The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1885-05-06

QlnnIl MOTklDEt lllE tFeAIAlf alA
CORRUPTION find IN easy place, as in other de-
partnenis Of the machinery Of state. Still,
after all these abatement, which arc sufficient
~ comprehensive. It remains true that the
{ inese system Of Education has accomplished
and continues to accomplish wonderful re-
suits, though at an enormous waste Of mental
power, The prevailing Chinese ignorance Of
geography, Of al branches OF natural science,
and Of the history Of al countries except
China. and its dependencies, combined with
the natural and almost .inevitable contempt
which the great body Of Chinese liierati feel
for everything not Chinese, gives little pro
mise Of successful contact with the Occideut
Of the NTN Century. But It is ever to he re-
rcmbcred that knowledge and culture arc
quite different from each other. When Prof.
Pumpelly was IN China. examining into the
coal deposits, the members OF foreign office.
comprising some Of the ablesi men in the
Empire, told him that coal is a growth in the
sroEhi, Ike ro0t, and that It would not 90 TO
remove too much a. once, OF the vitality Of
the remainder would he injured We are in
the habit Of thinking Of the Chinese as grossly
ignorant because in certain lines, they are IN
acquainted with the alphabet Of Western
knowiedgo But we ought rather to bear in
mini, that with certain other lines, marrow
AaaNIts = Il ~ a. wan AAlE
cvcl5po5ic nature Of Western knowledce,) they
arc highly cultivated, and are able to employ
their powers as cffectivoly-which is the real
test 81 cducaiion-as Occidentals are able 10
employ theirs When the Governor General
O; the two hwapE Provinces, was carried
captive by the British 30 India, after the war
ISIS, be was asked up5n the voyage, why,
instead @; sitting all day IN condition Of
comparative torpoG, he did no. read something.
To this he made the conclusive reply, that all
the books in existence which are worth read
iag. be already knew by heart, There Is =
pr0vcrbial admouition ic ''heware Of the man
OF one book; hos much more to dreaded is
The individual who has not only swallowed
four, nine, or even thirteen hooks, but who
has employed the best part Of his life in digest
iu- theme and who Is able at a moments
notice, 20 take the smallest possible clew, 10
quote the context and the commentary, and TO
Iudiie IN the most elegant literary style, an
essay or q poem, Of any required length. In
our opinion, Manchoo Chinese statesmen like
Prince hung and Ii Hung Chang, in their
contact with diplomatisis Of the West, have
fully held their own Many Of the disadvan-
tases a. which the Chinese have undoubtedly
been placed, have been due 10 their irrational
conservatism, and TO their lack CT acquaintance
with the conditions Of Occidental life, into
contact with which, much against their will
they have been forced. Il is no objection to
the scamanship ofau experienced captain, that
be finds some serious endorsements in the
transfer from e schooner 10 a steamboat Al
ready western nations are beginning t5 fear,
that together with h1suuy International Law,
China will soon know too well how to con-
duct d war with gbe powers OF the West, and
Sc 81 Incidental
effect % thc present desull0ry struggle with
France, may be TO make China a great mill
tary power. "You complain Of US, said the
Governor General Ii, 20 western official,
"besaase we 20 SO slowly; but by and by you
will say that we are going too fast Those
who are bes, acquainted with China and tie
Chinese, have the most faith IN The future Of
tina Empire. a future which is intimately con-
uectci with the system Of public e Ication.
As system, it stands Is great need OF enlarge
tleut and Of purihCasign, but what it might be
able % achieve for China, under the best con-
ditious, no -uan is competent 10 predict.
rv. CHINESE G0vENNTNT.
