The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-16

At the regular monthly meeuhs VI ~.
East Providence Business Men aSsoV
tion was held in the rooms OF the asso
,,,a,,or in robin's block on Watchemoket
square. The announcement had peeh
made that the meeting was 10 be an
onen one. on account OF the intense inter-
est IN the Far Eastern question: whch
uas 70 be discussed by Rev. Clay NC
c,aulev Of the Bell street chapel In Provi-
dence.
Mr. McCauley is perhaps more CONVEX
,ant with the subject than any other man
in this section OF the country at me PR, |
ent time. on account or his lons rss,u 'nsrs
in Japan He lived there for IA year. year.
aad is therefore thoroughly conVefsai.
with the country and its peopie' '"e"
habits, traits and characterisuos, now
D,sa,ng war for mastery in the orient
ne evidently believes that Japan Is s,,,arr ,r
right light on it's account Of it's qualifications
TO govern but that IL has higher nesres
Of civilization than Russia wncn
Mp McCauiey proved fluent speaker,
and for a long time held the rapt attehs
ton Of the large gathering %niGh Sitst,on ,'I to
rors in and hear his remarks on the
subject he spoke In part as follows; ws;;-,,,-
CATION in the East Russia Is an empire
among the peoples Of Europe, an sInpi,n Ipson
that as state is profsSsse,y p,S, love. enspsnh am em
,trs thai boasts OF itself AS AT the front
Ia civilization and as messsnser auu
teacher OF the worlds cleares' enhs"'
In thinkins Of Russia aS and ,SsE Japan mn,le Il
should always he remembered tna, wnrd
dominsn1 os upops It's right to be called Bu
ropesn Hes chiefly in this fact hsc'p,1 :, an
sisen among the other nations OF Europe
It's government Is an absolute mon.
arehy ,eN,sd Every 15neg onarehy nr1 or rcpubli%
Fundamentally the Russian autocracf
so different i'm character from the pra.l
ca1lv popular and democratic govern
ments that are within the borders OF Eu-
We can scarcely Justify for Russia US l,s
claim TO fellowship among the ShilstIsin
nations IL is 900 years since the Greek
church separated from that or Home; MI MI
the other churches Of Po bur"ps nroteetins are et
osfspring. The Greek church long ago
became the abject servant or the nus
Fri The icrdship of the church church has has i,st Seea
are now identified in the imperial au-
tianity is only tolerated and poorly toll
Grated throughout all the Russias l am
willing TO sccede to Rnss'a sS - its be bearer
OF civilization I'm It's growing empirs u,
But 1 cannot allow IL precedence IN
:.
near approach to Japan as an agent OK
the worlds higher civilization; Russis
maintains civil order atDg es,atpnsne nsx.na. %mu
ncrs manufa ctoriee, commerce, sciences
and arts but It's civil order is seculed IN
the main by desponsm psncb ana oy iesS' 'e'
A frae press does not exist wlthin NUS
.la,s horders Free speech ls AZ bad as
crime against person or property.
Less than one quarter OF the chiioren OF
the empire find their way into the scnools
and there they are taught under rigorous
.o,,avnment supervision lessons pre-
scrihed by church and state. Sciences and
the arts flourish, but personal freedom,
self-reiance and independent MANHOOD
and womanhood DO not flourish with
them.
Ruasia Is a civilized power OF lower
order AS an empire IL Is hardly en-
+,t3ed 10 lay claim 10 have such civiliza-
zion as distinguishes England or Francs
or kindred countries. But what do we
nnd characteristic and operative when
we turn TO Japan. the land OF the Risins
sun? Japan IL not one OF the favored
countries OF Europe that are now the
source of actual leadership OF .he world 8
people.
Nor "a Japan professedly one OF tho
fraternity Of nations called Christian
Moreover Il is true that only so years
ago the japanese people would not have
been entitled to assume the name
civilized IN their interccdrse with the 90
cident. The Japan OF the opening OF the
10th century however, In not the Japar
OF 1850.
The Japanese are now under anothe
system, OF civil and social order. In $50
new era for the mikados empire wa
inauCirsted. With Commodore Perry
breaking through the barriers surround
ing the island empire there entered ais
the revolutionary forces OF the civiliza
ton OF the West Almost immedistef
the guardians OF Japan's traditional In
rtitutions and Life discovered that the
forces IL they would preserve and ad
vance their divinely oonsecrated her'
tage
The very champions OF the celestir
authority and regime OF the milkado an
of the ancient political and social ords
succumbed TO the invading civilization {
America and Europe. They coon becam
energetic and even responsible agents
developing a new order for the empir
civl and social order In almost ever
way revolutionary OF the past.
Today, japan having obtained rccoEn
ton by treaty OF right 60 n share In q
fcderacy OF the worlds great powers, Il
brand OF political inferiority has be,
removed from her and she stands no
rOtStftt0
alteration and fair judgment among n
tions as either Russia. France or Gre
Britain.
II r. BY no unwarranted extension tn
that the japan OF the 10Th century m
be classed among the bearers OF ma
kinds leading civilization. Her wo
may with perfect right be compar
with that OF Russia or any nation OF {
West. Making what ! am saying mo
specific let II be remembered I'm all a
cussions affecting japan that that cou
try In rapidly realizing Sc governmei
II anywhere popular government Il
coming the fact II Ia becoming that
Japan. The day OF the people there h
truly dawned. Let ~ be remembered tc
that the Japanese. industriany and COZ
fnerciary are now making ventures
an excellence. magnitude and n scoJ
never before attempted or thought 20
eible by people of Asia.
Their cities are fast becoming bu
manufacturing centres Ike our ow