Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-12

of the law and every defendant in q law
suit. has the right to be tried before
Judge of his own nation and according TO
the laws to which he is subject ar home
Cause of the Riots.
The recent riots in Shanghai grew ont
of this situation. but involved TO foreigners
at all. A woman called Li-Wang-Shih was
arrested by the Sikh police for Kidnapping
fifteen young girls, whom she was taking
out Of Shanghai to some other part OF the
empire. presumably for improper purposes.
and was brought before the mixed court
but was acting from purely humanitarian
but was acting from purely unsanitartan
motives. There being lack of evidence.
the court decided to postpone the inquiry
until the police could investigate the facts
and get into communication with the par
ents of the girls. who. In the meantime
were committed to the Door OF HOPE
Mission for fallen women instead OF the
jail. The Chinese police. who are very
Jealous of their Jurisdiction. insisted that
the woman and the girls should be deiiy-
cred to them and committed to the CUSTODY
of Chinese authority. and because their
demands were not recognised. they are &C
cused of organizing mob to rescue the
women from the foreign devils. The
Sikh police resisted the attack. and ma
rines and sailors from foreign men-of-W war
in the harbor near by were landed to ASSIST
them. Several natives were killed ana
wounded in the melee.
The tao-tai, or mayor Of the native city,
sustained his police and tmpeached the
Jurisdiction of the mixed court. The aues-
ton was referred to the diplomatic corps
at Picking. which promptly decided that
the tao-tais claims were well founded;
that the mixed court had exceeded Its Jur-
isdiction. and advised 1t to surrender the
woman and girls to the native police.
An Imprudent Letter.
This was done, but DR.. Knappe. consul
general OF Germany. who Is the senior
member Of the consular corps at Shanghai
wrote a very imprudent and ill-tempered
letter to the tao-tai, charging that his at
titude and conduct were not inspired by
proper motives and would not promote the
cause of humanity. AS the tao-tai was
simply standing upon his rights this ac-
cusation provoked very bitter feeling
among the natives.
A meeting of local mandarins, merchants,
literatt and professional men was called
and after discussing the situation. placed
the entire blame Of the affair upon the
foreign police and the mixed court which
had attempted to exceed their jurisdiction
They made the following demand upon the
foreign cOnSuls.
/. That the woman and girls be released
or turned over to the care of the native
police.
2. That the police who dubbed the mob
be dismissed and punished.
3. That Mr.. Twyman, the English prose-
cutting attorney, be removed.
A. That the Chinese population In the
foreign concessions be given proportionate
representation In the municipal council and
the mixed courts
8. That all purely Chinese cases arising
in the foreign concessions be referred to
the nearest native magistrate.
While this incident not very serious
aad that everything at Shanghai has quiet
ed down since. 1t furnishes another strik-
ing Illustration of the recent disposition OF
the Chinese people and officials to assert
their rights and demand the same treat
ment that is accorded to the subjects OF
other nations 1t is only another sign OF
1.-THE New China" and Is warning to for
eiRners that the time has gone by when
the population of the ancient empire Will
submit to dictation or arbitrary measures