The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-08-24
| FORECAST OF HISTORY
Continued From Page ~

and though in the face of Europe under
arms 1t may seem perilouS to count up.
on any dying out of the military spirit
every year seems to increase the pre-
eminence of the industrial over essen
TALLY martial nations. The Chinese
would be less dangerous than they are
IL they We're as warlike as the Turks
In the sixteenth and seventeenth cen
turtles, because, In that case, they
would waste their reproductive forces
In arms The danger to Europe. and
for the higher races everywhere, If the
black and yellow belt encroaches upon
the earth, will not be the risk that St
Petersburg or London may be made
tributary to Picking, but that the eX-
pansion of Englishmen and Russians
and other like nations will be arrested
and the character of the people pro-
foundly modified, as they have to adapt
themselves to a stationary condition OF
society. Beyond this there Is the more
subtle danger that, while the lower
races are raising themselves to the ma
teriai level of the higher, the higher
may be assimilating to the moral and
mental depression of the lower"
FORCED INTO CIVILIZATION
Neither does it seem possible to i'm
asine that the great inert force of Chi
ma will not some day be organized, and
rendered mobile and capable of mill
tary aggression. Almost the most Sc
cluded Of the nations In early times,
China was barred from career of con-
quest by the mountains of Thibet, the
desert of Cobb, and the SHOWS OF ST.
IBERIA. She was swept over by Tartar
conquerors and the repeated attempts
of her people to trade or colonize In the
Malay Archipelago were met with re-
triCtive measures, or foled by massa-
2res. Gradually her policy became one
of deified inactivity. She tried to con-
centrate all the energy of her people
upon her own soil, and was as willing
let the laborer depart as to welcome
he merchant. Her great resources
vent to feed the luxury of Court and
the greed of officials. We have COM
PEELED her to come into the fellowship
OF nations. She has adopted steamers,
the European artillery and army Or
ganizations; she has accepted the tele-
graph; she Is about to introduce rail-
ways, and she has credit enough to
carry out the changes she reeds with
foreign capital. On three sides of her
lie countries that she may easily seize,
over which she has some old claim, and
in the climate of which her people can
live. Flexible as the Jews, they can
thrive on the mountain piateaux of
Thibet, and under the suns of Snga-
pore; more versatile than the Jews,
they are excellent laborers, and not
without merit as soldiers and sailors;
while they have a capacity for trade
which no other nation of the east pos
sesses. They do not need even the acct
dent of man of genius to develop their
future. Ordinary states
manship, adopting the improvements of
Europe without offending the customs
and prejudices of the people, may make
Ihpm n n In, Tttt
will dare to disregard; with an army
which could march by fixed stages
across Asia; and n fleet which could
hold Its own against any of the strong
est of the European powers could ar
ford to keep permanently In Chinese
waters"
A RACE OF LOWER AIMS.
IF. however, China were organized,
as she Is likely to be; If her flag foated
on every sea. and her naval officers WIS.,
tied every great port as honored
guests; IL her army was an important
factor In the peace of the world. and
her diplomats respected In conse-
quence; IT her commerce was world
wide; IL her literature was achieving a
success OF esteem for style and
thought, 1t Is inconceivable that these
influences would not tell upon the
character and conduct OF mankind. 1t
Is not assumed that this effect would
necessarily be all evil. The Chinaman
might. for instance. be an example of
patient toll; and this, with certain
limitations, Is to be admir-
I'd. What, however. seems probable is,
that as the Chinese race forces itself
INTO position OF equality with its
neighbors. the spectacle OF Ives con-
'umed In labor. lives reward by moth
ing but the supply OF animal wants,
would cease to be considered repulsive
and humiliating. European socialism
aims at distributing labor ana wealth,
30 that every man may hava leisure
md the opportunity of becoming better
han he Is. The practical socialism of
he east has never aimed at more than |
he satisfaction OF material needs. The !
question Is, whether, when the two
'orces are measured one against the
'ther, that which has the lowest aims