The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-10-09

Timur.
SAFETY To EUROPE IN CHINA'S CON
SENTATIVE ATTITUDE.
The history of the efforts to pres.
China to accept Western ideas il
religion and trade, when we study
their consequences, illustrates nv
meaning. We have been impatient
to have China nglicized-American.
ized-one with the Western world.
We have seen what has come Cf that
in our own relations with China. The
late Mr.. Burlingame, Minister TO Chi
ma, during the Lincoln administra-
ton, discussed this question with me,
and recited the speech of wise old
mandarin, who sat in the ministry OF
Prince kung. Burlingame was urg-
ing upon the Government the wisdom
of China throwing herself at once into
the arms of the Western powers. He
pointed out, as every American Min
lister has done since the days of Caleb
Cushing, the inestimable advantages
that would accrue from the policy of
progress. "You Western people," re-
piled the Chinese statesman, "are an
CRY with us because we do not go
ahead. You would have US become in
day as England or the United
States. You overlook the unique con-
ditions of Chinese society, the bur
deps of many ages, the eXigencies of
| ancient and venerated customs, the
wants OF a teeming population, our
/ inability to meet the crisis which
! sudden change in essential matters
would impose, not alone on this popu-
LOT l.frf hN q rsar
sible for its subsistence; the conserva-
| tive character of institutions which
have endured beyond the uttermost
limits of your history. You would
have us topple over this past, with
which for centuries We have been
content, unconscious of the blessings
you now bring in open hands. You
would have Us enter at once upon the
hurrying channels of Western enter
prise. Now, let me tell you: You
are, as have said, angry. But if we
were to take your advice you would
be angrier. You complain that we 60
too slow. You would soon complain
because we were going too fast"
A CAPTIVATING DREAM.
Had Mr.. Burlingame lived to see
the fultilmeDt Of the work to which
he gave so much genius and
enthusiasm, he would have realized,
so far as the United States is con-
cerned, the prescience of the Chinese
statesman. He would have seen the
consequences of that Chinese progress
which was his fondly cherished hope
and dream. We remember with what
acclaim he was received when he
came as the head of his stately en-
bassy. The country rose TO him. He
was to escort an ancient civilization
into the family of nations. 1t was
fitting, as we all felt in our enthusi-
asm, that the youngest of nations
should give the fraternal hand to the |
Oldest. Apart from this sentiment,
America saw in the avatar of the !
Burlingame embassy the solution of |
so many problems. Surely the heavens |
were once more on the side of Amer |
lea. We were starving for labor. This |
hardy, tireless, intelligent and indus |
trious people-and so cheap, too j
would come and build our railways. !
They would develop our Pacific en-
pire. They would open the Ell Dorado |
mines and make the fields of California /
glisten and glow. This opening of
cheap labor supply, at the very time /
when the CALIFORNIA; needed it to be
come rich and imperial common
wealths, was accepted as one of those
timely interpOsitiOns of Gods provi-
dence in which we see with what wis
dom He rules the world.
This was the prevailing rhetoric
when the magnanimous Burlingame
no finer American in my time
closed his mission, so far as China was
and went to Europe. saw
much of him on the eve of his depart
ure, and recall his pride over the
of the two countries into an
which would endure to the
good of both and the welfare of man
kind.
CHINESE COMPETITION WAS TOO
KEEN.
But the Chinese statesman who had
warned Burlingsme against precipi-
tate acceptance by China of Western
ideas, or any special relations between
the two countries other than what
had existed for ages, was the wiser.
did not live to see it, but
the reaction came. With what swift
ness it came! Experience soon proved
that in welcoming the Chinese We
were not receiving a new supply of
labor like the African, but the over
flow of a superior race. Wherever
this labor came into competition it
won. The Chinese conquered upon
every field of industry whenever he
had fair play. He began in the laun-
Try. He ascended to the cigar shop,
he vineyard, the fisheries, the gar
lens. He would soon have reached
me counting house and the bank.
With the intellectual keenness as to
he value of money which marks the
Asiatic, the Chinaman had likewise
thrift, silence, patience. He did not
laggle over hours of labor. Work was
work until it was done. He was aus
ere in his habits, severe in his dis
nor was rum permitted
o sweep him into the northernmost
bits of hell. Wealth brought no
for luxury or show. He alb
,orbed, but gave no return. He was
IN alien, not an assimilating element.
n time he would have dominated the
business of the Pacific coast, as be does
he business of Siam and Southern
Asia.