The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-24

Jou "'i CbC uduBcfo duu pltIallb Lnal
may bcset your path. You want, in
other words, speaker who is thor
ough American in his training, ideas
and sympathies. There is no lack OF
choice among your scholars, lawyers
and public men.
On this account, when the invita-
ton was duly extended ~ me last
year w the people Of Philadelphia,
my first impulse was to decline thc
honor But on reflection could not
but feel that the compliment was too
iattcrlng to be disposed Of in such an
off hand manner. AS have said be
fore. unfortunate circumstances con
sprcd TO prevent me from being pres
cnt in last years celebration. The
renewal of the invitation this year
naturally made it harder for Inc to re-
fuse. This accounts for my taking
part In the exercises here to- day.
But there are also other considcra-
tlons.
The participation by China in the
celebration Of the American Fourth Of
July is by no means an innovation.
1t dates from the time whercunto the
memory of man runncth not. From
the very first Americans have dc.
pended upon China to supply them
with the necessary means for adc-
quately expressing the exubcraacc Of
JOY called forth by the countrys de-
livcrance. China has accordingly re-
spondcd year after year with shiploads
If firccrackers. Now what man in
this broad land does not associate the
celebration of the national birth with
the sound of 6recrackers? What boy
does not look upon the Fourth as the
most glorious day of the year from
the fact that he can indulge n firing
off all kinds Of Grccrackers to his
heart content?
Judging from the sounds | hear and
the glceful air see about every place
to-day, if I could divest myself of all
consciousness of time and place,
should without much difficulty imagine
myself to be in my own native land in
New Years season. Yhus, it seems,
this is not the first time you have
called upon China to assist you in the
celebration of the great day.
According to popular belief China
is as far removed from the United
States as the East is from the West,
not merely in geographical position,
but in other respects also. China is
an Eastern monarchy; the United
States is Western Republic; the one
is old; the other is modern. Here
feverish activity shows itself every
where; there settled rcposc seems to
pervade the very air. 1t might be
supposed that there could be no bond
of sympathy between the two coun-
tries-no common point of contact.
Travellers, writer's and all who arc in
position to speak with authority
combine to confirm this Impression.
But there is no greater mistake.
AS the canons Of Coufucius and
Mcncius as laid down in the Chinese
classics constitute practically the
Magma Charta of the Chinese Empire
let me quote the words of Mencius
that have bearing upon this qucs-
tion. "Thc people," says the sage,
"arc the most important element in q
nation; the spirits of the land and
grain Chat is the country are the
next; the sovereign the !ightest.
Therefore, to gain the pcasantry Chat
is, the people) is the way to become
superior" If this is not government
deriving its just powers from the
consent Of the governed" I do not
know what it is.
1t may be urged that the wise say
ings of Mencius have nothing to do
with the present political creeds Of the
Chinese people, and that the opinions
of the great sage on political ques-
tion have only an academic interest.
Such. however, is not the case. Every
Chinese schoolboy not only knows the
above quoted passage by heart, but is
thoroughly imbucd with its spirit. AS
soon as he begins to study the art of
composition the themes he has to
write upon may be taken from those
very words. When he is old enough
to compete at the public examinations
for official honors he may be required
to dilate upon the various phases of
the great principle thus enunciated
and run it out to it's legitimate consc-
quences.
Under the circumstances any un-