The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-24
Bishop Fowler on China.

Bishop Fowler's statements in regard to
| the position OF China as power OF high
| rank, and his warning that this country can
not afford to treat her abruptly or unfairly,
has drawn down upon his head so much
criticism that he has been moved to reiter-
ate what he said at first. Bishop Fowler did
not at any time say that we should have war
with China in 10 years; but he conveyed the
idea that we might under some circum-
stances. Bishop Fowler Is without donbt
nearer right than his critics. The popular
notion OF China that she is pusilanimous
ana weak, a fit laughing stock for the ma.
lions Is as erroneous as 1t possibly could be.
me Chinese are" as Bishop Fowler says,
great people, and they are people of
great courage" and the events of the last
hve wears have shown it, Previous to the
war with the French in Tonquin, the foreign
policy OF China had been ruled for nearly a
quarter Of century by the all powerful
Prince Kung. BE believed thoroughly in
the old policy which China had pursued
since the first pioneers from the Western ma
tions appeared on her borders. China was
pacific under insults and yielding before
province on the north, and France advanced
in Tonquin to despoil her ON the south.
Then at last the nation which can hardly
count the years Of its existence or the mil
lions of Its people, awoke. In a day Prince
Kung was deposed, and the reign of the
modern statesman began. The regular SOL
diers of the empire were watching the Rus
slams on the north; but without any effort
whatever a hundred and fifty thousand le-
vies were thrown across the southern FROM
tier, and the French were hurled back so
quickly that the shock paralyzed all further
schemes of conquest and shook from his
pedestal French statesman who was rival
ling Bismarck in reputation. China then
began to realize her power; and this victory
accelerated powerfully an intellectual awak-
ening that had begun to stir Chinese society.
AT that time there were three thousand
miles of telegraph in China operated entire
ly by natives; a railroad had been running
for 10 years, gradually acquainting them
with Its uses and advantages; and vigilant
and alert native press was, as it is now, ex-
tending through the ranks of tho masses
ideas of progress. Now the idea that China,
even when all these agencies shall have
worked out their results. will cross the At
lantic to attack America is hardly conceiva-
BILE. But China has three hundred millions
OF people, who already afford large market
for the manufacturers of the Western ma.
| tlons; and In the future will afford an in
| comparable field for commercial enterprise.
1t can hardly then, be good policy for the
United States, which hopes to be great
manufacturing nation, to ALLEVIATE country
like China, which is proud and sensitive
enough to adopt discriminating tariffs in re-
turn for insults, and is getting military
strength enough to back up the policies of
Its statesmen. Five years ago, at the time
China was just embarking on her progres-
sive policy under the lead OF Ii Hung Chang,
a famous English traveller and geographer,
Mr.. A. X. Colquehoun, addressed the Lon
don Chamber of Commerce on this subject.
Nothing" he said, ''can now prevent China
attaining to the position of formidable
power in Asia. An intelligent, industrious
and above all, homogeneous population of
300 millions is an inexhaustible fund of
wealth and strength, and what they lack in
organization can be advantageously Dor
rowed from abroad. 1t viii be the wisdom
of England to establish and maintain good
understanding with such an important fac
tion in Eastern affairs" This was said five
years ago. It Is eve more true today.