Uselessness of Conciliation Governor's Daughter Weds:
Policy if British Prestige is to be Saved Sword of Mohamet's Grandson: A New Field Marshal In view of the recent events im Hankow and in the Yangtsze Valley generally, the following letter contributed by Mr. J. 0. P-Bland to the columns of Swoday Times" appears aim prophetic, The loiter follo Sir,—As one who has made some study' of the history and disposition 4f the Chinese people, may I be permitted to express the opinion that our Government's proclaimed policy of patience in the face of an unpro-Yoked and artificially organised anti-British agitation (a policy supted last week in one of your Tead~ Ing articles) in calculated to inflict great injury upon our commerce in the Far Bast and to diminish our prestige throughout Asin, without any compensating benefits to China?
Space does not permit of an exhaustive exposition of the fallacies now generally prevalent with regard to the situation in China, 1 propose to refer only to two, which form the basis of the argument set forth in the leading article to which I have alluded. "In the first place, it is therein stated that "any intervention that may become necessary can sinly "aggravate the anti-foreign "agitation," I venture, on the contary, to assert that any intervention which would tend to check the marauding activities of the farmed forces. (such as an effective policing of the chief railway lines Bnd. waterways) would have the hearty support of all the best ele ments in the country; also, that nothing is more certain to fan the flames of anti-foreign agitation than the growth in the minds of its Tenders Of the idea that they can tear up the Treaties and repudiate the nation's obligations with impunity. The prerent attitude of the F.0. and of the Suate Department at Washington {quite enough to account for the Fredent position of affairs at Canton snd Hankow.
Furthermore, you deprecate any interference on the ground that the agitation in China "is a clear example of developing national consciousness," and that any attempt to suppress it would be unwise and unprofitable. This conception of na-Conalist sentiment manifesting itself ungovernable evolutionary force" is a wholly fallacious idea, which has been cloverly spread by the Cantonese propagandists for some years past and Sound wide acceptance in this country and in the United States. The sorry truth! of the matter is that, amongst Si, the rival army leaders and political factions, you will seek in Nain for any sign of a collective, con-Hiuctive patriotic purpose or genuine national sentiment, The forces of disorder ave set and kept in motion by and for small groups individuals all, whose conspicuous and inatinge purposes ition and screed of cin, lop of Exeter, in his for to a newspaper Inst Thursday, rightly attributed the anti-foreign anil revolutionary agitation of the Ftudent body to the mischievous and Gestructive influences implanted in their minds by the teachings of American. missionaries and other educationists, He might have added that the driving force behind the feverish activities of the students is the same as that whic the Tuchuns and the namely, the verpower-The instinct of the Oriental, taught, by centuries of bitter experience, to place himself and his family beyond the reach of want, For this reason, amongst many to assert that no present anarchy can come from Wi in, save that of The only hope of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.