Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-14
MISSIONARY WRITES
ON CHINESE BOYCOTT

NEW YORK, January BIN response to
an inquiry sent him from the Office of the
Presbyterian board of foreign missions in
this city, the Rev. DR.. Henry V. Noyes,
who Is stationed in Canton, China. and has
represented the board for over forty years.
writes about the boycott In a letter re-
ceived from him today. The letter has
been several weeks on the way, but it
makes evident the fact that the feeling
against foreign goods Is in no sense abat-
ing. DR.. Noyes says:
The boycott still seems to hold out as
strong as ever. l asked Mr.. Burkwall, the
agent of the British and Foreign Bible So
ciety, who has recently been more than 400
miles up the West river, how he found con-
ditions. He said he could make very few
So les Everybody said they would not buy
those foreign books. He said his colpor-
teurs make similar reports of other locali-
ties. and this is good index of the feeling.
as compared with year ago, when sales
were large
lone very singular feature of the boycott
Is that il started in Picking and not in
south China. from whence goes all, or at
least ninety-Iline hundredths of the emigra-
ton to the United States. 1t was not,
therefore. direct cry from those in trou-
Bile, or 1t would have come from the four
districts Of the Kwangtung province near
the AS DR.. Ashmore has justly said
If there had been no japanese war with
Russia there would have been no boycott in
China But that war has made 1t seem
possible to China also to rise up In some
what angry protest against the indignitfes
which she has so long received from the
strong nations of the west. Quite likely
she is relying on help from Japan, espe-
cially in the way of training an army for
self-protection. which is not matter Of
many years If undertaken in earnest.
THE movement commenced in Picking,
where a meeting was held, attended by
about 200 leading men from all parts Of the
empire. Thence it went to Tfentsin and
t,,, rl,of nTN1 rlnr, IN mi
There is e. good deal of real patriotism
in it, and a good deal Of justice also. Sure
ly. if the United States singles out China
among all the nations of the earth, and
holds her doors closed against Chinese peo-
pie, she has not much right to complain IL
China holds her doors closed against United
States merchandise.
THE trouble Is, however, that the thing
has been carried too far. If the Chinese
had contented themselves with simply re-
framing from purchasing United StateS
goods. they would have had the approval
of many But those who have a purpose
in view to incite hatred against Americans
first, and then all foreigners, have been
persistently issuing placards and publishing
infiammatory articles In the papers which
are in large part untrue, but which have
produced a strong anti-foreign feeling in
many places.
Immense memorial meetings have been
held in honor of the young man who COM
mitted suicide on the steps of the United
States consul generals office in Shanghai.
His name we-S Fung Ha Wal He was or
iginally from the Kwangtung province and
had spent ten years in the United States.
1.-The viceroy says that the way to stop
the boycott is to make just and fair
treaty. Their 1t will die natural death.
Notwithstanding all, however. there does
not seem to me to be any present indica-
ton of a general outbreak.