Evening star., 1909-06-05
Frederick Mccormick of Peking
Tells of Alien Outrages.
APPEALS TO EDITOR GLIDER
Suggests That Means Be Taken to
Discountenance Depredations at
Home and Abroad.

nous HISTORIAN tablet, on which. CEN
turies and centuries ago, the HISTORIAN
Christian missionaries in China carved a
record and which stands today in the
ancient city of Sian-fu In the remote
province of Shensi. 1t Is a huge siap, ten
feet in height, and ranks in Importance
and historical value with the Rosetta
stone in the British Museum, the Moab
ite stone in the Louvre and the Aztec
stone in the City of Mexico.
How the copy was made and trans
ported is Interestingly told in the current
issue of Putnam's Magazine by Frits Y.
Holm, through whose tact, patience ana
single effort the feat was accomplished
Primarily however. it calls attention TO
the fact that even to obtain historical
monuments of such extraordinary value
1t is not necessary to "despoli, the healh-
en-"
Appeal From Peking.
Pertinent to the subject is letter writ
ten by Frederick Mccormick of the As
sociated Press, at Peking, China, to Rich
ard Watson Glider, editor of the Century
Magazine, New York, which has recently
been referred to the American Federation
of Arts, and reads as follows:
Dear Sir: A great increase in vandal-
ism has occurred in China since 1903, es-
pecially in North China. Some of the
most celebrated and valuable monuments,
sculptures, etc, are threatened with de-
Structlon.
This can be said of the monoliths at
the Ming tombs, to the north of Peking,
where the statues in the famous avenue
of stone images have been defaced. and
where depredations to images, carvings,
etc. by visitors are increasing.
During 1907 foreigner abroad, other
wise respected. financed an expedition TO
Sian-fu. in the province of Shensi The
f1a of fAr-
ward that his primary object had been
to flch the HISTORIAN tablet and float it
down the Wei and Yellow rivers. The
enterprise failed owing to the presence OF
foreign residents at Sian-fu and the pre-
cautions of the Governor of Snensi.
Foreign Vandalism Complained Of.
Recently one of the government boards
called the attention of the throne to
foreign vandalism in the Temple of
Heaven inclosure at Peking. Last year
foreign trespassers committed outrages
there which attracted the attention of the
throne. About the same time the depre-
Gations of foreigners caused the Temple
'Ta-kao-tien' in Peking to be closed to
visitors.
The destruction of the carvings around
the base of the famous marble tope In
ths Yellow Temple. begun before 1900. has
continued. Depreciation is apparently
accelerated by the visible destruction pera
formed by foreigners in 1860. Other in
stances than the above might be cited If
required.
1T is urgently necessary to commence
the encouragement of senSeleSs deStruc
ton of monuments in China. The press
advertised the depredations made upon
the HISTORIAN Tablet and has called at
tention to the destruction going on else
where in China. But the efforts of the
press are insufficient.
"On the other hand the conditions of
foreign travel in China and the relation
ship of foreigners TO the Chinese in China
make 1t possible for foreigners to dis
courage if not entirely eliminate van
dalism, and to encourage the preservation
of all forms of Chinese monuments and
art. 1t is possible not only TO discourage
the activities of vandals. but to encourage
mutual respect among foreigners and
Chinese for the monuments which in
China mark the great and interesting
achievements of the past.
Danger of Destruction.
AT the present rate of progress there
is danger that the monuments that are to
be the chief attraction of. China's future
parks. museums and historic .shrines will
be effectually destroyed within a few
years.
The improvement of railway connec-
tion with Europe during the past two
years has been the means of this rapid
ton of the Ming Tombs has occurred
since the opening of the railway to Nam
kou, little more than year ago In a
short time railway will be opened to the
Tomb of Confucius, where similar out
rage will most certainly be committed if
something is not done to prevent it.
THE formation of society which shall
receive sufficient prominence TO give 1t
other visitors that vandalism in. China
has reached a state of aggravated griev-
ance would be means toward its ar
rest, The practical step which should be
Immediately taken is the placing in pub
lie places in China and upon such monu-
ments in danger of mutilatfon and de-
struction notices of authoritative remon-
STRANGE. Even a simple action like this
ought to have at least the initial effect of
arresting vandalism and promoting pub
lie sense of responsibility in the matter.
For the sake of these monuments and
their service to future generations, as
we'll as for the good name of foreign resi-
dents and travellers in China, some or
ganiZed action should be Immediately
started.
in view of these facts can not you aid
In the matter and suggest Vhat steps
matter and reply. Yours very truly.
''FREDERICK MCCORMICK
Evil Exists Elsewhere.
OF course this refers not merely to
causelessly purloin and destroy. to the
dread souvenir hunter from whose
Gepredati there seems small escape
Nor is the evil confined 10 China Iron
bars and vigilant watchmen alone prevent
our own public monuments from being
chipped and defaced. Witness the neceS-
s--S of gates at the room doors at Mount
Vernon and the cage over the rock upon
which the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth.
But II is true that less conscience is
Shown in foreign lands. and especially
in those where the inhabitants are So
called heathens, whose history, however.
antedates our own and whose art monu-
ments of certain kind are superior. In
part II is the result of t5pugntlessness
and in part an Unsuitable desire to pos
SeSS.
The cure lies in a popular sentiment
which will diSCountenance by demonstra
tion of frank disapproval all such acts of
wanda ism Such a sentiment the Ameri-
can Federation of Arts will undoubtedly
endeavor 10 create, but the matter il is
thought should not be allowed to rest
with a single organization. L. NJ
Roanoke Contractor a Suicide.
ROANOKE. Va. June 5.-John w. Full.
er, an asphalt contractor, twenty mine
wears old committed suicide al his broth