Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-09-06
BY G. GRosvENoR DAVE.

|
| a Glance over Asa-In the Chinese
empire are about four hundred million
human beings, practically all of whom
are ignorant of what we call civilization.
From their own point of view they possess
a civilization older in years than any of
the ''foreign devils" towards whom they
have in the past shown such intense
| hatred. But their civilization, though in
advance of all others two thousand years
ago, has stood absolutely STILL until their
| leadership is like the leadership of the
small boy who boosted to his father that
he was first in his class-inquiry proved
that he was reckoning from the wrong
end.
Another popularity and one that BODIES
| ill for the future integrity of the Chinese
empire is that it is divided into eighteen
huge provinces which a e not possessed of
any sense of national unity and therefore
cannot be expected to present a united
front against outside interference
! Furt hermore these provinces are so remote
from one another and the means of com
munication SO defective that it is safe to
assume many millions of the Chinese
scarcely yet know that there has been
war with Japan and certainly do not
understand all its consequences.
Some one has wisely remarked that
when great fortunes were made at war,
war was business, but now that great
fortunes are made at business, business is
war. The fact that Germany, England,
America and France, in a MINOR degree,
are great commercial nations, producing
more than they can consume, is reason
enough for their anxiety to create new
needs among four hundred million of
people and then to cater to them.
Russia also though not yet supplying all
the necessities of her own hordes, some still
little better than savages, is wise enough
to perceive the value of an unbroken terri
tory from west to east with ocean outlets
at both extremes and she, therefore, is
vastly interested in the northern portion
of China and has already gained control
of an ice-f free port as the Pacific terminus
of her Siberianlrailroad. The completion
of that Siberian railroad Twill mean the
very rapi;. settlement and development of
the better portions ofi Siberia, a land that
| is by no means one of snow and ice, as we
have hitherto inferred from our old
Biographies.
| The lack of unity in the Chinese empire,
the lack of progress in modern methods,
and the lack of the strength that comes
| from knowledge of unity. have permitted,
| since little Japan demonstrated the weak
ness of her hulking adversary in 1895,
some very sharp practices, particularly on
the part Of Germany. On two occasions
already, because of assaults on mission
aries, she has taken violent possession of
pieces of territory on the sea coast as COM
pensation for the death and the Losses
inflicted upon these ''solders of the cross.
France also has picked some very
unworthy quarrels in the south and has
not been above associating herself with
pirates and rebels in order to make her
hold more strong in Cochin, China, and in
Siam, a former tributary of China. Eng
land and Russia have proceeded with a
far greater show of decency in their
diplomacy; the former being for while
the only one brave enough from BUSH
leSS W lhO opSi
door" policy of trade privileges to all and
special privileges to none. : To maintain
her point of view, less than two years ago,
her guns were almost shotted against
Russia, whose attitude in China was
expected to be one of seltishness. The
wisdom of her line of action is now
shown by the fact that the emperor of
Russia has declared that his Chinese ports
shall be free and unrestricted. When
these two great nations thus actltogether,
the others will have to Zdance to their
piping or clear out.
1t is now safe to assume that Russia and
England, though long time at enmity in
Asia, first on the northern frontier of
India and now on the northern frontier of
China, will nevertheless act together in
endeavoring to keep up the form of the
Chinese empire, as safeguard against
anarchy among the millions of these
probable purchasers. Their men and
their money, in conjunction with Ameri-