New-York tribune., 1900-12-29
WI TING FANG'S ADDRESS.
TALKS TO THE OUTLOOK CLUB on
THE UNPOPULARITY OF FOR
EiGNERs IN CHINA"

Montclair ". J.. Dec 2s .(speciaD-wu Ting.
fang. the Chinese Minister. addressed one Of thu
largest audiences in the First congregational
Church tonight that had ever assembled
at the regular meeting of the Outlook Club.
under whose auspices the Chinese statesman
spoke. When WI Ting-fang entered the church
he was greeted with applause The Rev. DR..
Bradford in introducing the Minister said in
part:
Your ExceIlency. 1t gives me pleasure to vel
come you not only TO the Outlook Club and 10
Montclair. but also TO this Christian church
Recently In address in New-YOrk with
the teachings Of COnfucius and announced your
self as his disciple. We welcome you, fully real
izing this fact. In that address you generously
recognized the grandeur of the ethical teachings
Of the Christian Master, and said that your only
criticism them was that they were too lofty
and noble for mortals to realize In that state
ment we are in agreement with you. Only we
go a step further. and trust that. with Divine
help, may be able some time to- approach
ideals to which in our own unaided strength we
could never attain. Now, my dear sir, bid
you to remember that we want you TO speak
what is true and right. and not what will
please US.
Minister wus subject was The Causes Of the
UnpopuIarity OF Foreigners in China" The sub
ject. he said. delicate one to approach. be-
cause he would have to tell the facts from the
he might say might appear offensive and might
be expected to- but they were. 1t must be re-
membered. the truth from the standpoint Of a
Chinaman. The Chinese were not originally op-
posed to the foreigners. They had been admit
ted and had advanced to posts OF high honor
The cause was that the first comers adopted
the best customs of the country in which they
were. Confucius taught all men 20 be kind TO
the stranger from afar- Marco Polo had long
ago occupied a position Of great honor and trust
under the Chinese Government Other men had
lived in China and had been honored and re-
spected Why had the change come, and why
was there to-day hostility to the foreigner. a
hostility contrary to the laws OF the great
teacher and contrary to the hrst glad welcome?
To his mind IL was caused by the d1nerence
between the foreigners in China to-day and
those of long ago
One class of foreigner in China was the mer-
chant and trader. These men did not adopt
Chinese customs make themselves a part OF
the people. Their only object seemed to be to
get much possible out of the country, and
TO give as little as possible in return There
were those among the missionaries who had
contributed toward the i'll feeling. While some
were noble ever lived. there were
others who were too arduous and who wanted
to convert vast nation from an ancient belief
all at once, and because China did not adopt
their teachings they slandered China and the
Chinese They were in too much OF hurry
The foreigner OF to-day dresses in his National
costume while in China, and thereby makes him
self everywhere conspicuous The converts, too,
had done their share toward the change In feel
ing. because when they had come into close
union with the offending foreigner they took on
some of his ways. and thus gave offence to those
who had been his friends. These converts for
sock the time hOnOred customs OF their nation
and looked down the unconverted fellow
countryman.
All foreigners are in China by treaty rights
and are subject, not to Chinese law, but to the &
laws of their own country. They held them
selves above Chinese law. Was it any wonder
that there was i'll feeling when the natives saw
foreigners doing things which IL done by a
Chinaman would cause him to be punished? i
There were foreigners who took the punishment
of Cinnamon in their own hands for offences,
and he had coolies kicked and beaten.
What the remedy he would proposef It /
was for the foreigner in China to treat the
Chinaman more brother who had not the
advantages Of education and to try to lift
him up to the level the foreigners thought ne
occupied but not to do this in contemptuous
manner. The press in the foreign lands could
do much toward establishing good feeling by
telling the true facts about China Free libra
ries in China would do good, for they would
teach the Chinaman much about other nations
OF which ne knew nothing. He advocated send
ing missionaries of intelligence and discretion.
and not hot blOoded men without the latter at
tribute. as was too often the case.