The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-17
OF THE YELLOW PERIL
KakazrO Akakura Declares ia
pans Fate Is Apart from 1t
NO UNION With CHINA
Says 1t Is Story Concocted
by Russians.

KakazS Okakura, in the New York
Evening Post. says:
Nothing can be more gratifying to the
japanese than the spontaneous sympathy
which America has shown Japan at this
moment. Perhaps our recent admission
into the comfy OF nations at the gracious
instance of the United States and the
apparent odds We have to face in the
prestige of the monster power with which
We are challenged to single combat, may
at first have animated a chivalrous senti-
ment. But it is a great blessing TO feel
that this expression of good will is no:
emotional alone; that il is not the mere
echo Of romance. nor the slfsh voice of
trade. We take it TO bespeak the abiding
sense Of and love for justice and human
freedom, that elemental deep-seated and
most characteristic trait of the American
conscience. which has ever aroused the
sympathies of the American people 1t
is to us precious proof that our conten-
ton for the territorial integrity of China
and the open door for peace and COM
merce will met with the sincere approval
of unpre judiced and enlightened people
all over the world. And il is this high
moral sympathy which nerves our arm
in the conflict. In. our own words 1T
purifies and frees the sword -conscience."
Yet We wonder and stand dismayed
sometimes beofere the curious miseoneep-
tions of our real motives, which obtain IN
European countries. and here. also. in
certain circIese 1t is true that American
scholarship has been the foremost TO elu-
cidate our civilization. that American
statesmen are conyersant with the inner
significance OF our politics, that in the
field of art America can boast of the
finest collections of Japanese work OUT
side OF Japan. But to those who have
not studied the mental history OF the
Japanese revival the attitude of the Is
land Empire must ever remain a paradox.
To them it can be but the country OF
flowers and ironclads. of dashing heroism
and delicate teas, the strange border
land where quaint shadows meet each
other IN the twilight OF the old and the
new world. They are apt TO forget that
the same untiring spirit which creates
the subtle beauty OF the pottery Of
Satsuma guides US also in the thorough.
extreme care We now bestow upon our
cherry blossoms. which we cherish as the
national problem. is not only for its
jeweled efforescence but for the freedom
with which il givs itself 70 the winds
in glorious self sacrifice.
Netting is so Improbable that it may
not seem possible. Exaggeration is the
courtesy which fancy pays to the I'M
known. The socalled yellow peril was
conceived because there existed no yellow
peril and no reason for il. The notion that
Japan. in case of victor would marshal
the hosts of China and hurl itself against
Europe is anidea too interesting in its
absurdity for US of the East 10 even in
dulge in were ii not that dreadful in
centive lay behind this yellow peril
alarm. Perhaps il is not generally known
that these words were first coined by
Germans at the very time Germany was
snaexing the Shan-tung coast. With this
startling and most significant debut in
mind. we Of the East .aHe perforce saspi-
cious when Russia Cwho hitherto has
suaveIy announced herself in China ard
India as the only Oriental country Of
Europel suddenly takes up the cry.
The Great Wall OF China the only edi-
fee on earth which could be seen from
the moon. stands IS a monumental pro-
test against the possibility OF the yellow
peril That ancient rampant. which STREET
ches from the Shanhaiksn TO the Toukan
Pass. was not only the shield against
foreign encrozchment- but IL has also
marked the limit OF the self-contained
Chinese civilization Ii is rarely that
through the twen5y-cne centuries OF its
existence sortiss were made through It's
gates to chsS1.se the depre6story tribes.
for the people within its pale were alwars
pacific x vas rhe 1erce elansnen Of the
steppes outside xho. on the contrary.
broke through the wall and time after
tire succeeded 81 imposing their rule OF
China forming the Wei. the Ygen- TIE
Ts.a ard 2 host OF minor dyn1sties. and
the result Ess ever thus. that after few
geneTaiioas the iltruee-s forgot thelr
marital aTdor because ths people aHS7s
whom they hved-the great agricultural
communities Of the rich valleys II the
and tire Yangtsekisng-isE those
of tie G.nges valleys. made the love q
the soil ard the conservation q isb9r
60 hard n hand Here from the earliest
ages Ccafucizu szGss taught rseekress-
harmony. the ho-neiy and pztr.Archiai
virtues Buddhism. which later frEic,i-
Ted he CELESTIAL mind confirmed 20 en-
force TIE root idea % SET co1te1,1sea;
and self restraint. and j; = = fact peez1-
.iersy worthy Of note that The legendary
's-e Q. the Chinese contains 10 tales 9.