p. 11 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 48. (12/5/1911)

Revolution in China

By F. E. Stafford

(From Our Own Correspondent)

NOW that the smoke has cleared away from the first battle between the imperial and the revolutionary forces, after “taking stock” on both sides, it is found that the revolutionists not only have a well-organized army, but are also firmly entrenched in the most strategic center of the Celestial Empire. As the revolutionary movement has assumed such proportions that the world powers begin to take notice, and consider it necessary to agree upon a course of action to be followed for the protection of the lives and property of foreigners, possibly the readers of the SIGNS will appreciate a word from those who are actually on the field. While this news which is written to-day will be a month old when it reaches America, yet there are some features of the crisis which will not become generally understood from reading the newspaper reports; and then, again, the view-point of the missionary is quite different from that of the newspaper reporter.

As these reports are sent in from time to time, we shall endeavor to present the unexaggerated facts, and such actual results as have a relation to the spreading of the Gospel throughout this empire and preparing the way for the soon coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To begin with, this movement is not of recent origin, but dates back at least twelve years, and possibly longer. During this time forces have been quietly working, the groundwork and foundation have been laid, the seed has been sown broadcast in the hearts of the people, and to-day we are seeing the harvest.

With few exceptions, every patriotic Chinese, no matter in what part of the globe he is situated, is favoring and assisting this movement, which means no less than the dethroning of the Manchurian Dynasty, which has been in power since 1644, and the setting up of a new empire under Chinese control; for the Manchus are not considered Chinese. They belong to the northern Tartar races, and ever since they came into power there has been universal dissatisfaction. They forced the Chinese to adopt their present head-dress, shaving the front of the head and wearing a cue, as a sign of submission to the Manchu government. Hence one of the first things the revolutionist does is to cut off his cue.

Revolutionists assembling their cannon on Serpent Hill, Wuchang (Photo by F. E. Stafford)

Active preparations for the present outbreak have been carried on for perhaps a year or more. Revolutionary leaders have gone from city to city, organizing their forces, soliciting subscriptions, and collecting arms and ammunitions. These preparations have been carried on not only in China, but in many other places where large numbers of Chinese are living. In Singapore and the Straits Settlements the revolutionists claim to have 20,000 supporters, with some troops and war-ships which are believed to be on their way to China now. The Chinese in Japan, Honolulu, and the United States are all subscribing liberally to aid the cause.

Contributing Agencies

This year the situation grew desperate, on account of the extensive floods throughout the Yang-tse Valley, leaving thousands of people homeless and the price of rice soaring too high for the common people to buy. The present regent and his cabinet have manifested very little sympathy for these sufferers, and have laid no great plan to relieve them. On the contrary, they have increased the taxes in some places, notably in Szechuen Province, where the people rose in revolt a month ago. A force of imperial troops was immediately despatched from the vicinity of Hankow to put down the revolt, and while these soldiers were absent the revolutionists decided to improve the opportunity to strike a decisive blow at Hankow. This city, with the city of Hanyang across the river Han, and the city of Wuchang across the Yang-tse River, is the commercial “hub” of China, and corresponds to Chicago in America.

United States Steamer Helena in the center steaming into the Wuchang forts, requesting them not to fire while the missionaries are being moved to Hankow. American missionaries on the way from Wuchang to the foreign settlement in Hankow, escorted by Consul-General Green. (Photos by F. E. Stafford)

Connected by rail with Peking, the capital, in the north, and by the Han River to the south, and by the Yang-tse-Kiang to Shanghai and the Pacific Ocean on the east, this place controls practically all the shipping and commercial trade of the interior of China.

Gen. Li Yuan Hung, commander of Revolutionist army

A Set Time

The rebels adopted the Chinese character JI as their sign, and it has been found out later that the construction of this character includes the date which they had decided on for opening the struggle. The character means “a season,” or “a set time,” but when divided into parts it means as follows:

Thus on the twenty-third day of the eighth month (Chinese time), which corresponds to October 14, the revolutionists were to rise all over the empire.

