The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-10


she was left for centuries to work out
her destiny practically free from outside
influence and foreign molestation. But
the steamboat and telegraph have
changed the whole situation of things,
and rendered II impossible for her 10
lead such u Latloral life as she could
before. 1t has taken her some time TO
awake to this fact. But II is u mistake
to think that China has been stationary.
Compare China at the present day with
China Of hfty years ego, ana the pro-
gress she has made will be at once appar-
ent We have already established sys-
TEN Of telegraphs which is now In opera
tion In every province Of China ana a
message can be sent from one thousand
miles in the interior to the furthest cea-
port in few hours. With regard to the
railroad. 1t was introduced in the north
of China fourteen years ago, ana 1 had
the honor of being one OF the promoters
and directors that organized the nrst
company. Since then 1t has been eN-
tended in different directions. a journey
from Tientsln to Peking, which by boat
would have taken three or four days
few years ago, can be accomplished now
in u few hours The grand trunk line
from north to south is now being rapidly
pushed forward, and in the near future
Il traveller from the extreme South OF
China will be able to go up by the iron
horse" 10 Peking In forty.cigh hours.
The same is true Of water cUmmunica-
tlon. We have steamers plying along tne
coast of Chira, and steamboats, of light
draught are seen on most of the naviG-
able rivers. l do not Gdy that all neces-
Sary reforms have been made, ana !
frankly admit that something more VIII
have to be done. Our government ana
people are aware of this. and they are
taking steps in that direction. But IL
should be remembered that 1t Is not
necessary to import by wholesale the
Western civilization into China. What Is
suited to one country may not be suited
to another
The most important questions win
which the Chinese government has TO
deal arise from the spirit of Comnerclal-
ism and the spirit of proselytism. In an
the treaties which China has Concludcd
with Western Powers, there Is an article
generally known in effect that Christian
itv inculcates the practice of virtue, ana
that those processing or teaching II
should not be harassed or prosecuted
This apparently innocent provision mas
not, however. helped to further the cause
of Christianity in China. 1t must be
borne in mind that this official recognl-
ton of Christianity was first obtalneu
from her after a disastrous war The
best of intentions. But it had the aplar-
cnt effect of exciting in the native mind
the unfourded suspicion that deep-lald
political object was intended under the
cover of religion The provision itself
was hardly necessary as the subjects Oh
, every treaty power are all protected un-
der the general provisions which Apply
equally to missionaries. Unfortunately
most of the troubles occurring III emma
have arisen from riots against mission
| aries Hence II has been said by some
foreigners in China that. without mis-
sionaries, China would have no foreign
complications. | am not in position to
affirm or deny this.
But let us put the shoe on the other
| foot, and suppose that COnfucidn mis-
sionaries were sent by the Chinese to
| foreign lands with the aNowed purpose
| of gaining prOselytes and that these mis-
sionaries established themselves in New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and
other cities, and that they built temples
held public meetlr gs, and opened schools
| 1t would not be strange If they should
| gather around them crowd OF men,
women and children of all classes and
conditions. If they were to begin their
| work by making vehement attacks on the
! doctrines of Christianity, denounCing the
! cherished institutions of the country, ol
| going out of their way to ridicule the
| fashions of the day, and perhaps giving
a learned discourse on the evil effects OF
| corsets upon the general health of Amer
| lean women, it is most likely that they
| would be pelted with stones, dirt and rot
| ten eggs for their pains. What would bC
the consequence IT, instead of taking hos
| tile demonstrations of this character phil
osophiCally they should lose their temper
call in the aid of the police, and repor
the case to the government at Washing
| ton for official interference? | verify be
lieve that such action would render the
| missionaries so obnoxious to the Amer
| can people as to put an end to their use
| fulness and that the American govern
ment would cause a law to be enacted
against them as public nusances. Can !
be wondered at then that now and theE
we hear of riots occurring against mis-
| sonaries in China, Notwithstanding th'
precautionary measures taken by tn,
local authorities to protect them? 1t mus
not be understood that l wish to justify
! or eNtcnuate the lawless acts committed
| by ignorant mobs. nor do | underestimate
| the noble and unseltish efforts of Chris
| tian missionaries in general who spcnC
the best part Of their lives in China
| What ! desire to point out is that tn
| preaching of the Gospel of Christ in TIL
| interior of China except with great tac
| and dscretion) will, in the nature y
things, now and then run counter Il
popular prejudice and lead to some dis
turbance.
The spirit of commercialism has latel
risen to a dangerous pitch. As II marke
for the worlds goods, China indisputabl,
holds the first place, for the wants O
$50, ,O00, 600 to 4OO,0o0,00o people have to b
supplied in some way. 1t has been SAT-
that, as market, one province of Chin
Is worth more than the whole continen
of Africa. 1t has always been the polio
Of China to treat alb foreign nation
alike. They are all most favored nation
in a literal sense. The maintenance o
an open Door" is exactly in the line o
her policy. But unhappily human natur
is never contented. When a man get
an inch he wants an ell. 1t Is now IN
turn of missionaries to tell us that
there were no foreign Adventures /
China there would be no foreign compli
cations. Twenty-Five centuries ago, ou
Sage Confucius, the greatest philosophe
that ever fiourished in China, saiC
wealth gotten by improper ways wi
take it's departure by the same" This
equivalent to your proverb, Goods III
gotten go ill-spent" Nations as well n
individuals should not forget this, a
| the maxim OF ConluCluS rs wen as YOU
prOverb will always come true If an
nation or individual should unjustly oil
tain possession of any property. Som
people call themselves highly civilized
and stign;atiZe others as uncivihzeC
What a civilization" Does it mean solel
the possession of superior force an
ample supply Of Offensive and defensiv
weapons? l take 1t to mean somethin
more. | understand that a civilized ne
ton should respect the rights of anotht
nation, just the same as in society a ma
is bound to respect the rights OF HI
neighbor. Civilization, as | understan