I once heard the late Dr.. Williams re
mark. that when be visited his brother
"a missionary in Asiatic Turkey, the ques-
ton was asked. How do You contrive in
China 90 keep the vast population from
cutting each others thr0ats The maEni-
tudr Of the task q ruling d people ike the
Chinese. viii be appreciated the more. As
the problem Is considered longer Al
though the laws Of hydraulics are every
where the same. II Is one thing 10 turn a
moderate sized stream into a reservoir
and quite another thing successfully TO
construct jetties which shall control the
current Of the Mississippi The Chinese
Government is what Is known as Patriar
chal. and it Is usually considered an ALSO
lutte iespltism. There is some rcsemb-
lance between the Chinese government.
and the Solar System Each J. very re
mote. Is difficult 20 observe as whole
numerous purts Of each are necessarily
ont u sight, the laws which govern each
are very complex. and often appear to be
inconsistent with each other, many part
cular- are Us yet only impcrfectly under
stood and each Is such a gigantic unity,
as n render It difficult 10 take in the whole
AZ one time Il is not necessary nor pos
si5le % give any full account Of the Chi
uese government In this connection, but
we shall do well to bear in mind through
ont two principles, which are Of great
anna attL ANff anu "a
ulainin. the astonishing duration Of the
Chinese form Of government The first
u4rucluIc l- that If HarH HagaH-fIEfr.
4 family j. q unit, for which It's head j.
responsible. ten families make a larger
unit. and village j. still larger one.
The village Constable, and the village
Elders. are held responsible for what oC-
cur within the Limits Of the area which
tifpv have ID charge, and in like manner
the District Magistrate j. responsible for
the district over which he rules. He Is
called the Father and Mother" Of the
people. and his very name lChih Hsien.l
implips that be is Intimately acquainted
with all that goes on IN his territory. The
same holds good on o larger scale Of the
hirbpr GRADES OF officers. The proceed
mos In the case Of a convicted parricide.
are q singular example Of the working Of
tins ur7nciuls The man. or woman. for
the punishment j. the same. in either case.
is sentenced 10 the lingering death. and
the house iu which be lived as well ar
Those which ION it on either side. are
razr-5 TO the ground II the crime. which
! Il regarded as the most fragrant Of which
ono 3 cauahlc. is committed within n CITY.
l. said tbat a corner Of the city wall is
demolished. and put mp in another shape.
| Sha,fld two cases occur In the same civ.
~, corners OF the wall would BE- pulled
down. and ra-grgcted, but II there should
| DE f5ur cases. the whole city would be de
strrvea. and the inhabitants sent % q diff
feIent locality. The principle which under
| lies these strange proceedings, Is a very
sruulc one Ii Is inferred that the -four
roi.-bb1rs-. must have eNerted haleful
Influence upon the education Of a son who
c-u1a 20 90 the length Of numbering his
/ father and the destruction Of their houses.
Is a rani-hmcut for their supposed vicious
Influence The same principle prevails
IA i lnrrgr scale In the case Of a citv
/ The mixture Of Chinese and ManclIo1s in
fhe administration Of tine government.
may l,a regarded as o further example Of
/ the plan ~ holding one person reSponS
| hIr Fr trr acts 0f another The complex
system OF checks and balances runs
through an the departments % the States
The Pra-ilrutaf one % the Six Boards.
mry han President % another and
rrs elaborate scheme uf GonS1rs. Is a
H4rT r1mut HE tho same idea. In a
Thoroughly Chinese way The Emperor
I il r-rrusllIa b. Heaven Cor tho u~a
4a1.f D. uH-o- 1f tho Decree. bvvhieh
! he4rId- Tins l- -tukIuEly exhibited in
tie aa-a sf -.reat ar1l-. drouglts famino>.
rIr-ua- 81. HlrthTrH0- when the august
~.r Heaven a5mit- hy solemn dec
rs rrHH-fei u tsa Cord Fr-e Fhai He
alone b. be- te aaIi accountable for the
aIrn.t.- i f.. Empire rn3 of his people
raIr-a' l-ss DIS -n- and uuIsa- fr
.rsraes af -He-va1 Tha other r-iuci