The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-05
THE BOXERS AND
AVENGERS HAVE
TRANSFORMED CHINA
Continued from Fourth Page.)

friends the missionaries are giving
their lives. And they arc unafraid.
although they are not blind to their
danger. They know full we'll that ie
is only the dread of the merciless and
ail-devastating foreign troops which
keeps tho Chinese from falling upon
them again. AT Paoting-fu we Wero
entertained at the Presby terrain cons
pound. and Miss Gowans, a quiet,
sweet-faced. serene-eyed little woman
from Canada. gave up her own room to
us. Something was said about the att
tracttyely simple white furniture. 1T
is all made from packing cases and
boxes" came the quiet rejoinder "You
know I lost everything In the trou-
bles. and did not think it would be-
right. considering the possibility of Al
similar experience, to put in more eN-
pcnsive furniture"
That was the only allusion made by
Miss GoWans to the presence of dams
ger, and she itineraries freely out I'M
the country: yet she lives, unrufled In
spirit, in the constant presence of the
realized possibility of following hec
friends to Il martyrdom
Did Missionaries Loot?
Which brings me to the point much
mooted. and certain to arise when
Chinese missions are being criticized:
ittd TIE MISSIONARIES lOOIt InuL Is n
sore point. and it has been the center
of more heat than4light. Sweeping ass
sertions are made in both directionss
and so far as / can discover, neithec
is true.
a word as to the conditions at that
time. Absolute chaos rcigned. All the
foreigners. except those in the lega-
tions which survived the siege. were
homeless and without worldly possess.
sions, as We're also the native Chris-
tians. The Chinese We're fleeing. panic-
stricken. for their lives. Soldiers and
civilians We're taking pot-shots at
them lust for fun" Shops and
houses We're abandoned. So terrified
Were the natives that they would sur
render anything on demand. A Chs
nese on horseback passed along on
| the street holding alott n placard in
English such as the fear-stnitten peo-
pie We're atiXing to their houses, which
read. Don't shoot! Very good neopla
live in this house" An Englishman,
amused at the spectacle. asked the
Chinese where he had got the horse.
The latter simply got down and ran
in fright, leaving the horse to his
Questioner. An army officer called at
the American legation one day during
! this period and hitchcd his horse out-
| side: n Russian soldier promptly app
| propriated the horse Tho rights OF
| private property had been forgotten:
people seemed TO rose themselves NJ
| terly. u could have looted myself"
| said a careful journalist, a man who
| participated in these scenes. And soma
missionaries did loot, To n greater OF.
lesser degree One independent miss
| sionary hoasted in print OF his looting.
While this must be admitted, 1t is only
fair to add that the great majority of
missionaries We're free from this
! stigma.
True some. or all, Of the missions, in
| their organized capacity, and actins.
under the advice of the American min
lister, did enter abandoned shops and
possess themselves of supplies OF food
and clothing for the native Chris
tians. who had been left homeless and
penniless by the Boxers. When the
owners could be found, am told, pay
nent Was made for these supplies:
when not. colectahe memorandum
of tho transaction was left. This
passed under tho head of "looting;' so
did many of the purchases made later
by missionaries from sidewalk mer-
chants, Nearly everybody Was lootinls
and selling. Chinese as well as SOL
diers and camp followers. Rich peo-
ple In hiding Were also selling their
possessions for what they would Sring.
in order to buy food. So priceless
treasures could be bought on the street
for u song; and sorne missionaries
awaited themselves OF the opportnnity-
Others accepted gifts from grateful
Chinese to whom they gave protection
during those days of danger The nos-
session OF these mementoes brought
upon many missionaries The suspicion
Of having been amonS the lcotera