The Revolution in China

THE REVOLUTION IN CHINA. BY DR. J. M. TANNER. Before the situation of affairs in China can be understood, it is necessary to explain to the reader that the Chinese constitute one of the most exclusive nations in the world. They have held themselves aloof from, all entangling alliances with other nations, and have persistently for centuries refused to be influenced by any other civilization than that which was developed within China itself, and its own civilization has been of a primitive kind. To be sure, there have been financial interests involved which have led the Chinese to sell abroad the surplus of her products and admit to her markets such that she was most in need of. But this exchange of commerce, between China and foreign nations, has been one whose influence was confined to the seaports, so that commercial lifie with the outside world had no appreciable influence whatever upon the people who inhabited the interior of the country. In 1840, it will be remembered, England waged against the Chinese a conflict known as the opium war. It was, in a general way, a war to enforce commercial relations, and to withstand the efforts of the Chinese to exclude trade that had already been established. Since then there has been a marked change in the condition of the country. Missionaries of Christianity have been given greater liberty, and commercial interests have been crowded, little by little, upon the people of the Celestial kingdom. A few years ago, a war broke out between China and Japan, and the heavy, helpless condition of the Chinese, in their effort to defend themselves, clearly indicated to the world that China was not a nation possessing any vital patriotic national spirit.

THE REVOLUTION IN CHINA. 735 China with her teeming: millions offers a very lucrative field for foreign commerce. Her rich fields, her great mineral lands, and especially the opportunities for constructing railroads, have been strong incentive for speculative adventures. About two years ago, we are told that a Chinese scholar, a follower of Confucius, by the name of Chang Yu Wei, who was also a student of foreign civilization, succeeded in getting the ears of the young Chinese emperor who was somewhat disposed to be liberal in his views of foreign influence. Chang succeeded in inducing the emperor to make a number of important reforms in the administration of government, and encouraged him to aid the building of railrods and the development of internal commerce. He also urged upon him the advantage of a greater knowledge of foreign affairs, and the advantages that foreign civilization would have to the empire. The emperor listened attentively to Chang, but found an obstacle in his aunt who had formerly been empress, and who, now that her husband was dead, was simply empress dowager. This aunt represented the old school of the Chinese. She was very greatly opposed to any innovations, and made strenuous opposition to the efforts of her young nephew. The emperor undertook to coerce her, and gave instructions to one of his generals accordingly. The general, however, was somewhat shocked at the attitude of the young man towards his aunt, and made known to the dowager the purpose and intention of her nephew. She thereupon brought all her influence to bear upon her nephew and forced him to yield. Her task in this respect was all the easier because of the respect in which age is held in that country. What the young man had done was almost sacriligious in the eyes of the Chinese at large. The young man, still under the influence and prestige of his aunt, succumbed to her demand, and she thereupon assumed, after having him set aside and virtually imprisoned, the administration of the government. She traced the reforms to Chang Yu Wei, but he had made his escape to Japan. To show her great disapproval of what this reformer had done, she had six of his followers put to death. This was about a year ago, and then began, with the administration of the empress dowager, a new Chinese policy which has resulted in the present revolution in that empire. Within the last two years, there has grown up a very power-

