The Germans have undertaken the building of certain railroad lines and
the development of certain mining districts in the interior of the
province.
The people don’t like it, and some serious conflicts have arisen and
others will probably arise in consequence, and it is probable that the
general antiforeign sentiment may be thereby increased and, as an
indirect result, missionaries and other foreigners suffer. But for this
reason we can hardly demand that the Germans retire from the
province.
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Corbett and
others to Mr. Fowler.
Chefoo, China
,
February 14,
1900
.
Dear Sir: We, the members of the Chefoo
station of the American Presbyterian Mission, feel that through the
activity of the Germans in this province of Shantung, in the way of
prospecting for minerals and in the laying of railroads, the lives
and property of American missionaries and their families are being
endangered because of the fact that the natives are bitterly opposed
to all movements of this kind, and they make no distinction between
foreign nationalities whatever.
To mention a few incidents by way of proof; early last year, because
of an attack made on a small party of Germans while on their way
from the seacoast to Ichoufu, an expedition of German soldiers were
landed to punish the rioters. This occurred within 25 miles of
Ichoufu and endangered the missionary families there not a little.
We understand that no adequate protection was afforded them, though
instructions were supposed to have been given for that purpose. We
understand that when our people entered into communication with the
commander of said expedition and inquired about protection they were
informed that they would have to come to him if protection was
necessary. Such protection was worse than useless. Again, last
spring, while the senior member of our mission here, Dr. Hunter
Corbett, was itinerating in Chimoa, in the territory under German
jurisdiction, a party of German soldiers came in conflict with a
Chinese mob, in which they killed three of them. As a consequence
the relatives and friends of the killed went up and down through the
country seeking some foreigner on whom they could wreak revenge, and
Dr. Corbett encountered great danger. Last autumn a German
prospector and his two German followers came in conflict with some
Chinese wheelbarrow men near the city of Taianfu. The natives
claimed that one of their number had been killed by them and
followed them to Taianfu, where they stirred up the city, and thus
endangered the lives of American missionaries who live there, and
with some of whom this German party stopped overnight. Since then an
English missionary, the Rev. S. M. Brooke, was brutally murdered in
that region. Just recently some German mining engineers were
attacked by a band of rioters about 15 miles from Weihsien, and
after killing three of the rioters and wounding many others they
fled to the American Mission compound at Weihsien, being pursued to
within 7 miles of the place.
While we think that our friends in the interior did perfectly right
in thus obeying the dictates of humanity in receiving these men and
doing all they could for them in their circumstances, we feel, on
the other hand, that it should be remembered on the part of the
Germans that by such actions they are exposing American citizens and
their families to danger, who, on account of their ladies and
children, could not so easily escape for their lives as in case of
themselves, armed and unencumbered as they are.
[Page 102]
In view of these circumstances, we, as American citizens, do
respectfully request that our Government bring this state of affairs
to the attention of the German Government and ask them to instruct
their representative in this province not to needlessly expose
American citizens to risk, and that in case they are thus endangered
by them, whether directly or indirectly, they see that adequate
protection is afforded them. We feel that this is no more than just,
especially in view of the fact that for forty years American
missionaries have been carrying on missionary work in this province
in accordance with treaty rights and that with comparatively little
molestation, but now, since the entrance of the Germans into this
province, our lives, property, and work have been more or less
endangered, and that therefore the German Government should see that
we are adequately protected, whether by the native authorities or by
themselves.
We trust that our respected Government may see the justice of our
claims and act in accordance therewith.
Will you therefore, dear sir, bring this our petition to the
attention of the proper authorities at Washington, and oblige
Your obedient servants,
-
Hunter Corbett.
-
Geo. Cornwell.
-
W. C. Elterich.
-
Wm. John L. Nevins.
