The evening times., 1900-07-10

She has witnessed the rise and fall OF the
ancient Egyptian dynasties, the expansion
OF the Persian Empire. the conquests Of
Alexander. the irresistible advance Of the
Roman legion. the deluge of Teutonic
hordes from the north. the dissolution Of
the empire OF Charlemagne. and the birth
Of all the modern nations of Europe.
During the forty centuries of her exist
snce there have gradually grown up insti-
tutions and laws adapted TO the needs and
character CT the people; literature as ex-
tensiye and varied as that of ancient and
modern Europe: a system of morality that
can challenge comparison with any other
] the world has ever produced, and those
useful arts that have never ceased to ex-
( cite the wonder and admiration Of the
wcTld. You may ask why Egypt. Persia.
/ Greece. and even mighty Rome have sue
/ cessiveiy succumbed to the ravages OF
time. while China alone has survived. The
answer is not far TO seek. II is the sur
! vival Of the tittest. The working OF this
iEeXOrabie law OF nature constantly weeds
/ out those nations that cannot adapt them
selves to the ever-changing conditions of
life. and the fact that China is standing to-
day shows conclusively that she has not
outlived her usefulness TO the cause Of civ
! ilization.
Changed Conditions in China.
] Thus Chinese civilization has been
/ found wanting But the conditions that
have fostered that civilization have in re-
cent years been greatly modified by steam
/ and electricity. With the Himalayas on
I the west. vast deserts on the north and
I large bodies OF water on the east and
south China was country extremely diff
/ cult 10 approach from ell sides in days not
/ very long ago. There she was left for CEN
! turies 10 work ont her destiny practically
/ Tree from outside influence and foreign
Z moleSt2ticn.
But the steamboat and telegraph have
/ changed the whole situation Of things. and
| rendered II impossible for her TO lead such
| a rational life as she could before. IL has
l taken her some time 10 awake to this fact.
G7 this account she has been called an un-
! progressive naJlyn. This sentiment is
voiced BY TennysOn when he says. Better
fifty years Of Europe than a cycle of
! Cathay.''
But It is a mistake TO think that China
/ has been stationary. Compare China Of the
/ present day with China Of fifty years ago
and the progress she has made will be at
once apparent Il is unreasonable 10 ex-
! nee China TO break away from the long
established sway OF custom in a moment
I The Inertia Of centuries must first be over.
come. The meetings OF the Chinese and
! Western civilizations is a meeting Of two
social forces We must look for the res','-
/ not in the complete naturalization Of one
force by the other. bat In the union Of the
two forces. Il Is the recovery from the
shock OF the collision that requires tim-
After the union OF she forces is effected
movement IN the resultant irection may
be expected 20 be rapid
Nov. the population OF the United
States is estimated at 70 0C0 eco and the
population OF China is estimated al from
S5e. .0Ce.O .OC0 10 400 600 O00 or about ive times
as large. We should expect. therefore.
that a social or political movement which
would sir up the whole people OF the
United States would. other conditions b.
ing equal, produce only cne-nfIh as much
effect upon the people OF China But in Of
der to obtain the same effect in China as in
the United States the force must be five
times as great. or il the force be the same.
the time It is allowed 10 act must be Ave
times as long Thus for the apparently
slow progress Of the Chinese nation we have
a scientific explanation.
suppose that Confucian missionaries
were sent by the Chinese TO foreign lands
with the avOwed purpose OF gaining prose-
/ lytes and that these missionaries estab-
/ ished themselves in New York, Philadel-
phia san Francisco. and other cities. and
| tha. they built temples held public meet
| ingS and opened schools. II would not be
| strange il they should gather arcCnd them
| a crowd OF men women. and children Of all
| classes ana t0UtlIONS. IT tney were 10
! begin their work by making vehement al
tacks on the doctrines OF Christianity. de-
nouncing the cherished institutions OF the
country. or going out ot their way 10 TiGi-
( Culc the fashions OF the day and perhaps
! giving a learned discourse on the evil ef-
facts OF cOrsets UPON the general health
Of American women. il is most likely that
they would be peIted with stones. dirt and
rotten eggs for their pains.
What would be the consequence. IL in
stead OF taking hostile demonstrations OF
I his character phiIOsophically they should
lose their temper. call in the aid OF the
police, and report the case to the Govern
ment al Washington fer official interfer-
/ ence. l verify believe that such action
! would render the missionaries so obnoxious
to the American people as to put an end
, I TO their usefulness and that the Ameri-
! l can Government would cause a law TO be
enacted against them as public nuisances.
Can it be wondered at. then that now and
. then We hear of rios occurring against
[ missionaries IN China notwithstanding the
precautionary meas lres taken by the local
authorities to protect them? Il must
Z not be understood that / wish to
, Justify or eXtenuate the Iawless acts com
mirted by ignorant mobs. nor do I under
estimate the noble and unselfish efforts of
Christian missionaries in general who
1 bpHlQ tlc DeSL part OF lnelE lives IT 0ll-
; na- What I desire to point out is that the
preaching Of the Gospel OF Christ in the
interior Of China Except with great tact
and diScretiOn) will. in the nature of
things. now and then run counter to pOpu-
lsr prejudice and lead TO some disturb
2nce."
The Worlds Greatest Market.
In the course Of an address at the
American Asiatic Dinner on the evening
) Of January 26 this year. on the subject
OF The Greatest Potential Market In the
World" Mr.. WI said, in part:
My sole object is to draw closer aad
cement the bonds of friendship that bind
Is. We are on a common ground. l am
here 10 give encouragement to your work
While I am here I feel as though l were
, in the East.
My country is called the greatest po-
tential market of the world. You all know
that China is great market with her
= 100000 coo population. which has II be fed.
I and provided with all the necess4 ries of
life. She wants the wheat Of the fiatte.
the cotton of the CarOiinss, the steel OF
, Pennsylvania and Alabama.
She is building railroads. ald she must
have rails and steel and electric power
and hundreds of other things. Until she
is able to develop her natural resources
she must get these things abroad. There
! is fine field for you. 1t is for you to
realize IT,
with your Pacific fine highway and
| the PhiliDDiineS at our door Won have