The San Francisco call., 1906-09-02
Bryan Finds Alter Answering
Book That He Was
Hoaxed.
Bu Edpard F. CnhiLL


EN the intervals Of hobnobbing with
the crowned heads OF Europe and
taking tea with the nobility William
Jennings Bryan has been writing a
book entitled Letters to a Chinese
Qdicial" published by Mcclure, Phil
lips & Co. II is a reply TO the famous
Letters. From a Chinese Ohicial"~ that
o. had extensive vogue some two years
ago. This was discussion of Christian
civilization in England and America
as the supposed author had found it.
X is rather 3 Joke on Mr. Bryan that
he wrote his reply in the full belief
that. the author was a truly Chinese.
After he had written his reply Mr..
Bryan discovered that the Chinese Of
fetal was in fact an Englishman and
the book an elaborate and well-eXe-
cuted hoax. Bat that discovery made
no difference TO Mr.. Bryan He had
written his reply in seriousness-there
are few statesmen and no writers who
can be so serious as AIr Bryan-and
his effort. was too precious to be
wasted.
The interest of this literary episode
lies chiefly in the light that it throws
OF Mr BryaRis sense Of style or lack
OF that sense Let US see. Here. is a
quotation from the. supposititiOus Chit
nese official:
If in China we have manners. If we
have art. If we have morals. the rea-
son, 10 those who can see. is not far to
seek. Nature has taught us, and so far
we are only more fortunate than you.
But also we have had the: grace TO
learn her lesson, and that. we think, we
may ascribe TO our Intelhgences. For
consider. here IN this lovely valley live
thousands Of souls without any law
save that Of custom. without any rule
save that of their own hearths. In
dusrrious they are. as you hardly know
industry in Europe; but it is the indus
try Of free men working for their kith
and kin on the lands they have re
ceived from their fathers 10 transmit.
enriched by their labors, TO their sons
They have no other ambition, they do
not care 10 amass wealth. and il in
each generation some must needs go
out into the world il is with the hope,
not commonly frustrated, TO return to
the place of their birth and spend their
.id6ciining years among the scenes and
faces that were dear to their youth.
among sueh people there is no room
for fierce. indecent rivaIries. None is
4iISster, none servant, bat equality,
lonerete and real. regulates nd sus-
talns their intercourse. Healthy toll,
:3s7l4ficient leisure, frank hospitality, q
; content born Of habit and Nndfsturbed
by. chimerical ambitions. a sense Of
6ea1ty fostered by the loreIiest ma
tuTe in the world and finding express
sion in gracious and digniaed manners
c.R-llere il is not embodied. in exquisite
works Of art-such are the character
.istics: Of the people among whom I
was born. Does my memory fatter
sne2 DO realize the scenes Of my
youth? 1t may be so: But this know.
that some such life as haye described.
reared on the basis of labor on the
soil. Of equality and. justice. does exist
and flourish throughout the .ength and
breadth Of China"
3 obviously no foreigner would be like
" 10 acquire such fine mastery Of this
p .-treacherous and -dinieult English Ian
&ge, and that Mr. Bryan could have
believed otherwise is proof, If proof
were needed, that be does not appre-
.ciate the niceties Of style In mo-
heights OF rude Nebraska metaphor like