The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-20
DISPUTES BRET HARTE.
WI Says HisPeopIe Not Given to
HWays That Are Dark"Etc.

| delivered the convocation address of the
University Of Chicago at the Stude-
baker theater before the faculty of the
| institution and an audience that packed
| the theater to the doors. Mr.. WI took
for his subject Chinese Civilization
His defense Of the civilization Of his
native country, in his comparisons with
that OF the civilization OF the occidents
was much applauded. In beginning his
address Mr.. WI said China had been to
other nations like the reeluse community
IN the heart of a mountain as told by
Chinese writer Of 1.500 years ago, a
community that fleeing from the perse-
cutions of the China dynasty had found
peace ana tranquility and content with
their lot had no desire to emerge into
the turmoil and excitement of a more
active life.
This mountain community may be
said to be China, in miniature Mr.. WI
continued. ITO her isolation she I'M
doubtedly owes her long freedom from
foreign domination. Foreign influence,
indeed, has had very little to do with
the national development of China Be
fore the nineteenth century the only pos
s1ble foreign enemies she had to meet
were the nomads of the Monaghan pla-
cursiOns upon the settlement along the
northern frontier and pirates from the
spread terror along the seacoast by their
ravages. These warlike encounters for
tunately were not very frequent
Far from the conflicts and strifes of
give through the past centuries almost
their exclusive attention to internal de-
velopment. They have accordingly
solved their political problems in their
own way and worked out their destiny
without foreign interference
Mature has blessed the country with
every variety of soil and climate. so
that the people have never been obliged
to look to other countries for the supply
of their wants. They have been able TO
live within themselves without difficulty,
fn rot a vxr1f hry ar
thing to do with the outside nations.
Their long seclusion has been not only
matter Of necessity, but also a matter
'True it is that China's isolation has
served to strengthen the nations char
acter and given 1t a marked Individual
fty, but this has not been gained without
great losses. The most serious is that
the nation has not been able to profit by
the trials, experiences and achievements
Of the rest of the world. This is espe-
cially true with scientific knowledge and !
mechanical inventions. 1t must be adj
rnitted that today China is centuries be-
hind the age in her knowledge OF chem
istry, electricity, steam navigation rapid
transit and other arts and sciences. All
these things she must learn from other
nations, before she can hope to put her
self abreast of the times.
But does civilization consist of rail- J
ways, telegraphS, telephones, electric |
lights, battleships. rapid firing guns. |
magazine rifles and a thousand and one |
things which are often regarded as nee |
essary for a progressive nation? This |
would be q narrow Interpretation of the |
word. Civilization has, believe, a |
broader meaning, with intelligence, or !
der, morality and refinement for its es-
sentia1 elements. Such a civilization |
China undoubtedly hasa civilization diff |
but civilization, nevertheless. In |
other words, civilization is the elevation |
a nation has reached in it's progress |
from lower to a higher state Of so
4eAwe fr- he Tod 14nf 17a
civilization attained by China should be |
different from that attained by the ma
lions of the west by reason of their diff |
ference in national development Chi |
nese ways are not necessarily bad be- i
cause they often seem strange to west |
ern eyes. It is merely a question i
whether one is accustomed to them OF Il
not
1.-The Chinaman lis the principal type /
of Oriental civilization. He is phlegmatic I
and sluggish Time is no object with /
him. He takes things as they come.
and never seems to be in a hurry. How
different is the American, the highest
type of occidental civilization. He is
nervous and energetic He acts on the
cordingly is impatient of restraint and
always in a rush. When the old Or1-
entail civilization meets the new occi-
dental 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 to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong
There has lately been a great deal
of newspaper talk about civilizing China
/ give credit to those people who advO-
cate such a course for their good in
tention, but its desira bility to say moth
ing of its difficulty should not be over
looked. China has already a. civilization
of her own. Tt is the growth of time.
Long before the ancestors Of the people
of the west ceased to be naked savageS
and emerged from the primaeval for
ests of central Europe the Chinese had
known the use of the compass and the
art of printing. Now for the people Of
the west to turn around and then ask the
Chinese to put away their old civiliza-
ton is rather novel The people of the
west may know more than the Chinese
about the building of railways, the float
ing of foreign loans, the combination Of
capital, the development of resources and
the like p -. c~,.,-o
naturally i51's feel that they are in a better
position to Judge what is best for their
own interest and welfare than any out
slider can Therefore. any attempt 20 I'M
pose upon them any reform or relig1on
ate trouble The use Of force IS especially
to be deprecated. as this serves only TO
sentiment and opposition. But, on the
other hand, much can be accomplished
q bove ali. By giving due consideration to
their sentiments and .prejudices-
the civiiizatio5n Of chinst instead of try
ing to pun it down, they viii save them
ind that the Chinese are are not addicted
to ways that are dark and tricks that
are vain as they we're represented to be
by an American poet They Will find
the strength and vigor of full maturity.
They will find that the civilization that
has stood the test of forty centuries Is
far from being effete. They viii find that
the proper course to be pursued IN put
happiness is not to shake the foundations
Of her social and political fabric. but to
allow her to incorporate such elements of
western civilization as she can assimi-
late. On the other hand. China must keep
up with the times in the onward march
of progress. To this end it is necessary
for her to take lessons from the western