Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-03-01
BOYCOTT JUSTIFIED
WI Ting Fang Says It Is Retaliatory
But Not Anti-Foreign.
GEN. SKATER UPHOLDS CHINA.
He Says Their CountPymen Havs
Been Exposed to Every Possible
Indisnity at the Hands Of
American OmciaIs.

liam r. Shafter, who commanded Il
United States army in Cuba durin
the Spanish-American war. passe
through here Friday on his way froI
hunt in Mexico to his Californi
hime. Discussing the Chinese situa
, ton and the possibility Of interventio
by the United States, he said:
IF there was an uprising in Chin
this country could not get sufficien
forces In the field to make q showing
I. There are many troops in the Philip
pines, but they would not be availabl,
for clash with the Chinese.
| "The danger. If there is any. is t.
the Americans situated far inland
If they were attacked 1t would be al
over before the United States could gel
troops to the spot"
do you believe that China has o
grievance against the United States?'
the general was asked.
Grievance? OF course 1t has," he de-
clared. For yeans the Chinese have
been subjected to every possible in
dignity by our officials. 1t has been
scandalous. Theodore Roosevelt recog-
nizes 1t and has issued instructions
which ought to bring about some i'm
provement. The boycott Is useless.
We have seen in this country what lit
tie power there is in it. A man will
buy where he wishes. After the In
dignities which China has received at
our hands we have no reason to ex-
pect her to continue meelly to buy our
goods"
Pekin, Feb. 25.-Wu Ting Fang for
mer Chinese minister to the United
States, when interviewed for the first
time Friday on the existing situation
in China spoke In support Of the boy
colt. WI Ting Fang is now living
quietly in Pekin, devoting his time. to
codifying the laws of China, one of the
numerous reforms under way. He suf-
fered for a long time from deafness
from the effects Of the explosion of the
bomb near him at the railway station
last September but has now recovered
Speaking of present conditions WI
Ting Fang said:
China is at crisis and is passing
through transition stage. The states
men and people feel that China needs
reform but there are great differences
Of opinion regarding the means. There
are several classs Of reformers. There |
are those who speak foreign languages
and who have been abroad and who
have had experience on both sides Of
the question, They favor sensible and
useful reforms but not too radical, SO
as to make China first able to stand
upon her own feet. The number of these
sensible reformers is few. | am one of
them. The ruling classes also know
that something should be done but
they are at their wits end to know
what to do. The third class is com
posed Of young students who are too
ash. They need training and expert
snce.
Financial reforms should be carried
,ut In the first place but without for
'ign advice and capital 1t would be
impossible to do 30 under present con-
litions. | was working out scheme
which had to be abandoned because
was necaSserX to~eall nm fnrAisr 3D.
ras new coinage is stop gap.
)ne thing upon which the majority Z
I Chinese are agreed Is that China =
as been deprived Of many rights by !
oncessions and territorial grants and
y the way her people have been :
reated by foreigners in China and !
oreign countries.
Many Chinese who have gone c
broad to America, Australia and the Y
hilippines, write home complaining
arbitrary determinations made :
sainst the Chinese which dare not :
attempted against other foreigners a
therefore, everyone is angry and hence =
'ycott of American goods, illustrate u
g the feeling against the unjust ex-
usion laws. 1t has spread over all
hina and is solely in retaliation
Eainst unjust discrimination and is = =
1t anti-foreign. The Chinese people :, =
I'd officials are on good terms with all =
reigners and have no hostile feel y
gs towards them. The Chinese mer- 3
ANTS have the best feelings toward y y
reign merchants. - =