THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY, 17th NOVEMBER, 1900. THE CHINESE DILEMMA.

Southland Times, Issue 14800, 17 November 1900, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY, 17th NOVEMBER, 1900. THE CHINESE DILEMMA.

The situation in China at the present moment is one ao curious and unique that no parallel to it can be found in modern history. A nation, multitudinous and vast, turns upon its guests, without warning, and with the resolve to annihilate every one of them within its borders, even the sacredness of Ambassadors' lives making no exception, and this resolve was being carried out with every circumstance of fiendish and abhorrent barbarity. The righteous indignation of Europe was roused, burst upon China with considerable fury, and refuses to be satisfied with anything that falls short of the condign punishment of the prime instigators and directors in this nefarious business. The Emperor of Germany, whose Minuter had been murdered, led in demanding this punishment, and the rest of the Powers have agreed with him. It seems singular that there should have been any hesitation at all on the subject, for not only does justice demand that these abominable conspirators should pay the full penalty of their crimes, but if they don't there is not a shadow of a security against a repetition of them on the. first convenient opportunity. The Allies themselves have executed summary justice on the heads of as many as they could lay hands on of those directly responsible for the hideous atrocities that were perpetrated. The degree of punishment already inflicted, indeed, is such chat no other nation on earth would ever forget. But then Chinamen are not like any other nation on earth, and if the Allies re tire, leaving untouched the whole crowd of those who contrived, formented, and urged on the cruel massacres, they will simply confess themselves foiled and leave the victory not simply to the smiling ruffian leaders, but to the whole multitude, who are altogether of opinion that all they did was entirely right, and whose only regret is that it was not done " thorough." As for those retributory executions, it is merely an incident. It will be forgotten directly. They were only subordinates and of no particular value. If the prime movers, magnates and nobles of the Empire, are reached, then it will be made clear and emphatic that European lives are to be deemed sacred and inviolate, and that European nations cannot be insulted with impunity. A lesson like this would make an impression that no other would. It is just at this point that the difficulty and perplexity of the situation begins. The Allies desire the surrender of these men. But these same men are the Government, as far as there is any Government. They are the Empress' councillors and advisers. They held the supreme power and direction, and the Emperor has no say in the matter. To ask the surrender of these men is to ask these men if they will be polite enough to come along without any ado und lay their yielding necks on the block. Everything the Allies have demanded has been willingly conceded, except the execution of princes and officials Here the negotiations are likely to be blocked. It is not in the least likely that that will be conceded, as The Times correspondent says. All means of evasion have not yet been exhausted, and the Allies may find it no easy matter to enforce the extreme ' condition. How they will finally deal with it, it is not easy to tell. To make an expedition with a view of catching Empress, Councillors and Court would be a matter of immense I magnitude and uf doubtful re -suit. The Empress and Councillors would certainly move on, carrying the Court with them, no more to be captured than the mirage of the desert. Another alternative is to hold on to the capital and its seaport — they can indeed hold all the seaports — and wait. But then the Chinaman can wait, and will, for five, or ten, or twenty years, and smile blandly. A third alternative might be to favour the insurrectionists, and induce all viceroys, <fee, to fall in with them, and so depose and tfbfc aside the reigning Manchus. But then the office and person of their ar ( e, with all Chinamen, as sacred as the bones and spirits of their ancestors. Universal allegiance to any fyomd fiovus, or upstart, could not be secured without many years of strong and costly support. Iro stable government could be established, and without it what the Allies are specially aiming a£ would be still unattained. On the other hand they do not wish to take over the entire management of

that unweildy Empire. It is as well 1 for themselves and the Empire that they should not. The Allies have arrived at a very delicate and critical point If they insist on their demand, how are they going to make it good 1 If they withdraw it, or even make a compromise, their prestige is gone. It is an admission that they are powerless, and they would have nothing f > om which to argue the necessity in the future of strict compliance with the terms of any treaty that may be agreed upon. A compromise, however, of some sort, may be the only thing, perhaps, that is feasible. The German Emperor is sending further reinforcements, as if determined to carry out the literal fulfilment of the terms of the proposed treaty. As a last resort the wily Chinese may likely enough agree to execute, or hand over .for execution, the eleven notables ; but it does not at all follow that the thing should be genuine. Any number of voluntary substitutes can be procured on payment of a sum of money to their families. The thing would be done with the expertness of jugglers, and in a manner to defy detection on the part of the clumsy barbarian. The Powers have here something of a Gordian knot to unloose. Another problem before the Allies is the future footing of the missionary. Security to his person, no doubt, can be insisted on, as to that of any "otSfeer European, but bow are Europeans to protect aft native converts ? Some twenty thousand or more of them were lately massacred. It seems a question how far it is judicious to press missionaries and their ministrations where they are regarded as Christians were under Nero and Diocletian. Europeans will gradually become personally less obnoxious, when specially qualified, and intelligent missionaries will meet with a better chance of success. Christ himself did not by any means urge His ministrations upon the people that were hostile or unwilling, <»nd He expressly enjoined on His disciples to follow the same rule. The Chinese are not exactly on the same footing in this respect as the outer sa\feges of the world.