Critics of Ament Twain–Ament indemnities controversy

1 critics of ament

1.1 new york times
1.2 thomas f. millard
1.3 other critics

critics of ament
the new york times

on 26 january 1901, editor of new york times, in editorial entitled loot , indemnity in china , after describing various unprovoked , unpunished acts of murder, arson, robbery , rape allied forces, attacked missionaries in china vociferous plauditors of operations, implacable demanders of chinese blood , indicated accounts have reached have represented missionaries having been active in looting of chinese property had been in instigating promiscuous taking of chinese lives.

ament arrested german , french troops near tungchow, , charged trying extort money chinese villagers. on 5 february 1901, new york times reported ament had been arrested (along 2 british subjects) on charge of endeavoring extort money chinese villagers near tungchow (now tongzhou district, beijing). while 2 british subjects released, ament held pending appeal united states minister edwin h. conger. 2 days later, times reported ament had been arrested french , german officers on painful charge of blackmailing chinese villages....the charge has terrible plausibility. apparently relevant answer inculpated missionary make charge ancient rejoinder re another, other doubtless was. predicament missionary placed in reference avowed looters.

the new york times, in editorial of 7 february 1901, echoed previous criticisms of ament: plain fact ministers of gospel of christ have been disturbing factor in chinese situation. quoting opinion of british prime minister, robert cecil, 3rd marquess of salisbury, indicated missionaries in general have been international nuisance , times indicated missionaries in china showing vindictiveness, in respect outrages , situation did not comport gospel professed spreading. times concludes: upon whole, seems safe say, rev, mr. ament has missed vocation, , that, particular function incumbed on him, of propagating christian gospel in foreign parts, not eligible person have been imagined or secured.

ament subsequently released @ direction of german military commander, count alfred von waldersee. wilbur chamberlin, reporter new york sun, sent china, reported in letter dated 9 february 1901 wife:

my missionary friend, rev. a.[ment], out of limbo....quite long time ago had scheme collecting damages native christians , church chinese themselves. went around forty villages , collected 80,000 taels. few days ago went there , promptly arrested @ instigation of roman catholics. appears had same sort of scheme, a. got there first, , when went around these same villages make collections, found out had money there was. naturally, enraged, made complaint against a., , declared had been blackmailing villages....i think, myself, a. might have left little catholics. don t see man take all, if missionary.

chamberlin indicated french , germans, under pressure americans, released him, insisting never under arrest.

on 31 march 1901, new york times reported collection of private indemnities ament , others in china might disqualify them claim payments when united states government tendered indemnity claims on china. further indicated united states government not make claims chinese christians not american citizens, , dr. ament s recent complaint powers nothing in way of collecting indemnity these christian chinamen has not tended raise estimate of missionary intelligence among diplomats here [washington d.c.] .

thomas f. millard

ardent anti-imperialist american war correspondent thomas franklin fairfax millard (born 1868; died 8 september 1942 in seattle, washington), considered founding father of american journalism in china later has had greater influence on contemporary newspaper journalism other american journalist in china,” special correspondent new york herald in china since 1900, had reports published in britain s daily mail, , american magazines including scribner s magazine , cosmopolitan, , english-language kobe weekly chronicle of japan, criticised ament actions on military expedition san ho in september 1900. millard charged in scribner s magazine allied insistence on revenge criminal. seized vertigo of indiscriminating vengeance, powers trifling peace of world. events such months of september, october , november brought china have carried war dark ages, , leave taint in moral atmosphere of world generation come . upon return united states in january 1901, in response letter urging editor of new york times retract editorial of 26 january 1901 on loot , indemnity in china , millard wrote

i hope not retract statements. within facts, know personal observation. may serve no purpose stir matter up, how can christianity reform mission work long persists in present hallucinations.

supporters of ament attributed millard s critique prejudice. example, abcfm missionary george d. wilder in writing rev. judson smith, secretary of abcfm, indicated:

you ask mr. millard , reason lies in prejudice against missions in general. mr. ament not know him , have inquired of several missionaries in peking, none of whom know him. wrote mail late jan. 12th peking. have seen articles in of magazines of america – scribners or cosmopolitan. these reporters come through japan there strong prejudice against christianity, in newspaper circles, , stop few days among clubs in shanghai filled yarns missionaries. have known of 3 or 4 have admitted came north prejudices against missionaries , vanished on acquaintance our peking , tung chou people. chamberlain of sun 1 of these , think rebuked reporter tirade against missions saying way felt, too, when first came have changed mind since have known missionaries. have received copies of five-column interview mr. ament in kobe herald. had been terribly slandered kobe chronicle, editor has announced purpose harm cause of christianity can, glad see explanation in same city. expect mr. ament in setting these things right in public mind.

one of millard s proteges, edgar snow described millard s anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, pro-independence, pro-equality of nations, pro-republican, pro-self-determination , pro-american [views.].

other critics

john ames mitchell wrote sarcastically in life magazine rev. ament seems collector. when gets out of chinese scrape ought able find place in tammany police force....mark twain had hung hide of reverend ament, missionary in china. charles fletcher lummis, editor of land of sunshine, agreed twain s assessment of situation: dr. ament, american missionary china, extorted innocent paupers manifold retribution in blood , money sins of boxers.

in eighth series of ethical addresses (1901), after referring ament , pious frauds , ament s motivations explored: because rev. mr. ament loved church , temporal possessions more ...ethical principles....it because men love churches more righteousness iniquities done in name of church condoned. in same publication, however, referring ament: truth of matter is, missionary has been made scapegoat conspiring , corrupt native officials, , immoral foreigners in china , ignorant brethren here in united states.

the socialist party of america supported twain s attack on ament , other missionaries in editorial in 29 april 1901 edition of daily people daniel deleon:

when, however, twain ... mercilessly exposed vandalism of missionaries in china, when showed had looted palaces , despoiled temples, , sold booty; pounced upon whole clergymanic body. reviled, insulted in christianly way, called liar, rough, uneducated person, defamer of men, boor, , various other things. had treated actions of our black coated huns in china in abstract way, have received forgiveness. when held rev. ament chief of band of thieves transgressed, , closed forever wellsprings of mercy.