The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-25
THE YELLOW PERIL.
By BISHOP CHARLSE. GALLOWAY

Thi. i. the second of a series of ar
| ticles Bishop Charles II. galloway
will contribute to The Republic on
far Eastern war problems. Bishop
Galloway Is one of America's fore
most divines. and for the last TWEEN
ty years has been n leading figure
in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
south. He Ii now presiding over
the missions conferences of his
church in China, japan and Korea.
Special Correspondence OF The Sunday Republic.
Kobe. Japan, Aug. I-Since my return
TO Japan / have made liliSent inquiry of
prominent natives and well-informed for
eigners TO ascertain if there be any occa-
sion for alarm over the so-called yellow
PERIL The German Emperor's famous
cartoon naturally excited fears among ;he
Western nations. and possibly had some
influence on European sympathy in the
present war. That Japan's position in
the East will give her paramount infiu-
ence in China and Korea. there is no
doubt. More and more each year China
is looking to Japan as her schoolmaster
in Western ideas. The ship on which
crossed the Pacific booked a number of
passengers at Yokohama for Shanghai.
and among them Were fifty young Chinese
who had been students IN the Imperial
University at Toxic. My information -
that there are now not less than 700
young men from China in the universities
of Japan. The tremendous Significance of
this fact is almost beyond human esti-
mate.
But the question arises. Do this and like
suggestive incidents portend evil TO West
crn civilization and commerce? VIII there
De "A consolidation OF Oriental peoples
and prejudice antagonistic To Western
thought and interests? That question mas
been so reiterated In tine ears OF Inc
japanese as TO occasion not a little NOR
tiflcation. But their sens.tiveness. or even
resentment, does not satisfactorily answer
the inquiry. so i have tried TO get at the
real truth
Some things may be taken for granted
finally settled Japan will never return
to the conservatism and isolation of other
days. in The 4veins OF this nation there
is the STIR and thrill of a new life Her
statesmen and leaders have been educated
in the West She has eagerly appropriated
all the material triumphs of Western civ
ilization. Her national pride has been
stimulated, and her ambitions have taken
a new direction. From these influences
and tendencies she Will never be alien
ated.
While this inquiry is on every Lip. there
Is an authoritative and official response
lean missionary in Japan. a ripe scholar.
and for many years a resident of Toxic.
| am enabled TO give AN interview with
Count katsura. the Prime Minister of
Japan. on this subject. He makes a
formal and emphatic statement which
cannot be misunderstood The words OF
down at his dictation. and afterwards
submitted to him for correction and APP
proval. He was entirely satisfied with
the written account ana what he says
f<ea sh0 s..an of ali
persons who have debated this all-im-
portant subject
Count Eatsura commenced the inter-
view by expressing great appreciation OF
present crisis. and for her unbroken
friendship during the. past fifty years;
But noticing In our journals fG ,S staa
he said: There seems TO be a vague
fear among your people that perhaps.
after all. Japan Is not quite what she Is
in case she should attain to a position of
Leadership III Eastern Asia. that her in
furious TO the rtshtful interests of West
ern nations, and in particular to the ex-
tension of the Christian religion"
That certaIaiy is candid statement OF
the charge that this is war Of race
against race. and religion against religion.
He said:
times put in this form: Russia stands for
Christianity and Japan for Buddhism.
The truth Is that Japan stands for re-
ligious freedom. This Is a principle en-
bodied IN her Constitution, and her
practice Is in accord with that principle.
In Japan man may be Buddhist.
Christian or even a Jew. without suffer-
ing for II. This so clear that no right
minded man acquainted with Japan would
question II. We have Christian churches
in every large city and in almost every
town in Japan, and they all have COM
plete freedom 20 teach and worship in ac-
cordance with their own convictions.
These churches send out men TO extend
the influence of Christianity from one end
of the country TO the other. as freely rs
such a thing might be done in the United
States There are numerous Christian
newspapers and magazines Christian
schools some OF them conducted by
foreigners and some by japanese, are
found everywhere
In passing IL may perhaps he worth
white to ask the question: How far 90 the
facts TO he found in Russia correspond
with all VI the facts above statea7 Tbs