670 



The National Geographic Magazine 



well-known correspondent, gives in his 

 book an account of the company, fully 

 confirming the other American writers 

 above cited, and concludes : "Thus igno- 

 miniously terminated the first important 

 project ever launched under American 

 auspices in China." It may be added 

 that, so far from the Chinese being gov- 

 erned by a spirit of hostility to foreigners 

 in this matter, the present native com- 

 pany, under which the railroad is now 

 being built, is ordering passenger cars 

 and other rolling stock from American 

 manufacturers. 



The Shanghai riot of a year ago, which 

 was greatly exaggerated in the press re- 

 ports and led to the assembling in that 

 port of the war vessels of our western 

 powers, including the United States, 

 grew out of the attempt of the foreign 

 authorities in the settlement to exercise 

 control over a Chinese woman charged 

 with a misdemeanor. A full account of 

 this riot was given by Mr George Ken- 

 nan, of this city, then in China, in the 

 Outlook, in which the Chinese author- 

 ities were vindicated. Such was the con- 

 clusion of the American Consul General. 

 The British Minister for Foreign Affairs, 

 in discussing the riot in the House of 

 Commons, stated that the Chinese judge 

 was right in the case, and that the at- 

 tempt of the municipal authorities to ex- 

 ercise jurisdiction was "unfortunately an 

 act that was not warranted by our treaty 

 rights. * * * It shows the danger 

 of encroaching on Chinese jurisdiction in 

 these foreign settlements." 



So far as the anti-American boycott is 

 concerned, to vindicate the conduct of the 

 Chinese people there is need only to quote 

 the language of the President of the 

 United States in his message to Congress, 

 in which he says that "in the effort to 

 carry out the policy of excluding Chinese 

 laborers, Chinese coolies, grave injustice 

 and wrong have been done by this nation 

 to the people of China." And he clearly 

 states the cause in this language : "The 

 main factor in producing this boycott has 

 been the resentment felt by the students 

 and business people of China, by all the 



Chinese leaders, against the harshness of 

 our law toward educated Chinamen of 

 the professional and business classes." 

 The boycott was but the ebullition of 

 the hour, in which the patriotic spirit of 

 resentment of the sedate Oriental boiled 

 over for the time ; but the usual friendly 

 feeling for America soon reasserted itself, 

 even before the amendments of the law 

 promised by the President were voted by 

 Congress. I venture the assertion that 

 every fair-minded American citizen ap- 

 plauded the Chinese demonstration of re- 

 sentment, and his only regret was a feel- 

 ing of humiliation that his country should 

 be guilty of so flagrant a wrong to a 

 proud but unoffending people. 



A great outcry has been raised, espe- 

 cially in British journals, because of the 

 creation during the present year of a 

 new commission of two prominent Chi- 

 nese officials, called the "Customs Board," 

 because it was supposed that it was the 

 intention to supersede Sir Robert Hart, 

 a British subject, who for forty years 

 and more has so successfully managed 

 the maritime customs. The Chinese Gov- 

 ernment, however, has given positive as- 

 surances that it had no such intention. 

 Sir Robert, who continues at the head of 

 the customs, has issued a circular stating 

 that no change was to be made, and an- 

 other of the evidences of the Chinese 

 hostility to foreigners is shown to have 

 no substantial foundation. 



The cry of "China for the Chinese," 

 which is most heard among the students 

 returned from Japan and other foreign 

 countries, has given rise to the fear 

 abroad that the Empire was on the eve 

 of another uprising against foreigners, 

 such as the Boxer outbreak of 1900. For- 

 eign powers having citizens or interests 

 in China were advised to strengthen their 

 navies in those waters, and it was even 

 said that it was the purpose of our gov- 

 ernment to reinforce the army in the 

 Philippines, so as to have an available 

 force near by for the expected emer- 

 gency. But such fears thus far have 

 proved illusory. Notwithstanding the 

 anti-dynastic societies, the spirit of unrest 



