El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-28
WI On Chinese
Civilization

VI
THE MINISTER TAKES THE STAND
THAT CHINESE CIVILIZATION
is AS ADVANCED IN IT'S WAY AS
THAT OF AMERICA.
Force Will Not Bring Reforms. and
China Must eB Left to Gradually AS
simulate the Best Of the Occidental
Ideas.
Chicago.-Wu Ting Fang delivered
the con%vocation address of the univer-
sity of Chicago at the S~tudebaker the
| alter this afternoon before the faculty
OF the institution and an audience that
packed h theater to the doors. Mr..
WI took for his subject Chinese Civ
ilization.' His defense of the civiliza-
ticn of his native country. in his COM
PARSONS with hat of the civilizations
of the occident. was luz applauded.
Mr.. WI said China had been to other
nations like the recluse community
in the heart of a mountain, as tol by a
| Chinese writer of 1900 years ago. a
community that. fleeing from the per-
secutions of the Chin dynasty. had
found peace and tranquility. and. con
tent with their lot, had no desire to
emerge into h turmoil and excite
ment of a mere active life.
This mountain community may be
said to be China in miniature" Mr..
WI continued. "'To her isolation she
undoubtedly owes her long freedom
from foreign domination. Far from
the conflicts and strifes of the west.
the Chinese have been able to give.
through the past centuries. almost
their exclusive attention to internal
development. They have accordingly
solved their political problems in their
own way and worked out their destiny
without foreign interference. True it is
that China's isolation has served to
strengthen the nations character and
give it a marked individuality. but this
has not been gained without great loss
es The most serious is that the nation
has not been able to profit by the trials.
experiences n achievements of the
rest of the world. This is especially
true with scientific knowledge and me-
chanica1 inventions. 1t must be admit
ted that today China is centuries be-
bind the age in her other arts and
sciences. All these things she must
learn from other nations before she
can hope to put herself abreast of the
times.
But does civilization consist of rail-
roads. telegraphs. telephones. electric
lights. batt1eShipS. rapid-firing guns,
magazine rifles and a thousand and one
things which are often regarded as
necessary for a progressive nation?
This would be a very narrow interpre-
zation of the word. Civilization has, 1
believe. a broader meaning. with intel
ligence. order. morality and refinement
for its essential elements. Such a civ
ilization China undoubtedly hasa
civilization different to be sure. from
that of the west. but a civilization new
ertheless. In other words. civilization
is the elevation a nation has reached
iE. its progress from a lower TO a high
er state of society. The Cinnamon are
the principal type of oriental civiliZa-
ton. The American is the highest
type of occidental civilization. When
the old oriental civilization meets the
new occidental civilization it is to be
expected that there will be a clash.
Which will have to give way to the
other is by no means certain. for the
race is not always to the swift. nor the
battle to the strong"
There has lately been a great deal
of talk about civilizing
China. I give credit to those people
who advocate such a course for their
good intentions. but its desirability, to
say nothing of its difficulty. should not
be overlooked. China has already a
| civilization of her own. Long before
the ancestors of the people of the west
cease dto be raked savages and emery
ed from the primeval forests of central
| Europe. the Chinese a already the
use of the compass and the art of print
ing. Now for the people of the west to
turn around and ask the Chinese to put
away their dc civilization is rather
onvel. The people of the west may
know more than the Chinese O the
building of railroads, the floating of
foreign loans. the combination of cap-
ital and the development Of
but. like all. h Chinese naturally feel
that they are in better position to
Judge what is best for their own inter-
ests and welfare than IN outsider can
be. Therefore. any attempt to impose
upon them In reform or religion they
| don't feel the need of is likely to ere
ate trouble. The use of force is espe-
cially to be deprecated, as these serve
molly to inf1ame their passions n u
their resentment and opposition. But.
on the other hand, much can be ac-
complished by exercising tact and is
cretion. and. above all. by giving due
| consideration to their sentiment and
p%rejudices.
IF the people of the west will study
the civilization of China. instead of try
ing to pull it down. they will save
themselves a great deal OF trouble
| They will find that the Chinese are not
addicted to ways that are dark n
! tricks that are vain as they are repre-
scented to be by an American poem.
/ They will find that China. old as she
is. still exhibnts all the strength and