Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-08-17
SOME SIDE LIGHTS ON THE JAPANESE
CHINESE SITUATION.
BY L. NORTON BROWN.


assume that some of the sensational
articles emanating from Peking re-
Gently, in regard to matters japanese
and Chinese are true. To be sure it
is little. difficult for person who
knows Japan to regard her people as
aggressive" and 'swashbuckling"
and the Chinese as models of peace
and quiet. The street fights of Tient-
sin, Peking, or any other Chinese city
come to my mind as one Of the first
sharp contrasts to life in Japan. where
one might be for years without seeing
even children quarreling.
No tourist passing through China
however, on his most rapid fox-trot
could possibly avoid running into d
cloud Of dust at least once a day, in
the midst Of which an animated mass
Of tapping rags and flying pigtails
would resolve itself into two or three
coolies trying to pOmmel each other
t0 death, as their 'gentle" and
"peace-loying" neighbOrs ran yelling
at the tops of their voices to watch
the delightful spectacle.
Dr. Arthur Smith, who has lived in
China for over thirty years and is an
acknowledged authority on things
Chinese, says in the chapter called
~oriH 1yphoons in Chinese Choracterjs-
nrs. that "The Chinese have carried
to a degree of perfection known only
among Orientals the art of reviling.
The moment that a quarrel begins
abusive words of the sort are poured
forth in filthy stream TO which moth
ing in the English language offers
any parallel, and with a virulence
and pertinacity suggestive of the fish
women of BiIlingsgate. The merest
contact is often sufficient to elicit a
torrent of this invective, as touch
induces the electric spark, and it is in
constant and almost universal use by
all classes and both sexes, always and
everywhere. The practice Of
'reviling the street. is often INDUCED
in by women, who mount the flat roof
of the house and Shrek away for
hours at a time, or until their voices
fail"
This however is a depression and
offered only as q gentle hint that Mr..
Oscar King Davis may wear band
age over one eye and ear.
In reading his letters l do not re-
member that he has given any ex-
PLANTATION whatever for Japans de-
mands on China, but as l am recently
back from the East myself, I may
have missed few letters.
However, i'm simple justice to Japan, /
let us go back and recall some of the
proyocations she had from her older
ueighbor.
In an old copy of the Peking
Gazette, published in 1882, is a most
Illuminating memorial to the Chinese
throne by Li-HHng-Chang, the DOW
errul Niceroy of Chilli. 1t proves
that as far back as that year, China's
jealousy at ,Japan's advancement, was
developing into a malignant hatred
and That she was planning to restore
boy force the ancient supremacy which
She saw slipping so rapidly away.
I'm this Memorial, Li-Hung-Chang
says. Your Majesty has graciously
ordered me to undertake the RESPONSE
bi.ity of preparing the plan for the
invasion of Japan, but my humble
opinion is, let us not lose sight of our
idea of invading Japan, but let us not
commit the mistake of doing this in a
hurried manner. In one of
the ancient maxims it is said, Moth
ing is SO dangerous as to expose ones
scheme before it is ripe'-and then,
after advising 4 still greater increase
Of the armament of the country, he
goes ON to discuss the best cause of
bringing about a rupture with Japan
and coming to eXtremitieS.
I'm 1850 the famous treatyof Tient-
SIN VAS signed by Japan and China,
winch provided that in case of insur-
rettion or disorder in Korea, neither
Japan nor China should act independ-
entity of each other in restoring tram
guilty there. and if troops had to be
sent To bring this about the two
countries should act together. When
The inSurrection of the Tong Haks
took place i'm Korea, however, China,
without consulting the Tokyo govern
mtU, openly disregarded the TientSin
treaty and sent 1l,000 troops there
and established 4 military supremacy.
10 may be that this was the "beSt
cause which Li-Hung Chang wanted
AND was intended 10y China to bring
about exactly what followed, although
ult With the humiliating result. At
amy rate the Japanese-ChineSe war
followed. commencing in July, 1894,
and lasted until China sued for peace
I'm I>a5.
A treaty of peace was signed at
SuImonoSeki after this war, by which
tile island of Formosa was ceded to
the Japanese government. The oc-
tupItjon of Port Arthur and the
LIaoJung peninsula by Japan were
also agreed upon.
Every one familiar even in a slight
degree with the modern history of
tie East knows what happened after
N4rdS and that Japan instead of being
allowed 10 profit by her honestly and
Ne-.-Won victories was compelled by
"1>>ia. France ana Germany to give
lp her holdings in Port Arthur and
lie Liaotung, only to see Russia firm
} establish herself there and later 70
see Germany. on mere preteXt get
Atr t0othOld in Shanuung.