Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-24
Is CHINA HARMLESS ?

Speaking OF what Is now known as
"the yellow PERIL a writer In the
Nineteenth Century and After comes
to the conclusion that II there be such
Il peril, II will come, not from China or
japan, but from the countries that are
now under Russian rule. Those who
talk OF a yellow peril" he says, have
I'm mind the inundatlons Of Europe by
Monaghan hordes under Genghls Khan
and Tamerlane, but these did not come
from China, but from those territories
north Of China which now are Russian.
The Chinese and Japanese themselves
have been exposed to that yellow peril.
The Mongolians conquered China
easily, but OF the enormous host which
landed in Japan only three returned
alive.
Fear has been expressed as to what
Japan, II victorious, will do IN the way
OF consolidating the Asiatic forces In
gigantic struggle against western
aggression. But the writer quoted
takes no stock in such predictions. Ills
belief is that China cannot be consoll-
dated, and he gives some interesting
data relating to the present condition
OF that enormous country There is
we are told, no Chinese nation, and no
Chinese state. China is politically
huge agglomeratlon which IL held
together by the teachings Of Confucius.
It's basls IL the family. In theory the
emperor exercises supreme paternal
authority over the whole country, but
I'm reality China consists Of a number
OF almost completely Independent states
which are held together only by Com
fusiansm and by a common literature,
owing TO the complete absence OF ma
tlonal feeling, China does not possess n
national force for national defense, but
provincial armies and regional fleets,
and each province Is apt to become
perturbed II forces belonging to another
province draw near, even II It be for
cooperation against foreign aggression,
for the inhabitants Of different provinces
| are as foreigners to one another. When,
| in 1891, anti-forelgn riots, threatening
| the peace OF tho empire, took place on
| the Yangtsc the Chinese government
| allowed foreign warships to so up the
river rather than offend the Jealous
province by sending a fleet OF their
own. During the Chinese Japanese
war of 1896 only .he northern squad
ron went into action against Japan
"Chinas weakness" he goes on to
say, has always proved her strength
The teemlng millions of her population
have been like shifting quleksands to
the heavy foot OF the conqueror, China
has proved unconquerable because she
is ungovernable, having never been ac-
customed TO any form OF government
properly so called, The very lack OF
q native governmental organization
has deprived conquering nations of a
means Of gaining a hold on the nation
and OF the possibility of imposing their
will on the people Besides the deeply
rooted hatred Of foreigners, the absence
of governmental restrictions and the
self-centred existence OF the family
have made hostile kingdom OF every
household to the stranger who tries to
lead or to coerce China upon n new
path A conqueror may and possibly
will, win over the mandarlns; but he
will find It impossible to conquer the
people. For this reason Japan would
not be able 10 obtain hold on China
even II she had a mind to do so, fol
Japan might possess but she could moi
rule the country"
This Is picture Of China, totally
different from that which Is generally
presented to public view. 1t is prob
ably correct, too And In that case It Il
safe to say that the Chinese, at present
must be considered harmless; bu
Chinese, to become a peril" need no
consolidate into one state with on,
central government, commanding 4
vast standing army and n navy. Mon
golian hordes, under skilful military
leaders, enlisted for plumber, would b,
as much OF menace" az II they wer,
soldiers OF regular, standing army