Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26
THE CHINESE EMPIRE
Ex-Secretary Fosters Ad-
dress Last Night.
EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW
OF THE CONDITIONS IN THE
FLoWERY KINGDOM.
Traced Down From Earliest Period to
the Present Time-An Anomaly
of History.
EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW

Former Secretary of State John w. Eos
ter last night delivered an address before
the National Geographic Society on
China" the text of which is published
in the National Geographic Magazine for
December. The address was exhaustive,
showing clearly the conditions which has
existed III the dowery kingdom as far back
as history reveals, and outlining the pres
ent state of affairs. In beginning his ad-
dress Mr.. Foster said:
"A British cabinet minister, in discussing
the condition of China in the house of COM
mons about the time of the Boxer troubles,
used the following language:
History is full of accounts of the
weakness and decay of great empires. but
do not think that history shows single
case in which an empire numbering its
Inhabitants by hundreds of millions, which
has never received any blow directed
against a vital part, whose inhabitants
have many of the qualities which go to
make up a great nation, being thrifty, IN
dustrious, enterprising, courageous do
not think that history shows a single case
where an empire of that kind had been
apparently unable to act against the fee
blest form of attack
An Anomaly of History.
"a study of this anomaly of history is
a task too vast for single lecture, and in
which 1 can only touch the surface Of the
subject. AT the outset it presents several
interesting and distinctive characteristics
China is the most ancient of all the ma
tons of the past or the present 1t is the
most numerous people ever gathered under
single government. 1t is the most homo
geneOus and durable race of all time. If
we combine literature, philosophy, science,
invention industries.
probably stand in the lead of all the ma
tons. That such a people and government
have reached the condition of apparently
utter helplessness described by the British
statesman is the marvel of the day. and
challenges the attention of the student of
history and politics.
After briefly reviewing the history and
development of China from the time of the
Emperor Yaou, the model monarch" down
through the various dynasties to the pres
ent time, with particular reference to
China's relations to the rest of the world,
Mr. Foster said:
A Great Change Going On.
"A great change has taken place and is
still going on in the empire. 1t has begun
al the fountain head of power and inf1u-
ence in the person of the empress dowager
The court like it's mistress, has
undergone a great TRANSFORMATION. For
two hundred and fifty years, since Russia
first established diplomatic intercourse
with 1t, the western powers have been
engaged in a constant struggle to secure
recognition on basis of equality. Up to
a very recent date no one could appear in
the presence of the occupant of the dragon
house without prostration and personal
abasement. Today the emperor may be
seen as readily and with as little formality
audience of the crowned heads of
Europe, and the empress dowager delights
to entertain her foreign visitors with an
saff too