Evening star., 1899-01-28
ASIATIC CHARACTER
Pressing Need for Present Western
Study Of the East,
THE ORIENTAL TEMPERAMENF 7
History and Tradition Separate the
Old World From the New.
A PHILOSOPHICAL PEOPLE
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
The people and government of the United
States are about to enter into enlarged
commercial and political relations with the
races of the great continent of Asia. This
is the real significance of the apparently
simple fact that we have come into pos
session of the Philippines. 1t means that
through this new possession shall be
drawn inevitably into vast and intimate
relations with the teeming populations of
Asia. This is but the natural course that
events bound to follow. One step leads
to another, though unforeseen and perhaps
undesired. To decline each successive op-
portunity that fortune presents means,
alike for the individual or the nation retro
gression and decay. 1t is the inexorable
law of destiny. To hesitate suggests that
the limit of individual and national prog
ress has already been reached that either
mental myopa or senility has already be-
gun. Whether this new possession will
lead to further territorial conquests as we'll
as growing Intercourse in the east has
nothing to do with the question We shall
need to take only one step at a time. and
shall grow stronger with each new reSpon-
sibility. 1t is sufficient that we are now
to rule over ten million Asiatics, and shall
thence gradually enter into social and eco
HolilC relations with nundredS OF millions
of Asiatics to degree never before dream
ed of by us; and we shall also come into
direct rivalry with the great powers of Eu-
rope. We are equal to it if they are
Our success in this rivalry will be hasten
ed and rendered more secure, especially as
regards Russian enterprise, if we appreci-
ate and act upon the fact that there is a
great gulf. never yet fully crossed, between
the Aslatic and European minds and char
acters. In order to proceed harmoniousy
with the Asiatic and make him receptive
of our influence and aims we must under
stand his character. 1t is not sufficient to
control him by greater material or mill
tary force. If we depend on that alone
hate will be added to former Indifference
or aversion, and plots and revolts may be
counted on as sure to follow on the first
favorable opportunity. 1t is for this reason
that while Great Britain has displayed the
enormous power of Anglo-Saxon character
and fair common sense and ability aided
by pltting the various subject races against
each other in maintaining her control of
India. she has never reached the point
where she need not fear rebellion and will
ingness to listen to the intrigues of Russia's
secret agents. ever busy in stirring up dis
content and agitation. Russia on the other
hand. however determined in crushing
Asiattc tribes by craft, has slight difficulty
in holding them after their subjection
Asiatlc herself in character, she under
stands how to deal with Asiatics as she has
not been able to do with the Poles.
1t may be asserted by some that however
it may be in the case of Europe we Ameri-
cans are so generally intelligent and widely
informed that such observations do not
apply to US. Notwithstanding this fIatter-
ing assumption, We form no exception to
the general rule, the almost universal trait
of even the most intelligent, whereby we
fail TO do justice to orientals, both because
we really know little about them and be-
cause few of US are so constituted as to
be able to admit merit in what differs in
thought or custom from our own habits
ana preJudiceS II is sufficient for it 10
be different to be condemned, without re-
gard to underlying conditions. We lack
the imaginative faculty, the ability to put
ourselves in others p aces, the discerning
eye TO estimate affairs according to the con-
ditions and standard of the period and
country where they exist. We measure
them, rather, by our own standard-a pro-
cess than which nothing can be less fair
SO marked is this fact that even mission
aries, whose motives may be considered
most disintcrested often fail. after years
OF experience abroad, to understand and
do justice to the oricntat unable as they
are 10 divest themselves of Dreitdices i'm
bibed from books and seminaries in early
lie. one Of the most common observa-
tlohs made by Travelled Americans in re-
Sdrd TO ASiatiCS is the profound ignorance
OF the natVeS-an observation based on
the crude information displayed by the
apparently unsophistcated orientals about
Europe and America.
Now, to speak frankly how much more
DO we actually know about the oriental
than he does about us III spite of our gem
eral intelligence?
An International Catechism.
How many Americans can define off-hand
the exact character of an oriental govern
mont, or the essential difference between
tue Persians, the Turks or the Chinese, or
wherein an Armenian differs from a Turk
lor whom We often mistake him in this
country? Or whether Persia is an inland
or seaboard country; or whether the Per-
SLAMS are fire worshipers or Mohammedans;
or what are the race and religious peculiar
ltirS OF the ParsecS. or the racial difficult
Ties winch the Sultan of Turkey has to en-
counter III preserving order in his domin-
ions; or the differences between the orien-
tai church ana the papacy; how many
dominant religions there are in India
among what people caste prevails: the re-
iation of the Mongos to the original Chi
nese; the difference between Islanism and
ShintOism: the difference between Afghans
kurds and Arabs or of Maays and Nesto-
ridns. and any other similar simple charac-
teristics of the Asiatics? Before the war
j. st closed how many of us knew the posi-
ton of the Philippines had heard of the
Taeals?
If, then such elementary matters are so
little known by us, how are We to under
stand the essential character of the various
types and races Of the east, their motives
Is first of all necessary in order to Judge
correctly about oriental questions? Book
knowledge alone will not give it except in
rare cases of unusual mental acuteness
Take, for instance, the case of Miss Cum
mings, the brilliant author of the Lamp
lighter She wrote an oriental novel
called ''El Fureidis." She stated in the
preface that in order to present a correct
picture of oriental life she had read a large
number of books the east and had per
sonally consulted with travellers in Asia
The result was one Of the most ridiculous
books ever written, far as it concerned
local color. because she had no perception
of oriental character or the conditions on
which it is based Tom Moore composed
an elaborate poem. widely read in its day
entitled ''Lalla Rookh" 1t was intended
to be as oriental in spirit as Hafiz and Fir
donsee, and abounds with eastern epithets
and illusions. But it is wholly western in
conception. and the closing scene of the
"Fireworshipers" commits an incredible
hlunder. The poet makes the hero, Hafed
sacrifice himself for his religion by casting
himself into the flames. To the true adorer
Of light and fire as the symbol of life such
an act would have been the grossest sacri-
lege. IF which no Parsee martyr would
dream for a moment. So much for the
orientaiism of the Angio-oriental poem,
Dangerous sunderstandinEs
~ l.