The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-27
ALFRED STEAD in TOWN
HE Is EDITOR OF THE LONDON RE:
VIEW OF REVIEWS.
Talks of the Chinese Situation and
the Boer War-harriage to
Miss Hussey.

1.-THE sooner the powers recognize that
the only thing for them to do is to get
out and leave China alone the better it
will be-" said Mr.. Alfred Stead, editor of
the London edition of the Review of Re
views, a magazine owned by his distin-
guished father. Young Mr.. Stead, as al
most everybody knows is shortly to be
married to Miss Mary Elaine Hussey,
daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. William p.
Hussey, of this city. The young man ar
rived yesterday afternoon at the Hussey
home, in Woodruff rlace, from Atlanta,
Ca. in which city he was the guest of
Mr.. and Mrs James Torrey Howe. with
whom Miss Hussey recently spent some
time after her return from trip abroad.
Mr.. Stead will be the guest OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Hussey until his marriage with their
daughter next month The date of the
marriage has not been settled yet, but Mr..
Stead stated last night that it would oc-
cur before the end of March, and he and
his bride would start at once for Japan,
via Honolulu. on their honeymoon trip.
Continuing his observations on the Chi
nese situation. Mr.. Stead remarked: "Of
the three great powers interested in China
at this time, outside of England and the
United States, Germany Is the only one
likely to cause trouble. Germany will. 1
think, place her request for indemnity at
such figure that territory will have to
be coded in order 10 Hquidate the claim,
and that would OF course precipitate a
general attempt at division of the en-
pire- But 1 cannot see how an empire
can be divided UP unless IL wants to be.
You cannot make four hundred millions of
people do something they do not want to do,
especially not with the comparatively few
troops at the command of the powers in
China The people of China are as well
aware of this fact as we are, and l expect
better You can lombard Peking and you
can silence its guns. possibly, but you cam
not prevent a single gun from going into
the country. You cannot open the country
II II refuses TO be opened. Another thing.
you cannot force western civilization upon
China from the edge of the empire. You
cannot, as matter OF fact, make China
man adopt civilization at ALL Don't you
see how IL is here in your country.
Out In San Francisco, where you have the
Chinaman all TO himself, he does not adopt
a single one of your customs. He still
wears the Chinese clothes and wears them
in the original. Chinese style. He eats his
own food prepared In his own peculiar way.
Why. the Chinaman has the most perfect
contempt for foreigners. He has always
regarded them a people who have come to
him to learn about his civilization. Unless
the Chinese people want western cviliza-
ton therefore you cannot make them have
IT. Even under the most favorable condi-
lions tie CnlndInttn mas never been known
TO change his customs "A great mistake
that has often been made by foreigners
has been to go over to China and adopt the
Chinese mode of dress or other Chinese
customs In the belief that they can thereby
gain certain concessions from the natives.
That is not a very good way to bring the
Chinese TO the adoption of western habits
and civilization.
When asked for an expression concern
ing the Boer war Mr.. Stead declared that
the war In South Africa will end much
sooner than most people think. 1.-The sur
render will be unconditional, I'm my opin-
ton. he added. but England will not be
harsh to the Beers She will make their
land crown colony for time and then
put IL under the federation of Cape Colony
They Will learn something about govern
mont that they never knew before"
Mr. Stead gave out the information that