The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-09-15
Present-Day Thoughts.

othef TWO thousand years ago has stOOC
absolutely still, until their leadership il
like the leadership Of the SIN al boy
who boosted TO his father that he wa,
first in his class-lnquiry proved thai
he was reckoning from the wrong end
Another popularity and one that
bodies III for the future integrity Of the
Chinese empire is that il is divided in.
TO eighteen huge provinces which are
not possessed Of any sense of national
unity and therefore cannot be expected
TO present united front against out.
side interference. Furthermore these
provinces are 80 remote from one an-
other and the means Of communication
so defective that it is safe to assume
many millions of the Chinese scarcely
yet know that there has been a war
with Japan and certainly do not under
stand 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, Eng
land, America and France, in a minor
degree, are great commercial nations,
producing more than they can con-
sumo, is reason enough for their anxiety
to create new needs among four hun
dred million Of people and then to
cater TO them. Russia also though not
yet supplying all the necessities Of her
own h0rdes, some still little better than
savages, is wise enough to perceive the
value Of an unbroken territory from
west 10 east with ocean outlets at both
extremes and she, therefore, is vastly
interested i'm the northern portion of
China and has already gained control
of an ice free port as the Pacific ter
minus of her Siberian railroad. The
completion of that Siberian railroad
Will mean the very rapid settlement
aud development Of the better portions
of Siberia. 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 EN-
pire, the lack Of progress in modern
methods, and the lack of the strength
that comes from a knowledge Of unity
have permitted, since little Japan
demonstrated the weakness Of her hulk
ing adversary in 1895, some very sharp
practices, particularly on the part Of
Germany. On two occasions already,
because of assaults on missionaries, she
has taken violent possession Of pieces
of territory on the sea coast a. compen-
sation for tine death and the losses in
flicted upon these "soldiers Of the
c.oss.' 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 i'm Siam, formal tributary
of China England and Russia have
proceeded with far greater show of
decency in their diplomacy; the former
being for while the only one brave
enough from a business standpoint to
demand the "open 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 i'm China was expected |
To be one Of sellishness. 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 act to-
gether the others will have to dance to !
their piping or clear out. 1t is now
safe to assume that Russia and Eng
land, though "A 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 endeavoriug to Keep up the form of
the Chinese empire, as a safeguard
against anarchy among the millions Of
these probable purchasers. Their men
and their money, in conjunction with
American machinery-if America re-
cognizes its Pacific importance-will
develop The vast mineral and agricul-
tural possibilities Of China. This will
be effected 10y the great clvilizers-
steam, electricity, mechanics and
breadth Of information.
1t is, Of course, too much to hope that
the revolution Of thought and Of man.
uers that are surely coming to China
will be brought TO a successful issue
without some violence and some pro-
test. The way that the Coreans de-
stroyed a few weeks ago the trolley line
ON which they were asked TO spend
their cash." will illustrate what /
mean. There will undoubtedly also be
religious trouble; the likelihood Of
which must be duly remembered by
the diplomatists Of the newer civiliza-
tons. Properly managed, neyerthe-
less this can be largely avoided if the