The attack was precipitated, however, four days before this by the finding of a plant for the manufacture of dynamite, signal flags, and revolutionary badges, in a house in the Russian concession. About half past three, October 10, the people living near this house were alarmed by a sudden detonation from the rear, and they quickly collected to see what was wrong. They were surprised to find the occupants making every attempt to set their premises on fire by pouring kerosene on the floor of one of their lower rooms. Before they could set a light to the saturated wood, the neighbors interfered.

The occupants of the house then ran up-stairs, and made their escape by climbing over their veranda into the neighboring house, and disappeared.

The policeman on the beat had by this time made his appearance, and seeing that the case was serious, he at once reported it to the Russian police station,

a foreign member of which went at once to the scene.

On examination it was found that one of the rooms in the upper story had been made into a laboratory for the manufacture of dynamite and nitroglycerin, a quantity of both in a raw state being left where it had been mixed. It seems that the amateur chemists had been busy mixing some of the latter when it had exploded and set fire to some articles near by. In the laboratory a large quantity of revolutionary apparatus was found. They had been busy in the making of badges for those who were to fight with them. They had made up bundles of the badges, each bundle containing a little triangular flag with Chinese characters signifying “Section No. 7”—or whatever the number might be. Signals of different sizes and colors and shapes were there, and a large number of books dealing with the movement.

One of the chief finds was a map of Wuchang, showing, apparently, the different positions to be taken up by the revolutionaries, and telling how the different sections of their company were to be divided, and the flags that were to be shown by each.

On further investigation, the viceroy, Jui Chung, ordered the gates of Wuchang closed, the city searched, and thirty-two suspects were arrested, and three of them who confessed to being revolutionists were beheaded on the spot.

Premature Action

Seeing that their plot was discovered, the rebels decided not to wait longer. Word was sent to the eighth division of troops in the city, who immediately mutinied and charged the viceroy Yamen. The viceroy, seeing the case was hopeless, escaped with his body-guards and boarded a war-ship. After his departure the revolutionists divided their forces and burned and destroyed all the Yamens and killed and arrested all the officials, and thus the city of Wuchang fell into their hands.

They lost no time in proclaiming a military government, and commenced at once to fortify the gates and walls, and assemble their cannons on Serpent Hill, which has a commanding view of the city and river. They elected officials and took over the control of the city, posting up proclamation in the name of the Huang Dynasty 4609, of the Tsong Hwa Kingdom, to the effect that they were fighting for a righteous cause, for the good of the Chinese people, against the Manchus—who are not Chinese, who do not belong to the sons of Han—for the purpose of establishing a stable and just government on the overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty. All classes were exhorted to unite, and treat each other justly.

After this Hanyang was taken, with the arsenal and iron works, without meeting much resistance, the imperial troops on guard simply laying down their arms. The revolutionists thus secured possession of the largest and best equipped arsenal in China, with 48 five-centimeter Krupp guns, 20,000 rifles, and 3,000,000 rounds of ammunition. They then occupied the city of Hankow, and put men in guard of all important positions, taking possession of the telegraph office, the railway station, the mint, and the government bank, with $2,000,000 taels silver. A government was established, a viceroy elected, and Li Yuan Hung chosen as general of the army. He seems to be very popular with the people, and is described as a hearty, rotund man, kindly in manner, an enthusiast, but not a blusterer. He was educated at the Imperial Mercantile Marine College at Tokyo, Japan, and has had many years' actual experience in army life. They claim to have recruited 20,000 men, most of them having served in the militia since the opening of the rebellion. Many reports have been spread that many of the imperial troops were joining the revolutionary forces. It is certain that some have.

Two prominent features stand out distinctly as marking this movement different from all previous uprisings in China. The first is the merciless slaughter of all Manchus. As soon as the revolutionists controlled the city of Wuchang, they started in systematically to kill every Manchu in the city. They organized a house-to-house canvass, and no mercy was shown. The streets of Wuchang were reported to be covered with dead bodies of Manchus. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between a Chinese and a Manchu, so the rebels have devised a sure test. They make a suspect count up to sixty-six, and he is distinguished by his pronunciation of that number. If he is a Chinaman, he says “Lao sz Lao;” but if he is a Manchu, he says “Lieu sz Lieu,” and off goes his head.

