_NOW WHAT?_
[Illustration: One of the many famous temple gates with which China
abounds]
AND NOW what? Peking has been relieved, the city is full of soldiers of
the allied armies, the Empress and her court have fled westward, and
the capital has fallen.
Will China be partitioned and divided among her conquerors, or will she
be allowed to exist as China under another monarch?
Russia undoubtedly wants immediate possession of Manchuria and
Chihli, with, very likely, Shansi and Shensi. Japan is quite amenable
to further additions to her own territory, and England, although
disclaiming any covetous feeling, is believed by a great many of her
friends, and all of her enemies, to desire control of the Yangtze
valley.
Germany, France, and Italy are all discussing the slice that they
desire, and only Uncle Sam has finished his task and wants to go home.
But is his task finished? What about the missionaries murdered in
Paoting Fu? Since being relieved, we have heard of the murder, with
shocking mutilation, at Paoting Fu, of Mr. and Mrs. Simcox and their
three children, of Dr. George Yardley Taylor, of Dr. and Mrs. Hodge,
of Mr. Bagnall and his family, of Mr. Pitkin, Miss Morrill, and Miss
Gould. Is Paoting Fu to be allowed to remain on the face of the earth?
And what about Yu Hsien, governor now of Shansi, who had all the
foreigners in his province brought into his yamen and murdered before
his eyes? Is he to live? No, never. If there exists in America to-day
one individual who counsels the return of the troops until the atoning
blood of all the leaders and instigators of this awful crime has been
poured out, may he be cursed forever.
The work is not yet complete. The Empress Dowager, Prince Tuan, Prince
Chuang, Yu Hsien, Tung Fu Hsiang, Chung Chi, Chung Li, Hsu Tung, Kang
Yi, Chi Hsiu, Duke Lan, and Na Tung must each and all be brought to the
block, with as many of their followers as possible, before the blood of
innocent American women and children will cease to cry from the ground
for vengeance on their savage, bloody murderers.
Then and only then let America claim indemnity for the property of her
citizens that has been destroyed, and retire from the carcass that the
other nations will undoubtedly fight over.
If China is to be partitioned, it may injure our trade or it may
increase it, but it is not worth our fighting for, when we shall be
sure to obtain a great deal of it under any circumstances. It may be
best that our troops should remain here during the discussion of the
question, but they should not be used in any event.
It is easier to say what should not be done than what should. A few
“should nots” like the following will indicate perhaps what might be
done:
1. Boxer leaders should not be pardoned.
2. Indemnities should not remain unpaid for years.
3. Manchu banner pensions should not continue.
4. Manchu sovereignty should not remain.
5. Manchu governors should not continue in or hold office.
6. Tribute rice should not be received.
7. Imperial maritime customs should not at present be changed.
8. An entirely native cabinet should not exist.
9. Women’s feet should not be bound.
10. Cues should not be worn.
11. Christianity should not be forced on the people.
12. Priests and pastors should not be allowed in yamens.
13. Arms and weapons should not be imported, manufactured, or allowed
to be owned by natives.
* * * * *
At the present moment Boxers are practicing in all directions at a
distance of from twenty-five to thirty miles from Peking. All of the
leaders of the movement are at large, and Prince Ching has returned to
Peking to try and arrange a peace. Now what?
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:
—Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected.