Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-03

FEELING CROWS
SITUATION IS CRITICAL IN
CHINA
Whole Empire at a White Heat Over
Politics and a General Out
break May Be Expected
Any Time
BY Associated Press.


PEKING, Feb. Am evidence Of the
tension existing between the Chinese
and the foreigners is found In a recent
event which took place in Tien Tsin on
the occasion of the birthday of EN-
peror William. While Yuan Shikai
viceroy of the province of Chi Ii, was
passing through the British settlement
on his way to make a formal visit to
the German officers, one of his out
riders was struck by @ Chinese police
man enforcing the rule of the road
to keep to the left A scuffle ensued
The viceroy afterward demanded the
surrender of the policeman for punish
ment After meeting of the municipal
authorities the British consul general
and representatives of Yuan Shikai
full apology was drafted and the po-
liceman was dismissed and handed
over to the Chinese officials, who prom
ised leniency. The viceroy's mags-
trate, however. Immediately ordered
that the offender receive the punish
ment of a thousand strokes with the
bamboo, which is frequently fatal, and
three months penal servitude. Foreign
opinion here insists that the viceroy S
demand for the surrender and the ex-
tremity of the punishment ordered
were both deliberately intended to
impress foreigners with a sense of the
Chinese authority. British officials are
bitterly denounced by foreign residents
for surrendering the policeman, who
was a British employe.
The foreign newspapers published at
Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tlen Tsin
continue to dwell with apprehension
upon anti-foreign trouble, but Peking
gives no sign of any hostile feeling to-
ward foreigners.
The dowager empress received the
diplomatic body today, the Chinese
New Year. At the audience she dis
played her customary cordiality. The
relations between the court and the le-
cations are in no way changed. The
open agitation against foreigners is
confined to Central and Southern
China, and it is anticipated that trou-
bles, If they occur will be limited to
those sections because "boxerism" was
limited to the north. Those whose pre-
dlctionS would carry greatest weight,
however, are most reluctant to express
opinions.
Undoubtedly all China is at white
heat of political discussion. Such in
tense feeling as prevails on the part
of the inhabitants has seldom been
seen before and makes any result pos
sible. a local outbreak may precipi-
tate general hostilities. No organized
movement against foreigners is to be
discovered except the American boy
cott but the national anti-foreign feel
ing in China is growing stronger and
the peculiar status of foreigners in
China affords many points of friction.
The court has made every effort
to preserve friendliness at the lega-
tions. The dowager empress supporters
freely discuss the possibility that she
may be driven by revolution to seek
shelter within the walls of the foreign
legations.
Discomfort with the government is
outspoken among young and progress
i've Chinese as an outgrowth Of OPP
position to foreign encroachment. The
sentiment is too inpatient to give the
empress attempts at reforms the trial
of time, but demand that the govern
ment shall accomplish Immediately all
that it has taken Japan a third of a
century to achieve.
The stability Of the present regime
rests on insecure foundations. The
death of Yuan Shikai would remove
the strongest prop to the throne Local
newspapers and tea house gossip de-
scribe his army as infested with anti
dynastic secret societies, but the re-
ports are difficult to verify. Yuan Shi-
kai, however, is frequently threatened
with assassination and extraordinary
precautions are taken to protect him.
He is strongly guarded day and night.