The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-08-22

indeed. Of the menace which China
might become TO all the rest OF the
world, spoke Of the Chinese empire as
containing a HOMOGENEOUS nation OF
about four hundred million people, all
with the same language, customs and
laws. 1t is true, as we have hitherto
observed. that a solidarity and unity
quite unprecedented In Chinese history
have been developed IN the Chinese
troubles Yet the facts OF the case are
by no means such as might be inferred
from Lord wolseley's statement. 1t
is perfectly wen known that in the Chi
nese empire there are two major races,
differing widely from each other In
many important characteristics. and
hitherto antagonistic to each other.
and that in the western provinces sew
eral minor vet stin numerous and i'm
portant races are to be found. It is no
less true that the languages Of the EN-
pire are several. distinguished by rad
ical differences.
The two great races are. OF course,
the Chinese and the Tartars, which are
at least as different from each other as,
let us say. the French and Irish. But
each Of these is subdivided into several
tribes. and there are others entirely
apart from both. In northeastern
Manchuria We find the Tunguses. a
distinct race, and in the extreme south
the Shans. Burmese and Sismese. The
Tibstans form another element. while
in Turkestan we find several more.
with religion and customs as different
from those Of the Chinese as those
Of England are from those OF Russia.
The empire is. indeed, composite one,
which has been Sc long held together
largely by granting to each Of its mem-
bers the largest possible degree Of self
government.
The diversity Of races suggests the
diversity OF languages. Passing by the
old or classic Chinese. which is now
practically a dead language. we find
the modern Chinese. used generally in
the north. central and western prov
inces of the middle kingdom. the most
important of all, But when we reach
the south we find in Kwang Tung some
fifteen millions who speak Cantonese
and five millions more who use only the
Hallka dialects; and any Of these twen-
ty millions transported to Pekin would
De as unable TO understand or TO make
himself understood as would Bow
cry Boy" in Paris. Again. there are
the Min dialects. spoken in Foo-Kien.
Che Kiang and elsewhere. These are
three in number one OF them being
used by ten millions and the others
by five millions each. Finally there are
the WI dialects. three in number. with
three more variant branches. OF these
Wen Chow claims one with one million
users. Nirg-Po another with twenty
five millions, and Shanghai and 500
Chow the third with eighteen millions.
Here. then. we have at least eighty
four million people in China proper. not
to mention Mongolia. Turkestan. Tibet
and other regions. who do not use the
true Chinese language.
The fact is that such cities as Can
ton. Foo-Chow and Nang-Po are as dis
tinct from each other in language as
Paris. London and Berlin, and natives
Of any one would feel like and be re-
<arded as foreigners in any other. This
fact might not, Of course. necessarily |
prevent their all combining to resist
by the Western powers. For
1t least they all belong to the great
race. and have certain COM
mon characteristics and customs. But
at times they have warred among
themselves. and their diversities Of
tribe and tongue may yet be counted |
lpor as a potent factor in the final dis
position of the empire.
HRNaA