New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-26

"HS fio'llCeS' a. INC people generally
side with the Revolutionary Army and
openly proclaim their hostility to the pres
ent dynasty. 1t will not be surprising,
therefore, if the most serious results ensue.
But how does the existence of this reYo-
lutlonary and even, as it is said, Socialist
spirit in China, comport with the reported
lmmobility and changelessness of all things
IN that country We apprehond that these
characteristics of China aad the Chinese
have been greatly exaggerated. A country
which has made such remarkable progress
as China has, in the Arts must have the IN.
pacity for change and progress. 1t must
be remembered that our acquaintance With Chin.
is of recent date, aud is still very partial That
the Chinese are slow to accept new ideas from
abroad is undoubtedly true, but it does not tolow
that the nation has not development of its own.
which must lead at certain stages to radical over
turns in political and social organizations There
| is no country in the world whose condition has
been so immensely changing as that of China dur,
ing the last century and halt. That period it is
true, has been reign of general peace and pros.
perity, as prosperity is now estimated among ma.
tons but that very peace and prosperity have
| brought into being state OF things which now de-
mands solution. 1t has stocked the land with
an immense population which must either be fed
or starve. The problem for China is the sams r,
the problem for England and France.
The Socialism which bursts forth in these diaar.
ent and remote regions Of the world simultsne
ously in this age, is by no means mere accident
nor chance coincidence. 1t results from causcs
which are Identical 1t is the merely natural fact
that people will not hold still to be starved to
death. The Malthusian doctrine may answer verv
well in work on Political Economy, but it i, in
convenient in practice. If people are suffering
for bread or rice, they will always be uncomforta
bic neightors for those around them who have
plenty of bread and rice. Whether people eat
with knife and fork or withchop sticks still they
must eat, or they will fight. A more equal dis.
tributiOn Of the means of living is, under such
circumstances natural demand, and since that
is what is usually supposed to constitute Social
Ism, it follows that Socialism in China is only
natural phenomenon.
But why does this tendency to Socialism de.
velope itself in China at this day rather than at
any former period For the same reason that it
develops tselfin the Western countries now. The
period of war for the sake of conquest ceased in
China century and half ago, with the final es
tablishment OF the present dynasty upon the
throne. Since then there has been great deye.
opment Of the arts oil peace, and along with it
vast augmentation ofpopuaton. 1t not geuer.
ally known that this overgrown population Of
China is altogether a fact of modern existence,
People hear of the hundreds of millions congrega.
ted upon the soil Of that great country and with
the prevalent idea that everything in China is un
alterable, they suppose that it has always been
so, that the population Of China is now stationary,
or nearly so, and that general stagnation is the
order of the day. So far from this being the case.
the present augmentation of population in China
finds hardly parallel in any other country except
the United States.
There may probably be some special causes
for discomfort in China. Possibly the real feel
ing has never been cordial toward the Manchu
dynasty. The bald heads Of the Chinese -aTe
badge of degradation which distinguishes them
from their conquerors. The Manchus do not
cramp the feet of their females. They do not in.
termsry with the Chinese, and are in most re-
spects distinct people. The Emperor is al.
WAYS surrounded by Manchus, never trusting
himself to the fidelity Of his Chinese subjects.
The prohibition upon emigration, although like
most other of the laws, treated with partial con-
tempt, is nevertheless q great grievance No
Chinese females leave the country and the men
who do 3d. and accumulate fortune abroad, run
the risk of being continually haraSsed by the au.
tborties on their return The burden of this pro.
hibition has become greater since the golden
temptation of California, fronting the Chinese
Empire, has been placed before the cupidity OF a
people who may be properly denomnated the
Yankees of Asia. The crowded state of the
Empire at home doubtless renders the tempta.
ton to 20 abroad still more urgent and the pro.
hibition to do so still more annoying 1t is noe,
however in any slight or incidental cause that
we are to look for the existence in China OF
spirit similar to that which is known in the Wess-
ern World under the name OF Socialism. The
causes are the augmentation of population and
the prevalence of the same commercial system
among them which prevails among Us, tending 10
make the rich continually richer and the poor
poorer
The following statement of the increase ofpop,
uation in China will occasion surprise to those
who have not examined the subject and may
lead to some useful reflections in relation to the
prospective destiny of our own and other coun-
tries.
The Using or Manchu dynasty commenced in
China in the year 1864, but the whole ofthe eighteen
Provinces were not quoted under the new YOKE
much before the year 1900 Prior to this period
China had been distracted both by internal reVo'
lutions and by wars against her external invaders
Since that period peace has almost universally
prevailed, and along with it the Development on
the country in the extension Of the arts and IN