Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-27

and 1t is difficult to estimate the shock
that such civilization has received
from the Introduction of steam and
machinery. Our sewing machines, our
electrical appliances. Western lamps.
and tools are masking their way up
every river of the country. Western
cotton woven by machine comes 10
struggle with the homemade stuffs
woven on looms: Western competition.
as we'll as Western comforts and con-
Veniences, press into the country as
irresistibly as omosis goes on in
liquids. 1t is easy TO see how general
hatred OF foreigners, strong in all peo-
pie, and unusually powerful in the
concelted monaghan. has had much to
influence ii from the aggressions of
foreign governments, and was brought
to crisis by the proposal of the gov
eminent to grant franchises to a num-
Der or great railroads to be construct
ed and owned by foreigners.
1t is true that in the concession the
graves of ancestors We're reserved from
dissertation. but the superstition of the
country was intlamed ut the outrage.
and the means OF support of carriers
and existing conditions of trade were
profoundly disturbed. 1t is sufficient
to remind you of the awful riots that
broke out In Birmingham, when the
power-loom displaced the handloom.
and the workmen rose up and broke
the new machinery, to enable you to
appreciate the excitement produced by
such industrial revolutions.
DO we hear nothing OF out-cries
against department stores, and groans
and murmurings of those whose live
lihood Is affected by these vast changes
of trade: of farmers murmuring that
electric cars have made horses less
valuable; o: people complaining at in
dustrial changes that make 1t hard to
get servants? If such rebellious fcal-
inSs are found In the more enlightened
people of Christendom. how much more
should we expect that there would be
Il general uprising against this en-
croaching civilization of the West on
the part of the superstitiouS and blind
~ Conservative Chinese?
But II Is not only the material civill-
cation OF the European peoples that
has penetrated China even more pow
erful has been the pressure of Western
Ideas. Western literature is translated
and circulated throughout the land.
The apanese war. in which n people
whom the Chinese consider inferior to
themselves, defeated them by the adop-
ton of Western methods. opened the
eyes of the more progressive and in
tclligent Chinese to the inferiority of
their own learning and the sterility of
their classical literature. a party of
reform and progress has arisen in
China. and the late Emperor in n series;
of remarkable cdcts. set himself at its
hend and endeavorcd to frame the civil
iZation of stationary China after a now
pattern. This radical endeavor resulted
in his overthrow and death and the
inauguration of this reactionary move
ment that has come to a head In the
conflict now waEinE,
NOV l do not deny that Christianity
as part of our Western civiliZatio has
helped to provoke these disturbances.
MY point is that It is only part OF a
larger whole. that the demand for OK
tension OF trade. the greed of govern
ments. the onward march of our mag
nincently equipped industrial and COM
mercial systems We're bound to nut n
tremendous strain upon Chinese civill-
zntion. Although religion may be an
element in the contest. l am sure that
Tho Chinese would hate and dread the
foreigner still more, IL they thought
him an Atheist. Lord Lawrence. the
great Governor-General of India and
the highest authority on such n sub
tect, has declared that the timidity O.
the English in propogating their re-
lgion in India under the rule of the
East India Company. made the natives
suspect and dread them as secret Athc-
ISIS. 1t is. of course an element of dis
cord. hate and alienation to the Chinese
that the civilization which is pressing
ir upon him. is cementcd and given Its
"."'S ny d ichSlon tnat condemns his
faith. But he would hate and struggle
against Western civilization ten-fold
more If IT were absolutely goddess and
Atheistical, denied hereafter. dis
owned moral government in the uni
verse. degraded man to the level
of an animal. scoffed at NOR
atty, except as enforced by law.
and ignored the hottest instincts. In
this bitter struggle between diverse
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