The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1906-04-11
THE AMERICAN
BOYCOTT IN CHINA.
Written for The Advertiser, by Rev.
S. c. Todd, American Missionary

hSsiVSOhSouS, u~lSCurudllC, ulpaITlOtlC
people could have moved as one man.
Japan could do so, but China-never!
And yet the seemingly impossible has
happened, and the nations of the world
have been brought aface another power
to be reckoned with in the future.
China calling under indignities heaped
upon her gentry and sons of wealth by
American immigration officials has
arisen and said to the Republic of the
West: respect us or keep your goods"
Newspapers at first passed it lightly
with a smile, but as the months have
passed a mighty tremor has been felt
up and down the Empire. In the most
systematic ways q thorough campaign
has been conducted against things
american" and the american Boy
colt" is now a we'll established phrase
in the language of the people.
1t is said the movement was launched
in Shanghai, but active propogandists
have carried it from Manchuria to
Siam, and instilled it into the Chinese
far and wide. Canton, Macao and Hong
Kong, with their contiguous territories,
have for months been centers of the
excitement. A Canton committee with
boycott headquarters has touched the
Celestials in all parts of the earth.
Chinese residing in America, Australia,
the Philippine Islands, Japan and the
Malay Straights have sent contribu-
tionS by the thousands.
In Canton and other large centers,
store rooms have been fitted up with
samples of American wares, so that the
people might be educated and made
able to distinguish American. Daily
newspapers have been especially
launched to forward the movement.
Pictures of American atrocities on the
Chinese have been scattered far and
wide, inflaming the people. Bad wo-
men have herald information concern
ing it by their songs on the streets at
nights. The stage has loaned it's help
and actors have woven it into the play.
Iroupes have been employed to go into
the Interior and make the movement
the prominent part of their perform
ance. In Canton a special caste has
been gotten up and characters have
personified leading grievances, speak
ing in the common language of the
people that all may understand.
There has also been the funny side.
Here is a barber who refuses to shave
Americans; a beggar throws away a
coat that has just been given to him as
an accused thing, because some one
says 1T is American. AT the Hong Kong
Navy Yards a man is put to work re-
pairing a diving suit, and when the
tube of cement is handed to him he
passes it back saying: "No can, b'lonp
Amlican." A Canton contractor quits
a piece of work entailing a loss of sew
eral thousand dollars to himself be-
cause he finds the contract is financed
by American money, and his co-pa-
triots promptly make good his loss.
Flower Boats" which are the houses
OF ill-fame in Canton throw all their
FLORIDA Water" into the River. which
Others might do to the Improvement of
the ordor from hat dirty and busy
stream.
During September the Chinese an
nually worship the moon, a special
night set apart for this. At this fes-
tival large quantities of cakes, known
as moon Cakes" are used. These
are manufactured months ahead and
many shipped to other lands to the
Chinese residing there. This year these
shipments were returned, because
American flour was used in their manu-
facture, while the devotees here used
substitutes, all to the loss of the Moon
Cake Bakers.
Had Solomon lived in China he might
have said, as truly as he did of books,
"of the making of idols there is no
end. A wealthy Shanghai merchant
became so wrought up over the indigni-
ties heaped upon his countrymcn that
he was driven to suicide. This con
stltuted him a hero, and being de-
ceased he came within the circle of
diety, and now his worship has been
established in Macao, Canton, WI
chow and other places. Thus the
American Boycott is responsible for
another idol, which will be handed
dow to future generations, as we'll as
worshipped by the present.
What have these highly wrought
feelings accomplished? ask the Ameri-
a dealer. Recently the manager of
a leading firm, who have branches in a
number of interior and coast cities.
said to me: Business is practically
nothing Before the movement began
their trade had reached a highly pro-
ftable condition. Similar testimonials
could be given by many. American
trade had reached a splendid growth,
but now it is threatened with such a
back-set that years will be required to
win it back, German and British firms
meanwhile reaping the benefits.
But the most serious feature is the
grave risk that attaches to the for.
eigner's life. 1t is an easy step from
foreign goods to inAicting bodily harm
on foreign persons. The American
Consul in Canton realizing the danger.
called all the missionaries who are
laboring in the interior to come into
ports. We feel perfectly safe
here in Macao, as this city is governed
the Portuguese, while Hong Kong