736 IMPROVEMENT ERA. f ul organization throughout China, an organization which includes its millions, and is known by the nickname of "Boxers." In Chinese, it is called the society of "I Ho Chuan," meaning "righteous harmony fists." The organization, whatever its words way mean, was simply intended to counteract as far as possible, and in every way, the influence of foreigners. The society made some pretentions to athletics, to military discipline, and national purposes. As this society has been secretly encouraged, if not officially endorsed, by the present dynasty of China, an explanation of its relationship to the government may help to throw some light on the situation. The present dynasty, or ruling power, in China, is the Manchu dynasty, which was set up in that country something like two hundred and fifty years ago. At that time it was a quasi military power, sufficiently strong to coerce all the rest of the Celestial empire. The Manchu dynasty, however, has never been a favorite with the great millions of the Chinese, but its military strength has enabled it to maintain its position for these two centuries and more. The soldiers of the ruling house of China have been the subjects of pension for many decades, until, it is now said, more than three million Manchus are upon the pension lists of that country. It is, of course, the purpose of this dynasty to maintain its position, and as the Boxers were willing to support the dynasty, the dynasty must in its turn give some encouragement to the Boxers. Upon the banners of this society are these words: "Exalt the dynasty; extirpate the foreigners." For this dynasty support, the government refers, in its pronunciamentoes, to the Boxers as patriots. These Boxers, or patriots as the government chooses to call them,have been organized for more than a year, and have been very actively engaged in their opposition to foreigners. Those Chinese who were opposing the Chinese Christians are very much incensed at Christian missionaries, whom they tolerate only by force of circumstances which they are not able to control. Every now and then, acts of violence indicate the feeling of the anti-foreigners. Early this year, the hostile feeling of these Chinese was manifested in the killing of a British missionary, after he had been first stripped naked and his ears and nose cut off. It is just possible, as some writers assert, that the missionaries are extremely imprudent; that they do not respect the traditions of

THE REVOLUTION IN CHINA. 737 the Chinese; that they stir up discontent and encourage the Chinese to litigation. Whether the accusations brought against the missionaries are all true, it is evident that missionary work has not been characterized by the greatest prudence and consideration, on the part of ministers, for the traditions and religion of the people. The enmity felt toward the missionaries has been very greatly reinforced by recent commercial enterprises, great European undertakings, and the construction of railroads within China. Every year witnesses large increases in the exports and imports of that country. Not long ago, word came that these Boxers were forming several organizations, especially in the eastern part of the kingdom, and committing great depredations upon the native Christians, whose homes were burned and who were forced to flee to the foreigners for protection. The newspapers from time to time give an account of hundreds of these native Christians who are perishing at the hands of their Chinese countrymen, and who seem to be in the midst of this great revolutionary whirlwind. Of course the leaders of this revolutionary movement will, so far as they possibly can, refrain from acts of violence upon the missionaries themselves, as these missionaries are the proteges of strong European countries whose power is at any rate somewhat known to the rulers of China. However, word comes to us that a number of missionaries have lost their lives; that acts of violence have been committed upon foreigners, and upon both women and children. Weare told that there are something like one million three hundred thousand Christians in the Chinese empire, and of these the Roman Cotholic church claims one million. Next to the vengeance which these Boxers sought to bring upon the native Christians and their "missionary traducers," the Boxers felt a strong hostility toward every species of commercial enterprise which 'was being carried on in the country. They began, therefore, the destruction of the telegraph lines and of the railroads; and, within the iirst ten days of these riots, it is estimated that more than five million dollars' worth of property was destroyed. Pekin the capital of the empire, is the resident city of foreign embassadors, and thousands of the revolutionists have gathered there and are filling the streets leading up to the foreign legations of

