Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
What They Think About
Rice Christians" -Why the
Foreigner is Hated
in China.
by WILLIAM L, ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM I. ELLIS.
Copyright. 1907. by Joseph B. Bowleso
TIENTSIN, China.-For generations men
have been saying that some day the world
would have to reckon with China. Now
that day seems to have begun. In the place
of the huge, inert, gelatinous mass which
could be struck in one part without the
other parts feeling the blow. there has
arisen a new China with national con-
seriousness, an awakening pride, sense of
dignity and readiness to assert her own
claims. China the helpless is fast becoming
China the ominous, and that portentous
fact cannot too soon penetrate the thick
and self-sufficient complacency of civiliza-
ton.
For a hundred years the world has been
hearing what the missionaries thought of
China, nobody inquiring caring what
China thought of the missionaries. Occa-
sonally some western trained Chinese dip
lomat, like the willy WI Ting Fang-whom
by the way, his late official associates in
Picking who have since crowded him out Of
office contemptuously designate as that
foreign devil Wu,' would deliver double
ended opinions concerning the missionaries
But the real Chinese opinion has been diff
cult to obtain. The average oriental is
afflicted with congenital inability to tell the
truth.
*
1t may be worth while to digress for a
moment to illustrate this, again using WI
Ting Fang who has struggled hard to gain
a recognition in China commensurate with
that which he enjoyed in America. On the
occasion of the return to the states Of Min
lister Conger, who seems to have been the
most popular representative his country has
ever sent to China, the missionaries in and
hnl m 10
of the Methodist homes 1t was a strictly
missionary occasion. Wa Ting Fang, hear
ing of it, went directly to the host and
asked permission to be present. He fur
thermore asked bluntly If he might be per
mitted to make a speech Then at the re-
ception he arose and unblushingly looking
into the faces of those who had heard him
request the invitation he said: Il cannot
understand why l should be asked to be
present here tonight, and / heSitated a long
time about coming. Even taking for grant
ed the courtesy of including me among the
guests, l still cannot see why YOU should
want me to make a speech AS matter
of fact they did not, and his remarks fell
fiat.
This is the sort of thing to be expected
of orientas. 1t of the east that David
said: "Al men are liars Yet there is,
nevertheless more open speech among the
Chinese today than ever before. With
western bluntness, many are now express
| ing themselves concerning China and for
| eigners. So l have sought the views upon
| the missionary question of the most proml-
| nent and aggressive Chinese, officials and
! otherwise, whom / could reach, especially
those speaking English. Summing them up,
! / find Il marked agreement of opinion; al
| though / had been forewarned that the Off
| cal class is hostile TO missionaries and for
| egners, because of the trouble they nave
| made.
| Without taking space to present each
mans views In detail, as a summary of the
| whole will give clearer understanding of
the situation, ! would say that, in addition
! to numerous Chinese teachers and Chris
| tian preachers and few business men, l
| have interviewed Tang Shoa W. Yale
| graduate who ranks second only to Yuan
| Shin Kai in national influence; Customs
Taotai LANG of this city. another Yale
| man. who Is closest to Yuan Shih kai
| President Hsui of the imperial medical col
| lege, and his American trained associate,
DR. Chuan, who has held several important
| posts and typifies young China.
| Right at the outset the soreness of the
| Chinese over the wrongs they have suf-
fered from foreigners Is apparent. ms
| new China, which has advanced further in
| the past two years than during the preced-
| ing thousand years, has feelings to be hurt.
| She is just waking up to a realization of
| the indgnites she has endured for dec
| AIDES past; the anti-American boycott was
| in large part a belated reprisal for Ameri-
| can ill-treatment of the Chinese immigrants
| in years past.
| Hitherto there has been dumb, inartcu-
| late and helpless sense of antagonism to-
| ward all outer barbarians, as foreigners
| were regarded, without distinction. No line
! was drawn between those who were pro-
| fessedly in China for Chinas good and
| those who were professedly seeking their
| own ends. considerable trace of this in
| discriminate hostility still exists even
among officials. Yet found the men with
whom talked distinguishing, a rule. be-
| tween missionaries and other foreigners.
| What surprised me was to discover that
every Chinese with whom talked differ
| entiated the American and British mission