The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-09

ed the country has been to foreigners
for its advancement.
China is an exemplification of the fate
that befalls nation which sets itself
up against the progress of civilization.
Marching onward with irresistible
force, conquering, compelling civiliza-
ton may be a benef1cent deity or Jug
gernaut, either taking along with it and
blessing those who accept its teachings,
or crushing those who seek to oppose it
beneath the cumulative weight of pro-
gressive centuries.
Claiming precedence through it's an
tiquity as a nation, with dynastic
chronicles extending back nearly 1000
years. China has ever stood in the path
way of progress, blocking the road and
refusing to stand aside. Viewed in the
hght OF history, there can be but one
tate in store for such a nation, for
against 1t are arrayed the com bined
moral, If not physical, forces of the
world. and it must obey the mandate or
perish in an Intellectual struggle for su-
premacy. The world will not tolerate
even negative assent to the universal
creed that He who is not with US is
against u.s." it demands an active par
uclpatlon in affairs that make for the
ultimate best the universe can yield.
With the origin of her people shroud-
ed in the mists and mysteries of a great
antiquity, China dwelt by herself for
thousands of years before the outsider
penetrated the barrier she had erected
around her empire At last the great
Mongol, Genghis Khan, preached the
walls and compelled the Chinese to
stand on the defensive. About the mid
die of the thirteenth century a grand
son of Genghis went to the aid of the
Chinese against the Tartars, and. find
ing Peking very much to his liking re-
fused to go away after the latter had
been expelled.
This man was the famous KubIaf
Khan, who crowded out the effete ma
tive Sung dynasty and brought it to an
end, establishing himself as emperor
of China about the year 1860. firmly fix
ing himself as such nine years later
kublai Khan may be called, perhaps.
the first foreigner who came to rescue
China from the depths of ignorance
into which she was plunged. She
did not want to be rescued. to be sure,
and the civilizing process went on much
against her will. Whether his coming
was for her welfare or not is omen to
question, since it would seem that This
breach in the walls of exclusiveness
was but the precursor to her eventual
downfall and disintegration.
Having brought with him some wise
men from Persia and having invited to
his capital that eminent traveller ana
historian, Marco Polo Kublai Khan set
himself to the task of reorganizine
Chinese affairs He extended Chinese
territorial limits beyond Tonquin and
Cochin China and also extended the
limits of Chinese knowledge.
The astrologers and astronomers who
came with him erected a tower for the
observation of the stars. set up instru-
mentS, which may be seen on the walls
Of Picking today, and taught the Chi
nese much more than the rudiments of
science which they already possessed.
Kublai passed away in 1894, and his
dynasty in 1868. when a revolution over
threw 1T, and then succeeded the
Mings, native rulers who reigned until
1914 During the hearty 800 years they
were in power the Mings did little for
China but held their own until the