Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-23
Famous Foreign Halter
Has Lost His Influence.
CHANCES in Human Largely Due
TO Rev. Griffith John.
y.Ie Graduate. to Establish college,
in China.

.,..ci.,I CORES ondent. when says io'-
lh.,,,rp I, despatch from China:
,rh. ,,nsltInn Of foreign missionaries
a., china has been thoroughly secured
a, III the provinces they occupied De-
IN. the Boxer troubles. and they nave
te.n admitted 10 and have begun
,,ork In several new ones Win the
la,',a,,t ana protection OF the govern
,1.,,- notably in Human province
- until recently. was UNSAFE Tor
a foreigner to reside I'm or even 10 'islt
-. tah.tI,arts are the most ignorant
"a ,r.r. formerly the most bigoted
80 hostile to foreigners or an the
,,,.t,,.es of China. The officials were
.raocb.rous cruel, corrupt ana pref
.,,t,..d and the capital. Chang-sha,
= ~ raeidence OF Chou-han, the
- ,neu.p,ia1 as well as the most
.'iD,a,,s md yindictive of all the for
t- h.,.ra among the ltera1 OF
China.
H.. yvos the author Of the Infamous
,.,nrbIets and other publications
.,g,fnst foreigners, and missionaries
.ar.ci;llv. which provoked the massa-
cr. Of 1895. His placards which were
nost.d all over China. We're more er-
fertlNt perhaps IMAM tAA''
In stirring up the ignorant natives.
He has been engaged in writlhs anu
foreign literature since 1891. ana MS
ingenuity in the invention oi th"i se'
ev.n SURPASSED his eloquence In pre-
senting them. For years MS WrltiiisS
have been distributed by ohiclal as
we'll as private agencies. Ihousahus
Of copies Of his books ana palhphiets
have been given away at every annual
examination of candidates Tor ONCE
which is the occasion Of the assem-
Hing of the literati OF each province at
rs catitaI for the exchange Of opinions
and news and gossip. 1t rcsemhIes
I'm many respects our national conNeh-
tiuns. for every politician In China Is In
,ba habit of presenting himself annual
" for examination in order to secure
promotion.
Although he was never an Office
holder and has never occupied any
rositio of importance. Chou-hans
facile pen made him the most effective
of all the auti-foreign leaders. and al
most every serious disturbance in CEN
tral China during the last twelve years
has been started or promoted by his
writings.
Sine. the Boxer trouble, however
he has been locked up in Jail at chang
sha on charges brought by KEY fril'
fifth John of the London Missionary
Society, n man of great force. energy
end courage and In many respects
the strongest personality In centra
China. To him more than 10 an!
other man IS due the opening of HUI
nan province to foreigners. he KEEP
pninf- I'm there and being driven ou
until the attention of the authorize
couId no longer be withheld. Whe
the question WAS fairly presented the
were compelled to admit him and othe
missionaries. until now there are NOR
than fifty foreign preachers and teach
ers ut work In the province. an
churches ana schools are springing u
everywhere.
Chou-han's son Is one of the mos
advanced Of the "proEreSstves, an
although not n Christian. he Is active
" engaged In the works Of reform an
IN the Introduction of modern Ideas
Chou-han's daughter. who has bee
very useful to him as his assistant
the proposition of anti-foreign liter
oture has also gone over % the enem
md has recently started school &c
women on the foreign plan. Two year
opo She was even more violent In he
hatred of the foreign devils than nc
father. hut under some unknown ir
Nucnce has suffered a radical chang
In her views 1t Is said. too, that IL
old man Is slowly modifying his opir
ions. All who know him agree tia
he was honest and sincere In the pos
tion he has occupied and has believe
that his anti-foreign crusade was II
tended for the good OF China. He WI
convinced that the presence Of foreign
ers and foreign innovations We're
the injury of his country; that Christ
unity was an evil influence. and tn
oil departures from ancient custom
nud methods We're contrary 10 Il
welfare of the people. He Is. In 9th
words a thoroughly developed ant
foreign fanatic. and the apostasy
his son and daughter has been a te
rihle blow to him. He would not r
Ceive them when they first came
visit him after their conversion to fC
eign ideas. and even now he will n
admit them to his presence II tn
wear any foreign made fabrics.
first ne would not discuss the questi
with them. hut of late both the g
and daughter have had long and ear
est arguments with him and are I
lieved to have convinced him OF I
futility ~ further opposition to
inevitable. At least the old viper
very much less vindictive toward Il
eigners than formerly. His symp'
thi1rrs. however. deny that he b
changed his views and predict that
will be released in due time and I
cover his previous influence.
Chou Ehr-sun. the present vicer
of Human. is a reformer. support
Of the policy OF the emperor. an q
vanced and courageous "progressiy
and not only will protect but encoi
ages missionaries and foreigners
come into the province. At the gre
trieunial examination Of candida
for Office last spring DR.. Griffith 10
arranged with him for free distrit
ton of books relating to modern Id
and general Christian literature. a
with his consent and approval Mr.
Chibald OF the Scottish Bible Soci,
at Shanghai. assisted by several N
sionaries. appeared at Chang-sha W