Secondly (and this is regarded as most remarkable, considering the past history of all uprisings in China) is their care for foreigners' lives and their property, and the protection of Christian missions and their followers. As soon as organized, the government sent a deputation to confer with the consuls, and told them that the interest of all foreigners would be protected as long as they remained neutral and did not aid the imperials. This principle has been strictly adhered to, and all foreigners have been treated with the utmost courtesy. One missionary who had various interests to look after in Wuchang said that he went all over the city and was treated with kindness by all the soldiers, and the only password he used was the word “America.”

Four foreign women from a girls' school and hospital which were located near the thickest of the fighting, decided to make their way out and reach the foreign settlement of Hankow. They were escorted by a guard across Serpent Hill, where the batteries were located. All firing ceased as they crossed, and was not resumed until they were safely under cover. This seems to be so unusual an incident as to be worthy of notice.

The Imperial Government

Meanwhile the government has not been idle. On learning of the action of the viceroy Jui Chung, he was immediately rebuked for his leaving the city, and was cashiered. He is now in hiding. The imperial troops were on their way to their fall maneuvers near Peking, but were immediately recalled, and Gen. Yin Chang, president of the Board of War, made commander-in-chief, and as many troops as could be spared were despatched under him to meet the rebels and recapture Hankow.

Admiral Sah, commander of the navy, was ordered to take his fleet of war-ships to the scene of action at once. He arrived several days ago, and the first of the troops arrived from Peking over the Peking-Hankow railway. The revolutionists went out to meet them, and a battle took place, the imperial soldiers being covered by the war-ships on the river. After two days' fighting the result is just received here as these lines are written:

Battle ending in a victory for the revolutionists. The rebels are in possession of Yen Kilometer station, and the imperialists withdraw to Seven-Mile Creek.

Admiral Sah's gunboats have retired down the river. One of them is said to have gone over to the enemy, and the admiral is doubtful of the fidelity of the others.

A Desperate Struggle

Now the government realizes that it has a desperate struggle on hand, and has decided to play its best card even if that is a dangerous one. There is one man who they feel can be trusted to bring order out of chaos and win a victory for the throne. That man is Yuan Shi Kai, a man of commanding ability and notable military reputation of the past. But he unfortunately has been disgraced by the present emperor, and dismissed from the high office which he previously held under the government.

Now in this crisis, this man is recalled, and appointed viceroy of the Central China provinces, and supreme commander of all military and naval forces in the Yang-tse Valley.

He has accepted the position on the following condition: that he be permitted to take 10,000 soldiers of his own selection, and be provided with a war fund of 2,000,000 taels. The government agrees to these conditions, and he is preparing to take command at once.

Obviously the reason why the government appointed him to this place, was that he is a capable man, and they had no other man of his ability whom they could trust. Now that the whole responsibility of the imperial success or defeat rests on this man, the question is, Will he remain loyal? There are two causes for fears in this respect: first, he is not a Manchu; second, the ill-treatment which he has received from the present Manchu government. If he remains loyal, there likely will be a long and protracted struggle before this war is ended. But the rebels are inclined to prophesy otherwise. In fact the paper says to-day that he has been offered the place of first president of China if he will join the rebel forces; the present aim of part of them, at least, being to establish a republic in China.

Greater Freedom

It is impossible to predict at this writing what will be the result of this war, but we are inclined to take a hopeful view. It may be truthfully said that no matter which side wins, the conditions existing in the ancient flowery kingdom will be greatly changed as a result. If the revolutionists win, it of course will mean a radical change in everything; and on the other hand, if the imperial forces succeed in putting down the revolution this time, they will have learned a costly lesson, and must certainly alter their plans for the government of China, so as to institute a constitutional monarchy at once, and also give their consent and approval to the reform of the currency, the building of government railroad, free education, and all the customs and reforms of modern nations which the people of China now are ready to adopt.

Greater freedom will also be given to mission and missionary work. Therefore we feel that this great movement, no matter which way it turns, will open the way to spread the Gospel message quickly to every one of China's millions. In this respect it is undoubtedly preparing the way for the fulfilling of Christ's words, that the Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” It also shows that in the preparations for the great battle of Armageddon, China is to take her place with the other nations.

This time of trouble and unrest and an unexpected change of kingdom, we believe is a God-given opportunity to preach the truths of God's soon coming eternal kingdom to this people.

