The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-06
THAT GLORIOUS FOURTH CHINA AND THE CHINESE
THEY ARE NOT a HOMOGENEOUS
PEOPLE.
But a Heterogeneous ConRlomeration
Joined Into Semblance OF Unity by
Trade and Politics.

John n. b. Smith, ID. d.. OF Ningpo,
China, who is a graduate of Blackburn
University, class of 1875, and has been
in China FOR nineteen years as Pres
byterian missionary and who has Just
returned from that empire, with his
family, to his old home in Carlinville,
Illinois, gives the following facts con-
corning the present crisis in China:
IN discussing the situation in CHINA
IL is well to bear in mind the fact thar
the Chinese are not homogeneous
race, but a heterogeneous Conglomera-
ton of peoples, differing in language,
customs and character. The men of
different cities and provinces are mu-
tually distrustful and often inimical;
lights between the inhabitants of neigh
boring villages are of frequent occur
ence and the bonds which unite them
are not those of kinship and patriotism,
but of trade and politics. The enter
priSing merchants pass from province
TO province throughout the empire, car
rying their wares to all important cit
les, and the scholar who desires politi-
cal preferment, as all scholars do, must
make his way to Picking and not until
he has succeeded in passing the exam
nations at that city can he hope to
get an office unless he is rich enough
to buy degree at such times as they
are offered for sale. 1t is a rule, with
few exceptions, to appoint men to office
in districts more or less remote from
their native places.
Much is said and written concerning
the ultra conservatism of the Chinese.
This is the legacy of Confucius. whose
name is worshiped by every official in
China. He was unable to appreciate the
progressive spirit of his own age or to
distinguish between principle and meth
cd, and he and his followers succeeded
in sitting the spirit of progress and
efectually binding the people to the
| types and methods of the past. So long
as the sea on one side and the Gordon
of tributary savages on the other pre-
vented the invasion of outside barbar-
ians' the system was sufficient for the
needs of the people, and, after the lapse
! of several centuries, the warning and
discordant elements which were hem
med in together by their surround
ings, ere Joined into a semblance
of unity; thus in reality many of the
provinces were, and are still, practic-
ally independent of the emperor. But
| when the barriers were broken down
and the Chinese wereshtOIight face to
face with higher civilization, they
were incapable of anpreciating and
adopting it's benefits a9d unable to re-
sist its vital aggressiVehess. Again
and again have they striven by force
and craft to prevent some new advance
of the hated and despised foreigners,
and, although they have been defeated,
they have carried a bold face and de-
ceived themselves and others with such
show of vitality that few are aware
of the mass of corruption which was
| concealed under fair exterior.
The retirement of the dowager and
/ the restoration of the emperor will be
a death blow to the reactionaries, an
assurance to the friends of progress
that there is hope for China. Division
of China among the powers would be
| highway robbery, while the restoration
! of the emperor to his lawful authority
would be an act of justice. The parti-
| ton of China among the powers would
| be resisted by the best of the Chinese,
| and would invole the natives in q
universal war The restoration of the
emperor under foreign protection would
encourage all patriotic Cinnamon and
would do more to promote peace among
the natives than a dozen peace con-
/ crosses.
! Our own country does well to act In
dependently, so long as there is no dis
tinct assurance that the powers mean
to respect the integrity of the empire
and the liberty of the people.
Our attitude of independence will
! prevent a division of the empire, for
! China will not be divided if the United
States of America refuses to permit it.
1t is to the interest of England to pre-
serve the integrity of China as mucn
as it is to our own, and England would
welcome the assistance of the United
States in preventing the dismember-
ment of the country. Our independent
! attitude will serve to manifest our dis
intereestedness and so our assent to a
! joint protectorate will be the assurance
of its good faith and guaranty of its
! fulfillment and success.
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