The herald., 1894-11-10
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR
A RESIDENT OF CHINA TALKS
REGARDING THE WAR.
Suggestive Thoughts Regarding tho
Possibilities Lying Ahead
When China Is Highly
Civilized.

W. B. White is an old time resident
of the Chinese empire, and yesterday b Q
gave some of his views regarding tho
war at present raging between the
almon-eyed celestials and the little
brown men from the other side OF the
japan ses.
'It is rather amusing" said he, ito
notice the amount of comment made in
the daily press about the war going on
when residents of China like myself
know how little it is really affecting the
country as a whole. Last mail l had
letters from friends living in the interior
about $50 miles from Shanghai, and
they told me that in their neighborhood
there were no signs whatever of any,
thing unusual happening. and all there
was new they got from the papers they
received by mail"
rs there any possibility OF China re-
covering lost ground" Mr.. White was
asked, land yet avenging the injuries
inflicted upon herr
1T is hard to say" was the answer
"China does not know her own
strength; her resources are immense,
and i. thoroughly reused China could
inhho rhOtb WIN VI bhO 0hphAObO
armies cent against her. But to appre-
ciate the situation it is necessary to try
and view things from the standpoint OF
the Chinese statesmen. Briefly, China
wants to be let alone, and in times gone
by heavy sacrifices have been made with
this end in view. The western nations
and Japan is representing them in the
present confiict-say we won't let you
rest IN peace; we want your ports open !;
we want your markets for our produce,
and we insist upon exploiting your im-
mense country for our benefit. Incl
dentally you may reap benefit also, il
you are wise. but in any case We will.
The difficulty in Corea was made the
pretext for inaugurating the war, but
no western statesman imagined Tor a
moment that oriental diplomats, accus-
toned to subtle evasions and distinc.
tions, would even be nonplused by such
simple questions, unless one or the
other had ulterior motives. What that
motive was we know today"
with Japan battering at her walls,
malcontents within her borders iuciting
to strife, and horde OF officials bleed
ing the nation of the wealth that ought
to be devoted to the development of the
country, China 10 in parlous condition.
Winter has now caught the warlike
Japs, and think, despite any prepara-
tion on their part, that their operations
will be very much handicapped. if not
altogether stopped. Whether China will
shake off it's lethargy during the interim
and make q strong showing next spring,
is hard to say. Failing that. the lovely
and productive island OF Formosa. with
a heavy money indemnity, and alao, in
all probability. q CALLING treaty, grant
ing special privileges to Japan, will be
wrested from her."
'In such case will not China ultimately
benefit by the people being aroused to
realization of what must be done to hold
their own against the western nations ?"
well, now, while this cry is being
made regarding the desirability of China
advancing in civilization, has any one,
l wonder, ever paused to think what,
under DUR present social system, the
civilization-to use the word as we
understand it-of 100000 OF people
would mean to us? As it is we
in America are not prepossessed in
favor of the Chinaman, and how
will it be when we, in common with
other nations, have to contend against
millions of people whose wants must
ever be simple. for centuries of training
have nodded the national character, and
who will be highly trained, like their
Japanese relatives? They then will be
reaoy to compete in any line with the
other countries of the world, and do
better for the outside markets at pres
ent being scrambled for, while taking
good care to keep their own closed to
the outside barbarians."