Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-29
CHINESE CUNNING.
Mendacity for which the Foreigner
Il Not Prepares Their Main
Reliance.

4
1.-THE cunning Of the Chinese has been
very much exaggerated" said former
sea captain in conversation the other
day, says the London Pan Mall Gazette.
u was In the Hong Kong trade for sew
eral years, where ] was compelled to
make pretty close study OF the native
character" he continued, "and soon
found out that the stories OF their
phenomenal astuteness were mostly
rubbish. 1t Is true that the average
Chinese business man will generally
overreach European newcomers; but
1t isn't through superior fnesse or i'm
telligence-it is by plain, straightout
lying. That is something the Europe.
an isn't prepared for, and until he
learns the ropes he can't believe that Q
wealthy, dfgnified merchant, OF high
social and commercial rank, will tell
him a deliberate, premeditated false
hood. As rule It requires several
sharp lessons to get that fact into his
head. I will never forget my own first
experience. We had arranged with a
prominent Chinese merchant Of Hong
Kong for a quantity of tea, but at the
last minute there was hitch about the
delivery of the consignment. He told
me 1t had been temporarily tied up by
the officials on account Of some misun-
Outstanding about the internal taxes.
/ discovered by accident Later on that
the, lot had been sold over my head to a
chance customer, and the tax story
was merely pretext to gain time for
the substitution of an inferior grade.
The tea merchant was a sedate, courtly
old gentleman, and he told me this out-
Lie with perfect calmness, look
ing me squarely in the face, without q
quiver. 1t never occurred to me to
doubt his word, and but for chance We
would have been heavy losers. When /
exposed him Indignantly before all his
employees and several foreign residents
I supposed he would be ashamed and )
lisconcerted. An American of his
would have been Inundated
and crushed beyond measure. / have
Snown men to commit suicide for less
lisgrace; but he never so much as
,linked. He heard me through bland
y, made no comment, and began to
ak about something else. He had
old lie, was caught, and regarded the
Episode as closed.
ut is that sort Of thing that throws
oreigners off their guard" continued
he captain. "and gives the Chinese
heir reputation for preternatural
Most of their lies are
lumsy and childish, and for that very
eason they are apt to becredited. He
wouldn't dare tell me such a thing If it
wasn't So, the stranger will argue to
imself, and as a consequence he gets
ably left. When European trader
ellis lie, and, | am sorry to say, plen-
r of them do, it is usually some COM
Heated fabrication that will leave him
loophole for explanation in the event
{ detection; but Chfnaman takes no
ich pains. He confines himself to
lain, bald misstatement Of fact, which
rather staggering to one who is ac-
lstomed to believe that men of large
fairs can't afford to deliberately de-
i've. But after the situation in that
.spect is understood the American
,yer has any trouble holding his own
it'll the oriental. On the contrary he
It's the best of nine deals out often.
be native. Chinese business world
ems to have no conception whatever
the meanness and criminality Of
yet believe it is a matter of
stom rather than character. The
,st proof of that is the strict integrity
the Chinese tradesmen in this counr
y. We have number of them here In
w Orleans, and half dozen or so
al pretty extensively with the job
RS. Without exception, they enjoy
putation for truth and reliability. A
lolesaler in Magazine street who
lis large quantities of soap and
rich to a Chinese firm near police
adquarters remarked to me recently
at they were the most satisfactory
stomers on his books, because he
uld place implicit confidence in any
ing they told him. 1t is the same all
II the country. You will never hear
a Chinaman swindling creditor, de-
llting an obligation or being in
we'd In any trouble through misrep-
Ient1tion. So 4 am inclined to at
bute the crookedness of the China
n at home to the national atmos-
ERE of duplicity and deceit. Double
aling is so universal over thefe that
is simply taken for granted, and
en- native really desires to COM
nicate fact he Is obliged 10 twist
wrong end to or he won't get any
~ 10 believe II. In other words, he
! to tell lie in order to tell the
tn"
The Aluminum Industry.