Here in Shanghai we are conducting a public effort with good attendance. This week we will preach on the second coming of Christ, the resurrection, and the judgment; and on our poster which we have circulated, announcing the meeting, we have put this title: “All Kingdoms Will Become One Kingdom.” Many read this, and are interested, and anxious to hear the truth on this subject.

Brethren, pray that the workers in China may improve this opportunity to spread the message of the kingdom.

F. E. STAFFORD.

Medical Missionary Congress Meeting

By Editor

The fourth annual meeting of the Medical Missionary Congress will be held at the sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan, January 2 to 5 inclusive. The Rev. Lemuel C. Barnes, field secretary of the Baptist Home Mission Board, will preside. The sanitarium offers free entertainment for one week to all the missionaries who attend the meeting, and "the invitation is to all evangelical missionaries regardless of denomination." "Evangelical" is a wonderfully elastic term nowadays; and who decides? Inquiries may be addressed to Geo. C. Tenney, secretary of the congress, Battle Creek, Michigan.

A Fruitless Compromise.

The Western Watchman (Roman Catholic) says: "We have succeeded in making the Young Men's Christian Association open all its offices to Catholics. Now we would inform these gentlemen that we do not want their offices." The help from compromise morally is always fruitless or worse. It never brings good. One of the promoters of this fruitless compromise was Ex-President Roosevelt.

America’s Liquor Consumption

According to the New York "World," based on Government statistics, the people of the United States drank the awful sea of 2,045,300,000 gallons of liquor in 1910, over 20 gallons for every man, woman, and child. This awful property-destroying, body-destroying, mind-destroying, home-destroying, soul-destroying curse is a heavier tax upon humanity than all the ills of the body politic.

The Fall Fashion Show

By M. Elisabeth Burns-Howell

EMULATING Paris, San Francisco has established a biennial fashion show, when, in concert, all the leading houses display the latest mode in every line of women's wear, vying with each other in the lavish elegance and originality of exhibits.

The season has just been opened with unusual revelations as to what the dictators of style have decreed shall be the vogue.

Now as to why there should be a dictator, or set of dictators, has never been satisfactorily explained.

When one considers the enormous economic waste of labor and material, the terrific mental and physical strain, upon those directly engaged in garment manufacture during season rushes, as well as the inconvenience and useless expense to the consumer, the frequent change of fashion resulting from the system of an arbitrary dictatorship seems decidedly irrational. The best excuse I ever heard was embodied in the following little anecdote:

Johnnie's sisters were engaged in remodeling a couple of comparatively new costumes, a procedure that seemed to Johnnie's mind quite unnecessary. His father was engrossed in his paper, but Young Hopeful was bent on securing information.

"Pa," he began, "what makes the girls tear up their new dresses?"

"Want to make them over, I suppose," was the father's answer.

"But why do they want to make them over? They're just new," Johnnie insisted.

"Well, I reckon the style's changed," said pa.

Silence for a few seconds; then, "O pa!"

"Well, what?"

"Who made the style?"

"Why, American styles originate in New York, mostly, I guess. Now don't bother me any more."

Again silence for a space.

"Pa"—timidly—"where did style come from before it got to New York?"

"Why, from Paris, the world's great fashion center. Now let me alone. I want to read."

Once more silence ensues, but not satisfaction.

Finally a faint little "Please, pa."

"Well, what?" gruffly.

"Where did style come from before it got to Paris?"

"Why, from the devil, of course! Now shut up!"

And Johnnie subsided, and properly enough; for yea and verily, in its last analysis, is not this the final word? From no other source could arise so much inconvenience and incongruity, so much wanton waste, so much of real human misery and soul wreck.

A certain cartoonist has made a late "hit" with his quaint little Joy and Gloom figures, which he introduces into many of his pictures with telling effect. By the same token, there appeared to the eye of my imagination, as I looked upon the recent parade of style and pomp, a whole battalion of pygmy creatures, trooping after the fickle and fantastic Dame Fashion — not merely the frivolous little Joys, but darkening Glooms, despairing Aches and Pains, and real Agonies even; for Madam de la Mode is the author of much agony in more senses than the old song implied:

Putting on agony, putting on style, That's what some folks are doing all the while.

