The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-03
CHINESE VIEW or BOXERS.

A london reporter has extracted most
remarkable interview from prominent
Chinese merchant IN London, who ac-
lenowIedges that for many years ne has
been member of the boxers
secret society This intelligent Chinaman
not only defends the boxers but
draws "A delightfully."- cynical compari-
son between western civilization and the
civilization Of China.
This interview is probably the first one
ever printed dealing with the present
disturbance in China from boxer view
point The distinctly oriental comment
on railways tnat. MY from place TO place
at a speed which has neither necessity
nor charm" viii appeal TO many who are
not in sympathy with the mad rush Of
life In the occident. Some of the more
interesting portions of the interview are
quoted:
you English" he observed. speaking
our language vith remarkable fuency,
"only look ut Chinese matters from your
own point Of view. oh. If You could only
look at them from ours! western clVll-
cation Is ~ us a mere mushroom. II Is
a thing Of yesterday. Chinese civilization
IS Alymbered thousands Of years old.
We consider ourselves at least 1000
years ahead Of you.
"There was a time when we had Ike
you. our struggle for life our race for
wealth. our ambition for power, our
haste and hurry ana worry We, too, had
our clever Notwithstanding wder, print
ing and the reside we nave lived long
enough to find ont how essentially UNI
necessary al these things are, We have
also had our period Of doubt fanauclsm
and dissonsion i'm matters Of religion We
have had our martyrs. our rcformatons.
our non-conformists. our Intolerance, and
finally our liberation. Yes. thousands of
years ago.
I'VE believe IN making the best Of this
ne which is the only one we know any
thing about for certain. That IS the Be
All and End All Of Chinese philosophy.
All through China you will find the same
level, uniform spirit OF content. You may
think we live lives of ignorance and
squaior and idleness, but 4 assure you 1t
is not so. We are as we'll of as we want
10 be. and no man can improve on that
Now. these being our circumstances,
Won of the Western world come u us
with what YOU call new ideas. You bring
us your religion. an infauu OF nineteen
hundred years. You invite US 20 build
railways so that we may fly from place
10 place at a speed which for US mas
neither necessity nor charm. You want
us 20 build mills ana factories so as 20 de-
base our beautiful arts and crafts. and
beautiful textures and hues which we
have evolved after ages of experiment
Consider your missionaries. They
come as / have said, with new religion,
upon the main principles OF which they
are bitterly divided among themselves.
They tell us that unless we accept their
doctrines we shall suffer for eternal pun
ishment. They brighten our children and
the most weak minded of our older peo-
1t lfI.Vats
between families and Individuals. No
wonder that We will not tolerate them.
I'VE could If we chose overwhelm the
rest Of mankind. That we do not do so
IS due to the perfection Of our civilization,
our philosophy and our morals We num-
Der 40OOOO.O0O human beings. and who
could Withstand us If We chose to assert
cur power? Do you think we are uncon-
scious of It? on the contrary. We under
stand It only too well. Let the white
races Of the earth appreciate the fact
that We and not they are its masters.
"There have been twenty sO-called sue
cessful invasions of China. But what has
happened? Have invaders dominated the
Chinese? No. The conquered have alb
sorbed their conquerors. All have become
Chinese. The very Jews who have come
among us have been absorbed by our
race. thing which has never happened
elsewhere.
Let me repeat that all the forces
which divide men in the west have prac-
tically no existence in China. Politics, re-
ligion. private ambitions. the necessity
for expansion. land hunger, gold hunger
all these have no existence I'm China
You think that because the Chinaman is
inert. careless and simple. he IS a child
There never was a greater mistake.
"He has learned the secret of being
happy. His life is placid and nothing
troubles him so long as his conscience IS
clear There you have our character I'm
sentence. Let rs alone and We will let
you alone"