After the conquest and subjugation of our Empire, with all the shame and dis grace involved therein, will there not fol-Jow for us greater misery yet? I will now briefly outline at least five kinds of bitter experience, from which we cannot escape (a) There will be a substantial increase of. taxation, But someone will say "Have not all the dynasties which have reigned in the past, changed their Em-perers 2 Have there not been all kinds of rulers? They may have been generous, just and good, or not, what is the dif-Terence 2 The future will be just the same as the past." Yes, but when foreigners get the upper hand of us they avill tax our personé, our houses, our windows and doors, our cows, horses, sheep, dogs, pigs and fowls. Last x about the 4th month, the Russians Palienwan imposed stich heavy taxes on the persons, the houses, the fowls and the dogs of the Chinese, that each family: had to pay $6 per mensem, which would be $72.00 per annum. The people are poor the land unfruitful; although the peasants undergo terrible hardships, each not earn many tens of dollars per num, Therefore whole families have nothing to eat, nothing to wear and are on the verge of, even if they do not fall into, actual starvation. They could not possibly pay such extravagant taxes. Then the inhabitants of Talienwan met, and sent some hundred men as a deputation to the Russian officials. But these latter opened fire on them with loaded rifles and killed many. In regard to the French in Saigon the same thing obtains. 'Each man must pay $12 per annum. Each pig is taxed to the tune of $5. Hence every family, each year, will pay a hundred dollars. "Moreover, ever' must obtain a pass paper, carry it on his person. to do this, he may be fined or imprisoned at any moment. "When the French r get to know the opulence and prosper: of the people of Kuangtung, they will i pose yet heavier taxes still. If you consider these things you will understand. How then will our people be able to endure such a bitter yoke 2 This is the first heavy sorrow that will follow the conquest of our Empire.
(b) The next pill, which we must swallow is that we shall never again wield power, or share in the honour of our country. After our Empire is subjugated the Chinese will most certainly be regarded as the negroes or the Hindoos are now regarded. We shall be cruelly repressed an} must spend our lives in terrible slavery to the conqueror. Every avenue to wealth and honour will be closed against us. We shall in fact become eternally the white man's slaves. Look now at Indi: In the 30th year of Kien Lung, India w: subjugated; but not until the 2nd year of Mang Hsii_ were representatives selected to have a seat in Parliament, and then, only two were admitted this honour. The 200,000,000 of India, moreover cannot gain admission into' the ranks of the liberal professions, after more than a hundred years. Yet both negroes and Hindoos are allowed to travel abroad wherever they list, whilst the citizens of our own country are forbidden this pri while we are yet a country and not q destroyed, we are not permitted to enj such an elementary privilege, which black men enjoy, what will he our cond tion when our country is altogether ce quered and subjugated This is the second grievous evil that will follow the conquest of our Empire.
(c) The ignominy of serfdom will be our for, Fore gnars will not allow anyone to sell either firearms, or. weapons to the Hindoos. This is a well-known fac, Yet re stupid and they are treated with s-me show of kindness. The Chinese, on the other hand, are a clever and intelligent race; therefore, our conquerors us hand and foot, and treat us with great sternness. At Sing: e treated more liberally than in Canada, in Can again, more leniently than in Hor Let me illustrate 1 1 ducks are weak and fore, can be enclosed in a basket of bamnddono ham, Tigers and leopards fierce; therefore they must be imprisoned man itin sage to be rendered harmless, If our race were conquered, we should be so securely enslaved that there would be no hope of freedom. India offers acleer warning. Let our country be once conquered and our people, through all generations, would be bond-slaves. Anciently, when the ud Me gols, over-running China, ne out rulers, the results were different. Although they seized our Empit se they were of the same 1 Vand submitted to our re stems avd ours were the But the disposition of foreigners is radiewly different. They would conquer and crush us. This would be the th nity.
(To be continued.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.