
Years. Possibly within Five.
Charles f. Cannon. superintendent
Of colporteurs for the American Bible
society in northern China. writes thus
to the society concerning the present
situation I'm the Chinese empire:
Regarding the situation n great deal
could be written, with excellent argu-
ments on every point OF view. Both the
extremes Of optimistic and pesslmistic
opinions are held by people OF expert
ence, and even the signs OF the times
are self contradictory and misleading,
so that the truth is deeply hidden.
"Whlle at Shanghai | was discour-
aged by what | learned. The Chinese,
In obedience to the powers. were. II Is
true, issuing edicts of sorrow for the
past and promises for the future, but
nearly all were subtle, and their In
terpretatlon by scholars could readily
be base reflections on the powers and
approval of the dark past. Unfortu-
nately the masses are unable to read
! imperial edicts, each village being de-
pendent upon n scholar or two able TO
/ interpret each edict as received.
"Then. too. | observed that the Chi
nese government was openly violating
| the provisions of the protocol. Thou
! - Il. md
ammunition were passing weekly up
/ the Yangtsekiang. the arsenals were
being enlarged and worked day and
night. Cargoes Of explosives were be-
Ing received. and the dowager had Is
sued instructions to all officials to re-
cuperate the army and TO inform her as
TO the fighting strength of each divl-
sion and the time required to concen-
trate the forces at a given point. There
were and are many other unpromising
features which weighed heavily upon
the minds of those interested.
"On the other hand, the dowager has
issued voluntarily several edicts of a
decidedly reformatory character, and
the attitude of both officials and people
is better than ever before known
Much apprehension was felt rs to the
period of transition In Peking from
foreign military control to Chinese gov
ernment yet the change was made In
perfect order, and Peking is now as
quiet and peaceful as any city could be
The soldiers who under General Mel
were lighting us here last year now
guard the roads and are as jolly and
friendly as possible, while the peopl,
generally welcome the foreigner ant
encourage his work.
Large bands of Boxers still exis
and meet, but they are now known al
rebels, robbers, etc, and, in fact, they
prey upon all alike, while the soldier.
who fought with them before now
shoot them on sight. The officials NEE
us with every show Of frlendlinesi
and are doing their utmost TO aid us II
settling Chinese claims and extending
our work. There never was such per
feet freedom between Chinese and for
eigners.
"My own views take medium
course. | must believe that the end II
not yet and that within ten years anC
possibly within five strife will again b'
the order and war will ensue the lik,
of which the world has never known
For centuries China has been making
repeated attempts to expel the foreign
er, each time profitlng by past expe
rience. each time with more power ant
success, each time better equipped an,
better planned. She is now preparin,
as never before. buying vast quantitie
of superior weapons and reorganizinj
her armies on n correct basis. There
fore the next attempt will be gigantic
In force and terrible In execution.
will result In II universal upheaval an,
the final ACKNOWLEDGMENT of this EN-
pire, at II terrible cost. a
'To Offset this are the enlightenment
that has come to many minds. the pow
er of the reform party and the Chris
tan influence that is now so great
These may gradually prevail and sta,
the power OF superstition and igno
rance. God grant It'll The whole situa
ton is so complex. the arguments ol
both sides so conclusive. that no maj
can say what is or is to be-"
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