The morning call., 1892-11-20

the tobacco plantations where he had
toiled. the Chinaman's doctor. protector
and partner in his success or failure on the
crops.
With touch Of gratitude my mind re-
turns TO Perak on the Malay Peninsula
where roting and fighting furinusly among
hemselves-society against society, k0ngsie
against kongsie-the gallant white magis-
trate dashes in with handful of Sikh or
Malay police and, terror spreading in his
prowess and prestige. subdues and cows
1000 men inside Of an hour.
Aeiua and the Chinese are. from an alien
poInt>of view. absolute paradoxes.
10 understand the race one must judge
them entirely from their own stand
point.
The foreign merchant or ''hongman" of
China knows perhaps less of the real China
man than the foreigner who has never
visited the country.
His experiences are limited entirely to
the small ostraciZed encourage II Chinese.
by whom lie is surrounded in tie shape OF
shTOffs. snupans. boys. coolies c0mpradores
and foreign settlement merchants, all of
whom are more or less Outcasts from among
their own people.
To the foreigner engaged in Chinese offc-
ial employ only is the real nature of the
people familiar.
Such an official early becomes Disguised
with his career and leaves ii. or, pursuing
with scientific ardor the requirement and
study Of their language, customs and philOs-
ophy above all, philosophy, succumbs 10
the strange new world and people, and is
pityingy described by his foreign brethren
as "A China manlac"-an imbecie.
Such a person if asked any direct question
upon a Chinese subject is compelled to an-
sweT in every case ''yes and no." The
affirmative and negative being absolutely q
question of point Of view from which one
looks at the NATTER e., from the Chinese
or the white mans point OF vision.
Let illustrate DOilt. | was asked
the other day by an intelligent American,
Would you call the Chinese a generous or a
stlngy Tace|
l answered ''both," and for want of better
explanation gave him story TO illustrate
tie point.
Situated midway on the main road Of nv
district charge Ia Perak was a small village,
IN which, at my recommendation, the most
intelligent shopkeeper among the petty
Chinese village merchants had been made
kind Of headman over the miners and
settlers Of his own race in the mmedi ate
vicinity.
The coaching company which carried the
Government mails, again at my recon-
mendation. had chosen this man at a small
retaining fee to watch over their stables,
opposite his shop, where they changed
horses on the route.
Dismounting one day from the coach in
which was travelling with a friend, we
stretched our legs with a stroll while the
horses were being changed. Idly looking
over the trumpery and knickk-naeks inside
the little store noted some trif1e which re-
quired 10 purchase that evening for domestic
purposes.
The market value was 10 cents. / de-
posted that sum and took up the article
The Chinaman, laughing, shook his head
and demanded 20 cents. l Indignantly re-
turned the article, remarking that its value
at headquarters was cents, in my own
town 10 cents, and should be half way
between, freightage rates considered, ~
cents.
The Chinaman. who had that day paid
$1,000 into the treasury from his mines, Still
shook his head, but offered the article for
IS cents.
| siili declined the imposition, and, de-
spising his ayarciouSness, walked out of
the store sn0rting an indignant refusal to
accept the article at the reduced rate of Is
cents.
My friend, foreigner visiting the East
for the first time, WAS lost in am zement at
the miserable meanness" OF a mine-owner
worth thousands of dollars haggling for an
unjust J-cent profit above his legitimate
gam. II suppose lie would be too mean to
give me a glass OF water before we 90 ON If
/ asked for it," This was within nv or
fetal rights TO claim, and we stepped back
into the store.
The proprietor smiled, and, tossing the
oDJSct OF discussion before me, told me to
''tHke 1t for 10 cents" but / was apgered
and, declining the purchase, Informed him
not very civllly that my friend required a
drink of water.
a native jar OF cold water stood in the
corner OF the shop The mperturbabIe
Chinanan picked up a grimy glass and
commenced cleaning il, shouting something
in dialect unknown to me TO an assistant
In the rear.
The glass being cleaned the assistant adj
vanced presently with newly opened bot
tie of villainous champagne, which retailed
among native grandees at 60 cents a bottle
Still believing him trying to acquire our
loose change cGrtly informed him we had
asked for water and did not propose TO buy
champagne. With suayity that sbamed
US to the earth he explained blandly that he
was not selling it, bnt that noting my friend
was thirsty, he would be pleased to have
him drink a glass Of champagne with him
as passing guest. With Goals of fire burn
ing upon our heads we poisoned ourselves
politely with The soul-destroyBg goose
berry," would you say the Chinese are
mean nowP" i asked my friend as we re-
mounted the coach and waved our adeux
TO our host.
He remained silent moment before
answering. "How can / answer? When
see man haggiing his soll away over a
few cents for a rubbishy article like that
am bound TO think him mean. On the other
hand, the champagne episode Is entirely the
other way round"
That perhaps best illustrates the difficulty