738 IMPROVEMENl ERA. the great European powers and of the United States. It is not at this time possible to say just what has been done. Rumors come to us (June 21) that the ministers from France and Germanyhave been killed. As soon as the lives of foreigners were threatened in China, the foreign powers sent as many of their soldiers ashore from the ships as they could possibly spare, and thus formed what has been styled the international forces. Pekin is something like one hundred miles inland from Fort Taku, on the Pei-ho River. This fort guarded the entrance to Tien Tsin, the chief commercial city, located as far up the river as boats could go. To this place, the Americans sent a small boat called the Nashville, and every effort is now made to protect the commercial interests of foreign nations at Tien Tsin, and an army was at once dispatched to Pekin. It is interesting to note the great anxiety felt by the nations respecting the outcome of this revolution in the Chinese empire. Great commercial interests are involved, and the United States as well as England, Germany, France and Russia, must look out for her commerce in the Celestial kingdom. Russia is building a railroad across southern Siberia, and is therefore increasing her commercial interests in northern China, and has secured from that country Port Arthur by which to connect Russian commerce with that of the Pacific. Russia has a considerable army already stationed at Port Arthur, which is in the Chinese empire, and, upon the outbreak of the revolution, mobilized something like twentyfive thousand troops. Eleven thousand of these were sent immediately to Taku, in order to reinforce the international army at that place. On Saturday morning, June 16th, the Chinese fort Taku was bombarded and forced to surrender. On the 20th, news was brought that the Russians were without the walls of Pekin, and that great consternation and excitement prevailed there. Of course, the great powers are jealous of Russia. Russia in her tariff would undoubtedly be disposed to discriminate against all foreign commerce, and the foreign commerce of that country is of vast importance; first, to England, and, second, to the United States which is second in rank of trade with the Celestial kingdom. The disposition, however, is very general among all the powers to maintain the stability of the Chinese empire, rather than to have it

THE REVOLUTION IN CHINA. 739 partitioned. In case China should be partitioned among the great powers of the earth, certain powers, such as France, Germany and Russia would be disposed from their ports to exclude the foreign trade of other nations. England's policy would be more liberal, but the Americans could hardly claim any part in a partition of that country. We are not seeking Chinese territory, and for that reason our commercial interests demand, and demand strongly, that the integrity of China be maintained, in order that our opportunities of trade may extend to every part of the empire. This matter is of such far-reaching importance to this country that, as soon as the revolution broke out in China, rumors of an extra session of Congress were circulated throughout the country. The question is one of grave importance to the United States, and it is doubly so because of the peculiar position which the trade of this country occupies to the political ambitions of Russia. Perhaps seventenths of all American trade is in northern China, that portion of the country which would fall into Russia's hands in case of partition. Millions and millions of dollars' worth of trade would be annually cut off from us, and the commercial and material progress of this country would be hampered very greatly by a partition of that country. Rumors are circulated that Japan is also sending a large army of twenty-five thousand soldiers to China, and that in all probability, the Japanese will be made the mandatory power to carry into effect the wishes and the policy of the great powers, as their .policy may be defined by international councils. This is perhaps one of the most important episodes of modern times. It is weighty because of its far-reaching consequences to the peace of Europe, and the commercial interests of foreign countries. Every movement in China is at this time one of worldwide moment. It is highly important to the West, because China offers to our own Pacific States great opportunities for trade for the future. Undoubtedly the farmer will reap great advantages, in time to come, by the introduction of grain into the Chinese empire, because at this time a great and partially successful effort is under way to substitute the use of flour for that of rice, a product that has been commonly used by the Chinese from the earliest period of their history. It means tens of millions of dollars' worth of commerce every year for the people, and the United States will

740 IMPROVEMENT ERA. not indifferently throw away the great chances that lie at their door. We are now a world power; our interests have gone beyond the seas; political complications will follow our commercial interests abroad; and it may, in truth, be said that the United States today has opened upon a new era in its history, a history of international commerce. Since the above was written, the international forces under control of Admiral Seymour, of the British fleet, were overwhelmed in their effort to release the foreign ministers, Europeans and Americans, from the danger in which they found themselves, penned up as they were in the city of Pekin. Startling news of the wholesale massacre of foreigners in Pekin has for a number of days (July 10) been circulated by the Associated Press. The whole world stands appalled in the presence of these rumors, and every nation is hoping for the best. The uprising is growing, but the meagre information which comes from the interior makes it impossible to say how far it has penetrated the heart of the Chinese empire. We have learned, to our great surprise, that the Chinese may be soldiers. In 1894, they were helpless in the presence of Japan. Since then, European officers have been drilling them in the art and strategy of war, and they are now turning with a vengeance the instruction given by the Europeans to the destruction of European life and property.