The daily sentinel., 1905-04-04
HIS MISSION

San Francisco, Cal, Apr. HI.
Rider Haggard. the famous English
! novelist and labor commissioner from
the British government. in an ad-
dress before the students of the Uni
versity of California spoke particu-
larly OF his mission in this country
and his impressions of the social CON
dluons at present obtaining on this
coast The most interesting feature
of his remarks was his statement con
cerning the yellow peril and its
significance in the light of recent
Japanese successes.
Many of you have heard of me
as novelist. That has been my
occupation. and / anne neither GO
ing to deny nor magnify that occupa-
tion The books may amuse and dun
pain and instruct, conveying at times
very valuable lessons. Perhaps there
are in most men various sides of
character. The stranger who is known
in this country finds himself the OBJ
iect of interest. He learns all sorts
of things from the reporters-that
he has good accent; that he is
mean and insignificant. or. finally.
that he drops his his.
Although l have been a writer of
fiction, ! have now turned my mind
to more serious thoughts. The evils
about one accepted as inevitable
should be met with, and, if possible,
overcome. A few years ago | no
g, 4
was being swept of its best and the
/ CITIES BECOMING GLUTTED AND
SETTLING TANKS OF MISERY
AND SIN. You may say that the
rich live in the city. but five minutes
from the houses of the wealthy what
do you see? In England today the
conditions in the city slums is terri
BILE. THE CIVILIZED PEOPLE OF
THE WESTERN WORLD MUST
STOP THIS CONGLOMERATION OF
A FEW LARGE CITIES OR IT IS
INEVITABLE THAT RACE SUI
eide OF THE MOST AGGRAVAT-
ED TYPE WILL GROW.
Another danger is from the east
Unless we reform. the Mongol hordes
who have not the evils of the Occi-
dent. will sweep over us as they have
done in the past. The men are
strong in Asia, and why? Because
they are brave, because they are pat
/ riotic. because they are determined
and whole-hearted. But why are all
these things true? Because they
have drawn on a land of primitive
\ virtues, which alone make people
great. That, believe to be the alb
solute truth.
IF the western nations are to con
tinue to hold their own. then they
must abandon the habit of nockine
into cities and living in slums What
is the remedy? | believe there are
remedies at hand. am sent to
Investigate certain small colonies
which have been instituted. and II
can find that they are what they are
said to be, or if there is some key
to open this mighty door, / believe
that, with sympathetic management.
men and women can again be brought
back to the land
"lt is worth while to help in that
movement. 1t is no small thing-it
Is the greatest. do hope that what
have said may carry some convic-
ton with it. and that all of YOU
may do what | believe is a very
great and vital work, / am address,
ing here a large number of young
men who are about to enter upon
life
H
There is just a word I wish to add
to the young men. We are told now
adays that the world is very prosy.
sordid and unromanuc. do not
quite think So
There is romance in every line
of life and work to do. Just look
upon the careers of such men as Chi
nese' Gordon, who perished at Khar-
toum what an example OF a ro-
mantle figure. Would it have been
said that within this prosy age and
world such a man could have arisen
to be glory to us for all time? Ce-
ell Rhodes is another. What an i'm
age he became, not in the world of
finance, but as builder He was
a man who began as any of us might
have begun. He was the sixth son
of clergyman in England man
without any means. / believe him
to be one of the greatest men of
the entire century In his brief 4G
yenrs he added a territory larger
than the United States to the civil
lied world. II was not accident. The
man aimed toward it, and willed it.
and achieved if.
And General Booth-look at that
man. He began without any ad-
vantages and he has instituted the
greatest charitable organization that
the world has seen. And he did it
by settling to an object by strength
of Will. by determined and ordered
effort, 10y the exercise Of a marvel
ous goodness Of heart. with such
eNamples before us none of us need
Il fnaf Tint f14ar. i.