The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22

tons from the imperial forces Threw upon
this region thousands of men, determined
that it should feed and clothe them, with
out return or their part over TIE thirty
miles OF stretch between Ticn-Tsin and the
sea solitary travel involved the certainty
o. robbery. ard travel in company was safe
only under armed guard. The situation
was infinitely worse. and with better
cause, than it ever becomes around Canton,
where piracy still fourishes. but to many
II seems doubtless the only way.
THE NATIvE sOLDIERY.
Vow native authority might have dealt
with such a situation may be Judged from
conditions IN the northern part Of this
province, where the flower Of imperial sol
dicry, comprising some Of the famous com
mands Of Yuan shi Ki. whom that war
r Or-statesman graciously restrained from
attacking the foreign armies in 1900 lest
they might snnihila:e them, and who are
now led by one OF the greatest Of the ma
tive heroes. Gen. Ma u Kun, have proved
pOwerless 10 suppress tbs rcbber bands
that roam that district. The ROBBERS 20
where they please. do is they ike. and re-
port says they have pooled their interests,
so that at short notice 1900 % them may
be rallied under organized command to
resist Interference Stan councils among
the Chinese are as mysterious as those OF
state. but an agent Of Yuan Shi Xxi, just
arrived from PaOting-Fu, reports that
when Ma Joined his troops on this northern
detail he called his advisers together and
addressed them to this eject: There are
4,0O robbers out Cn these plains. Since
we have been sent TO capture or kill them,
OF course. we must DO it. IL you overtake
the robbers and they show fight and prove
too strong for YOU I hope you may si make
your way back safely. As L arr a little
lame J think I ~iI start now. There may
be a modal or something awaiting me at
Peking." Whatever may be thought Of the
accuracy of this report, It Is certain that
Ma has spent more time ct Picking since
the return CT the court tAau in the pursuit
ot robbers, and that fer services rendered
In guarding the flight or return OF the i'm
Derlal party. or FOR honors yet 20 be won,
he has been the recipient Of various gaudy
tokens p foreign battalion would prob
ably clear the country. That task looks
hopeless with an entire division OF native
troops. Here order has been brought about,
and travel with safety has become possible
through the efforts Of the police. nearly all
natives. uncer foreign direction The
Sb-tltu 10 &c sea GOt4cS NtIhitA IL dAS IT
Of this provisional; government. The police
system has covered it 40 better than it
covers the city. But outlaws hereabouts
have understood that business was meant.
that the authorities were after them in
earnest. and they have gone where they
feel reasonably sure of immunity I'm their
operations. Where foreign force remains
the people are peaceful. although. except
of caDtarS of uopuIa ffop that forca fs no
where large in China proper.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL.
The government has been International in
its administration. Its German, French,
japanese and Russian directors preside in
turn. in the or<r named. at meetings of
the supervisory councils. Its secretary is
American, with French, German, Japanese
and English under-secretaries The police
serve under a British chief. a major; a
French captain has charge of the sanitary
department; the treasurer is German: a
Norwegian is director of public works; an
American presides over the chief court.
The Chinese secretary of the government
is an American who was formerly president
of Tien-Tsin University. Members of the
~ receive each $1,000 Mexican per
month, the chiefs of the department each
49, - ~ LA1A 0AC - - B0AA0C
who receive $4,000 Mexican per month, and
1.157 Chinese police. who receive $4,000 Mex
lean per month. Cost of government, in
Guiding maintenance of works, has been
about $1,000 taels per month. The gov
eminent has collected about 100000 taels
per year. out of which it has constructed
fifteen miles of streets, it has built a high
way along the river front. beside turning
the site Of the city wall into a boulevard;
it has constructed a fine drawbridge and
smaller bridges: it has thrown into rec
reatiOn grounds portions of the old city
just within the old walls, where only
dumps existed before. and it has sup
pressed beggary in public, a nuisance in
sunerable to all except natives in every
Chinese city. 1t has given 10000 taels to-
ward the Improvement of the river, and
100000 taels to the imperial maritime Gus
toms. In Chinese years the city gave Moth
ing for either river Improvement or to the
customs fund. The river scheme is a pro-
tocol arrangement, which must be pushed
To success, if the city is to hold it's place
as leader in northern business. AS the
Chinese never spend a dollar toward saving
the river it is quite probable that they
never would have done so of their own in
itiative. Shippers yet bring goods north
who remember when they could steam up to
the city and turn their ships in the stream.
Nothins much larger than a tugboat can
90 that now.
I'VE CLOGGED.
When cold weather breaks and the hills
melt they send down dirt with the snow
and ice, and that which does not clog the
stream with bars in the interior helps fill
the channel here aid on the way TO the
sea. So The underwriters forbid ships
drawing more than twelve feet 20 cross
Taku bar unlishtered. and there they must
swat weather. eleven miles of shore, that
viii erabie cargo boats 20 so out TO them.
II there were a channel. a trip OF seventy
miles by water would bring the ships here.
The rail connection At TOEgku cuts the dis
taEce 10 about forty miles. but il is made
a. great delay in time, and even If cargo
boats avoid the rails and come up the river,
The cost OF transshipments and the dam
age or reEaEdling put on goods q tax that
no other country would stand. Foreign
ers propose by this Improvement 20 save
a port for the Chinese. Nothing except
this Improvement can save il, for other as
plants for supremacy have already ap-
pcared. and since Tien-Tsin has no lnanu-
featuring Industry, the exports of wool,
hides. camel wool and straw braid. which
constitute tho outDut into the markets. of