The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-04-01
RUsSIA'S GRIP
ON MANcHURIA.
How the Gear Has Gained Con-
troll of the Chinese Province.

troll Of the Chinese Province.
POLICY OF CANCELLATION PURSUED
tnMuence Of Russians Over the In
habitants Described by Howard G.
Kelly-How They Have Secured the
Conscience and Good VIII Of the
Chinese Mantchoo Mobiles and
Their Retalners q Source Of Com
slant Annoyance.
Viceroy Alexeief's proclamation to
the Chinese ordering assistance to be
afforded to the cars troops, which is
now being distributed throughout Man
churia, may appear an absurd docu-
ment to the average newspaper reader
who has never Travelled in that country,
but there is little doubt that it will be
well received by the people to whom
it Is addressed, says Howard G. Kelly
IL the New York Post.
To the outsider it must seem ridicu-
aslous for the Russians to expect help
from the people whose land they have
appropriated. The occasion might be
expected to produce a formidable ris-
ing in Manchuria. In all probability
there will be nothing Of the kind. The
Russian has gained the hearty good
will Of the Chinaman in Manchuria.
So far as the latter's wishes are con-
cerned, he might go on ruling him for
ever. The genius of the Russian for
assimilating his Asiatic conquests has
never been more ~strikingly displayed
than in his newest province.
The first contact Of the Chinese in
Manchuria with the Russians was GER
tainly enough to disgust them with
Russian methods forever, according to
our way Of thinking. After the out
break Of the Boxers the cars generals
decided to strike terror into the hearts
OF the people. Massacre followed mas
sacre In rapid succession. Between
5000 and 5000 Cinnamon - nobody
knows how many-perished in the holo'
caust Of Blagovestchensk, and the sol.
AxSCS VI 0CuCIdl AANAh0AAPA WAN
has returned to the far east to hold ar
important command against the Jap
anese, burned the town Of Aigun anc
drove men, women and children alike
into the flames at the point of the bay
onet.
Yet the Chinese were not ~discourag
ed by these grim measures. They FLED
from the Cossack's saber, but sneaked
home again as soon as the Cossack't
back was turned, and settled. dow1
quietly to-make money and raise theil
families under Russian rule.
The Russian administrators hav'
done all in their power to make thu
Chinese feel that Russian rule is bette
for them than Chinese, and no maj
can travel through Manchuria withou
marveling at the remarkable success
which has attended that endeavor. II
every town and village the Chimes
swarm, living on the most friendl,
terms with their %conquerors, and \
many cases holding lucrative and re
sponsible positions under the Russia:
government. In many towns the Man
chocy administrative officials have bee
continued in Office and permitted t
retain all their special privileges an
emoluments.
The collection Of maritime revenue
il carried on by Chinese officials-me
trained by Sir Robert Hart in the Oh
nese imperial customs, but now draw
ing Russian pay and wearing Russia
uniforms. The collectors of inland re,
enue, too, are mostly Chinese, an
there are many native officials in ever
department Of the government and !
all ranks of service, excepting only tn
highest. IN pursuing his policy Of col
Citation, Admiral Alexeief has, ]
many cases, actually placed Chinese ]
authority over Russians. But all til
native officials who have been retaine
have been carefully selected and tho
oughly well drilled.
Russian brains planned the rapid d
velopment of Manchuria, which anna
ed the world, but Chinese hands ca
ried out the work. Hundreds Of tho
sands Of Chinese coolies cheerfully q
sisted in the classification Of their ON
country. They built up Hardin, Ds
ny, Port Arthur, Blagoyestchensk ar
the other towns; they laid the Ma
churian sections Of the Siberian ra.
way, and they have taken the large
share In the cultivation Of crops, 4
the Chinaman can raise more on a rot
OF ground than the imported Russis
peasant can on an acre.
This latter fact is SO well appreciat'
by the Russian authorities that tn
encouraged and assisted large humble
OF Chinese peasants to settle on farr
In the fertile zones around Hardin al
rsitstkar, In order that there mig
be no trouble over the food supply
the important town OF Hardin. The
farmers have prospered exceeding
helped by Russian capital whenev