Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-13
RIOTS IN CHINA.


Only a few days ago fresh anti
foreign outbreak was reported from
some part OF China. II was quoled
without difficulty, aud did not assume
formidable proportions. But 1t proves
that the sentiment OF tho Chinese Is
not any more friendly toward foreigners
than Il was at the time Of the Pekin ex-
element.
Students Of the conditions In China
are OF the opinion that the auimosity In
that country is due principally to the
fact that the Christian missionaries are
regarded as the advance agents Of po-
itlcal schemers. The Chinese think they
are Justified in regarding them In that
light, because they have been forced
upon the country by treaties which tho
government has been compelled to sign
II was great mistake TO incorporate
was u great mistake to incorporate
propag Uganda clauses IN the commercial
treaties, but this was done on the sug-
gestion OF the missionaries themselves,
and now they are reapiug the fruits OF
the unwise policy Of relying upon
worldly arms for spiritual conquests.
The Chinese have but too much
ground for their suspicious. Great
Britain has a treaty with China, stipu-
latlng that all persons teaching or pro-
Tossing Christianity should be entitled
to protection. and under this treaty the
Chinese authorities are held responsible
for the safety of missionaries and ma
tive converts. so that Chinese, by
changing religion virtually become pro-
teges of foreign government. Sup
pose this state OF affairs should be
aimed AT In this country Germany IN
1898 seized Klao- Chow, as an indemnity
for the murder OF a missionary. This
was quickly followed by seizure OF Port
Arthur aud Talienwan by Russia, Wei
hawei by Great Britain, and Kwang-
chouwan by France, Even Italy at
tempted to obtain slice. The breakup
OF China into spheres of influence was
openly spoken Of. and then came the
boxer rising OF 1900. and the japanese
wsr by which China was saved from
European inundatlon. Are not the Chi
nese justified. from their point OF view,
| in looking upon foreign missionaries
with suspicion?
Mr.. Chester Holoombe, who has held
prominent diplomatic posts In China,
expresses the view that the unwise con-
duet OF Christian missionary enterprises
is largely responsible for the troubles
| but he also believes that the Chinese
| themselves, are gradually becoming re-
corciled to the situation. In an article
In the Atlantic Monthly he says;
1T would be idle TO deny or ignore
| the fact that cases of serious friction
between the natives and foreign mis-
sionaries have arisen in the past and
| are still OF less frequent occurrence. BY
| FAR the largest percentage of such most
unfortunate conflicts has been caused
by the unwise and improper Interior
| ence of missionaries between their ma
tive converts and the Chinese authori-
ties, or by the assumption OF civil rank
and authority by missionaries. since,
| I'm the sixty years OF modern mission
airy enterprise III INiHa, nv ollibiN Nh'A 90
| or complaint of that nature has been
made against an american missionary,
such causes Of trouble need not be as
cussed here. The conduct OF European
governments toward China, their greed.
aggression and general attitude OF
domination. long preiudIced both Off
| Gals and people against Missionaries,
who were popularity believed TO make
use OF their professedly phllanthropie
| work only as cloak, and to be, In fact,
| spies OF their own governments whose
| aim was the seizure Of the Empire and
| subjugation OF It's people. But with
| greater mutual intelligence and less fire.
| quent occasions of misunderstanding,
| these causes OF friction and conflict
| have, In great measure, disappeared.
The true character and great value OF
the missionary enterprise AZ a factor
In the modernisation OF China, are ale
most universally recognized and APP
| preciated, at least by those who are
being most radically affected by it.