Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-08
CHINA IN TRANSFORMATION.


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CHINA IN TRANSFORMATION.
The concluding lecture Of the COURSE
on modern history by Prof. Wheeler
was given on Saturday evening at the
New Century Club. He said in part:
Do not expect from me a solution OF
| the Eastern question. / have none to
give. 1t Is question that has bsen
| before the world for 1000 years and is
likely to be for another 1000. II you
take the Turk out Of Europe 1t will
still be there; il you divide China it
will still be there, for the Eastern
question is the great conflict between
two great religions, the Mchaminedan
and Christian, between two great races,
two tyIes OF civilization, antagonistic
and irreconcilable, that OF the East and
the West. When they first came in
| collision there was thrust from the
East to the West when the tide of in
4 yasion by the Arab race was checked
in France by Charles Martel, 1.-THE
Hammer. The crusades were the
answering thrust from the West. The
pushing back Of the race was accom-
plished by the Spaniards, who, though
they sent out no crusaders, fought for
Christianity during seven centuries.
The East was then immensely the
superior In arts and civilization; the
West was barbarian. Richard Occur de
Lion, with his rude strength and pom
derous weapon was the type of the
latter Saladip, with his elegance, dex-
terity and his sword of tempered steel SO
fine that he cut in two silken scarf,
is the type of the former. The next
thrust from East to West was the in.
vasion OF l453 when the Turks took
Constantinople and pushed to the walls
Of Vienna, the eastern 6ulwark OF
Christianity, which was held only by
J the efforts of John Sobieski, king
whose kingdom has now disappeared
J from the maj of Europe.
1t seems impossible for the Western
man to understand the Eastern, or the
Oriental to understand the Occidental.
The gulf between them will be impassa-
BILE SO long as the white man assumes
: lofty superiority over the brown one.
| Why should he2 The brown man has
formulated all religions, including our
own; our literature and cur arthitec-
, ture are from the same source. Asia
was the cradle Of our race; China has
, | a government running back A, 600 years
] who has confidence that ours will last
half that timer Barbarian We call
them, yet there is not district in
] China but has its school: their his
3 torical records are kept with absolute
8 truthfulEess. Barharians they may be
9 in some respects, but civilization has
problems not solved yet. China has
+ 10 class of poor, as such; no poor,
3 houses: she keeps her 40o,0O0,oOo Of
y reople contentsd, something London,
i Paris, New York, cannot do. Whai
D Keeps her seething millions contented,
Q When that interesting old heather, ii
Q Hung Chang, was asked how he likec
America he replied: stfou have nice
k railroads, but our system o
j. philosophy is better than yours. Die
Q lie mean the dry science We lind il
II booksP No, he meant the philosoph!
1t Of life, of being contented with you
I, lot. Any society that has hung togethe
Is for 1900 years must have mora
le system OF q high type to cement 1T
e There was man, Confucius, who
b next to the founder of our own religion
d has exerted the most profound influence
1t Think of governing 400, GOO, 600 peopi
le under one political system 1t were i'm
30 possible were they not bound togethe
j. by religion.
lie The treatment the Oriental nation
IS have received from the Occidental is
ie disgrace to Christian civilization
st until we send able missionaries an
Or merchants who deal somewhat In &C
Z cordance with the principles OF our re
a. lgion. how can we expect its intro
" duction? Every nation has right
10 fix the conditions on which 1T Wi
,lf trade with others; we would not allo'
IN other nations to dictate to us, yet hav
Or said to China, ''You shall trade wit
a. us!', and backed our'demand with tn
or cannon's mouth. Chinese territory liz
oil in such way that it Is natural tine
IA should have developed without depend
al ence on the outside world. Surm0unte
al by mountains, the sea and their ow
of built wall, through 5000 years the
H. deEended on themselves. Before tn
r.. magnetic needle vas invented 1t wa
ps impossible for them to navigate, the
m had no islands on their coast, their sc
al was beset with fogs and their souther
by waters swept by typhoons. Their so
be- could produce all they needed for SUI
N tenanoe; we sneer at their agriculture
he system, but they get five crops yes
ls- off their soil, which with all oil
81 knowledge of agricultural chemistry, "
Iis cannot equal. They manufactured o
81 they needed. Why should they trat
I'M with the "foreign deyils?" They wei
in inderendent for 3. 500 years; how mar
M nations and their creeds have disal
&c peared in that time. Is there not som
thing for admiration in the Chinese?
he Has q nation right to shut itself U
al and refuse intercourse with other nj
ali tions9 There are rules Of information
al law which are accepted by the natioi
y. Of the West, but are denied to IL
,r- Oriental. If you deny them the RICH
rk Of international law what right ha'
be you to demand international comfy
mn III this Oriental has no claim to o,
nd civil and political rights because
in does not accept Christianity he shou
,st at least be allowed to use his own law
MI but the extraordinarily, CT consul
he jurisdiction which we have BUILT
them into granting means that evel
he American who goes to China is exeml
"a from Chinese laws, the native author
,r ties cannot try or punish him, but
,st is brought before his own consul
fee whom, il at all, he IS punished. Th
he x-territoriality is the beginning of Il
'ed end of Chinese Independence al
he authority if it extends over the who
oy emrire. We send often as consul
let political hacks, for wnom no place CT
ct. be found ut home, but even If the co
lat suls we're respectable citizens how mai
IAN OF them have experience in Americi
ION Jurisprudence, much less in Easter
ust vet to them is ent1 listed the judging
he all crimes between our people and Il
enI Chinese. What chance for the seal