She is leading lady in the great Drama of Deception in a "continuous performance" upon the world stage. Posing before the curtain as the queen of grace and beauty, behind the scenes she is unmasked, an ugly old fraud, of a character so capricious that it knows stability only in its persistent policy of deluding the simple.

Truly, it is time this time-honored "Queen Fashion" should change her title. Let her name fit her nature. Call her grand high priestess of the art of assassination; also past president of the Society for the Extinction of Human Happiness, particularly chief mischief-maker for the mothers of men — since it seems that against the female sex she aims her deadliest darts, and succeeds in foisting upon womankind her choice inventions of disease-producing discomforts.

True, the masculines are not without folly as touching their raiment; still, for general comfort, convenience, and healthful arrangement, the prevailing men's fashions so far outdistance the feminine as scarcely to admit a comparison. What man would endure the torture of literal pounds of false hair and towering hat, or the all-menacing sweep of the modern aeroplane head-gear as worn by women? Or taking the other extremity, fancy our men mincing about in French-heeled "pomp." Even the most fastidious male dresser has breadth and sense and solidity insuring real comfort in his shoes, be their quality the finest. And while we are told that a few dandies do don corsets, imagine the scorn of the average man at the idea! But woman — poor folly-stricken sex, throughout the suffering ages she has worn the yoke, her vitality the victim at one point or another.

World of woman, what but Fashion Holds you, molds you, this way, that way? Not what should be, but what "they say." Bind at feet, or waist, or neck, Come and go at Fashion's beck, O, this torture-tyrant — Fashion!

Not that every woman bends the neck. There have ever been high-minded, free-spirited, wholesome women who have refused to be style-enslaved. And in recent years these have kept up a goodly clamor against the most flagrant abuses of health and comfort and true beauty, so that at last the effect is manifest in not a few encouragements.

Instance the evolution of the corset. Not all steel blades are stilettos. There are degrees, all the way to the homely case-knife that will scarcely cut a slice of bread.

So there have come to be kinds and degrees in the matter of corsets. While nature was undoubtedly intended to be self-supporting, and certainly can not reach her highest development until so adjusted, yet for those who have not reached such a stage of advancement, and still cling to the corset as their very mainstay of bodily dependence, there is great improvement in the article available to-day, as compared with say twenty years ago. The old wine-glass figure with its deadly curve at the waist line is seldom seen now. The modern corset is built with one hundred per cent more consideration for the natural lines of the figure than the stiff bone and steel affair of a generation ago.

But the old instrument of torture still retains enough objectionable features to condemn it. The sensible woman would not mourn its departure altogether, and indeed the present season promises just this — the natural waist. An evolution in this direction has been apparent in the high waist and simple, flowing lines of the graceful and comfortable one-piece costumes of the last few seasons. These garments are built upon the Grecian outline, and require no corset as a foundation, and it is to be hoped women will at last allow nature to prevail. Whether the present tendency is a permanent one, or only a passing whim, remains to be seen.

And the agitation of the hygienists has yielded fruit in other directions, notably the vast improvement in the tailored skirt of the present hour, which is a positive delight to the woman who wears it, if she have an ounce of youthful energy and spirit in her, loving lightness and ease of movement, as well as a state of cleanliness as to hem and border never before possible.

Of course there is always the ultra tendency that runs to extremes, and the past season was not an exception, for it must be admitted that many skirts were worn too extremely short and quite too narrow — this not referring to the "hobble," but to the excellent cut known as the "straight." This garment in its modified form is not to be compared to its predecessors of other years, whether "bell-shaped" "gored," "hooped," or "en train," with their yards of hem and pounds of weight, especially when of such lengths as to perform the function of dust mop and germ collector.

So let us be thankful for such improvements as can be noted.

Now about that monstrosity, the hobble, let us congratulate the "frail sex" that with all her penchant for frailty and folly, she has proved herself a little less foolish than she was accredited with being, for the life of that absurdity was short.

Not but that the rude hand of stern necessity imparted an uncompromising nature lesson on not a few occasions, which doubtless served to bring madam to her senses. The most ridiculous of these I recall occurred at a famous English racing meet, where a whole coach load of American ladies were caught in a sudden shower while seated on top of the coach, and because of their hobbles were unable to get down, as the coach ladders had been loaned to another party, who had failed to return them.

