The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-14

world when this war comes to an end?
She possesses-in my humble opinion
every essential requisite for national
greatness, though "a this present mo-
ment she seems to lack the power to
organize and properly mold and direct
the energy of her vast population. If
Japan We're able to reform herself with
in and without when under no pressure,
why should not China do so now, when
the weakness of her political conStitu-
ton and the absurdity OF her out-of-
date national institutions have become
evident to even the least educated of
her classes?
Whatever may be the form Of gov
eminent involved through her defeat
think it may be assumed that she will,
without loss Of time, create a regular
army upon European lines. I can see
no limit TO the size of the army she
could raise, and, according to my esti-
mate of the fighting qualities of her
men, l think it ought to be the first
army in the world. Indeed, / can see
no reason why in the next few genera
tons it should not. if properly led, turn
out Of Asia every European power hold
ing territory there
Few races could make better soldiers
than the Chinese would if under Brit
lsh officers, and when once their army
had been thoroughly trained according
to European methods, l feel confident
that a first-rate set of native regi-
mental officers would soon come into
existence. But before this desirable
end can be accomplished, there must
come about a complete change of feel
ling on the part of the people towards
the men who have to fight their battles
for them on land and sea-
In Japan the soldier has in all ages
headed the list in the scale Of social
precedence, and he has always been
highly esteemed by all classes. But
the reverse of this has been the case in
China, where the soldier has long been
and still is at the foot of the social
ladder. and is, consequently, univer-
sally deSpised. This contempt with
which the Chinaman has for genera
tons viewed the soldiers profession
has been in itself complete bar to
military efficiency. The father would
not put into the army the son who,
he thought, possessed sufficient ability
to command success in any other walk
of life. Indeed, it was only what we
may fairly call the rubbish of the ma
ton who ever became officers In the
Chinese army. The rank and file have
for ages been drawn from the lowest,
most idle and most dangerous class in
the empire.
1 believe the Chinese people possess
required for national greatness. They
love the land of their birth with SUI
perstitious reverence; they believe In
their own superiority and despise all
other races. They are fine men, en-
dowed with great powers Of en-
durance; Industrious and thrifty, they
have few wants and can live on little,
and that little poor food. Absolutely
Indifferent to death, they are fearless
and brave, and when we'll trained and
well led make first-rate soldiers. 1
have seen them under fire, and found
them cool and undismayed by danger.
If they were provided with small
proportion of English officers, and were
organized as the Egyptian army has
been by us since 1882, their army
would soon be, according to my opin-
ion, one of the finest.
This hardy, clever race, whose num-
| bers are to be counted in hundreds Of
millions, needs only the quickening,
guiding, controlling hand and mind OF
a Napoleon to be converted into the
greatest and most powerful nation that
has ever dictated terms to the world!
But a Napoleon does not always ap-
pear when wanted.