Therefore with all that the men were able to do, not one of their companions could effect a descent. O, fie! What a predicament! They couldn't climb down and they couldn't jump, and so there they were compelled to sit, like a lot of fowls on a roost, and for consolation see their fine feathers soaked in the rain. Fifty thousand dollars worth of fine gowns and hats, in the aggregate, all completely ruined by the rain! So doth nature correct our vanity!

A word now as to hats. What hope is there for the crazy-crest, if any! For years, as a sex, we have borne the seal of folly not in the forehead, but above it. What woman, be she a true woman, does not despise the modern hat, as it has been thrust upon her for the past five years! The climax of absurdity and ugliness, not to mention discomfort and inconvenience, seems to have been attained in this direction. O, yes, there are exceptions — have been a few all along. The sane woman has compelled them. She has refused to don either a wash-tub, a coal-scuttle, a wagon wheel, or a waste-basket. And at last her influence is felt. We are happy to note a return to sanity in the matter of size to some degree at least, and a decidedly better run of shapes; but this gain is at once offset, in most cases, by a ridiculous method of trimming, or it may be in the shape itself, a certain queer quality, a grotesque oddity, that smacks of the circus more than anything else, as if the aim were to appear as bizarre as possible. That this effect is highly distasteful to the woman of refinement needs not be said.

A hat? A hat? Dear me, what's that? Array of ribbons or braid or lace, A bow, a buckle, with ever a trace Of fluff or feather imparting its grace, A woman's hat, Mystery that! Our ancient mother, sun-crowned, wind-kissed Eve, Trod Eden's pathways, hatless, free did live; All unadorned her beauty primitive. No modern hat Could equal that!

Finally, as to this fashion show, the oppressive elegance everywhere noted seemed to be the thing most to be deplored, because most far-reaching in its effect.

The blaze of coloring, the riot of line and design resulting from the indiscriminate jumble of many materials and various forms of arrangement in the same garment, all tend to produce an ensemble that lacks harmony and poise, and clearly indicates a taste that is perverted, a craving for a gilt-and-tinsel effect that is crude in the extreme.

Indeed, one of the most striking features of the present season is the barbaric mingling of gold and silver beadings and braidings, with tapestry and embroideries of the most lavish Oriental pattern. And this does not suffice. These gowns must be jewel-studded and silk-lined and chiffon-draped and fur-bordered. And Lady Duff-Gordon assures us that it is now to be "the thing" to combine several kinds of fur on one costume. Fancy! And did you see those Paris hand-bags? As big as your grandmother's sewing-bag, yet as thin as a wafer, except for their elaborate trimming of any and every sort, and "under no pretext may you carry more in them than your dainty lace handkerchief." Yet their price runs up into the tens, and the girls of the shop are working day and night to produce the foolish, faddish things — of no use under the sun, and yet women will beg and men steal to keep the vain things going until their silly, wasteful, wicked course is run. Aye, more, poor wanton girls will even sell their souls for the price of them — these vanity bags and all such trinkets. O, the sin of it! and O, the shame! The loss, the labor, the grief! How many comfortable incomes dissipated, how many homes desolated, how many wrecks of health and happiness, in the vain effort to keep the pace in Fashion's train! It is "beg, borrow, or steal" often — obtain by hook or crook, the wherewithal to pay the price. And O, what a reckoning in the great day for the wealth wasted, the time wasted, and the souls wasted!

All for what? — A will-o'-the-wisp that forever eludes. A dream of to-day, an awakening to-morrow, with always the same witchery. The thing that was, is not; and that which is, vanisheth unto that which was before it.

Verily, no dictum of Holy Writ is more deeply, pertinently true than that "the fashion of this world passeth away."

The Vegetarian Cook Book

By E. G. Fulton

By E. G. FULTON

The author has had years of experience in vegetarian cookery and in the management of vegetarian cafes and cafeterias. With its aid the chef, cook, or housewife is able to prepare appetizing, healthful meals without the use of any flesh food.

This book contains 419 pages, including a handy and well-arranged index of all the recipes given.

Tastily bound in cloth, price, post-paid, $1.00

Pacific Press Publishing Assn. Mountain View, California Portland, Ore. Calgary, Alberta. Kansas City, Mo.

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