The Washington herald., 1907-10-21
DEMANDS FAIR PLAY
Bishop Roots, of China, Ad-
dresses Young Men.
ABOLISH RACE PREJUDICE
America should Do Justice 10 Weak
Members of Any Race-WOrds
Highly COmmendatOry of Far East
ern People, Who, He Says, Are as
Strong Mentally as Our Subjects.
GIVE the Chinese fair play.

Tive 'Ine CnlueSe talr play.
That was the appeal made yesterday
afternoon by Bishop l. H Roots, of the
Episcopal Church in China, when he was
speaking before several hundred young
men in the gymnasium of the Young
Mems Christian Association building. At
ter he had explained his attitude, result
ing from work In China for several years,
he was appiauded heartily for fully a
minute. And when the meeting was over,
many of those in the meeting rushed for
ward to shake hands with the speaker
and personally express their support of
his sentiments.
Bishop Roots was not the regular
speaker, but as he was in the audience,
he was called upon by Chairman Miles NJ
Shand
The message which I bring 10 you
from your representative in China, with
whom I have worked, Mr.. Brockman. is.
Give the Chinese fair play We Ameri-
cans have learned the value Of fair play.
OF squarely looking each other in the eye.
We recognize the value OF fair play be-
tween student and teacher, between capi-
tai and labor, between white and black.
and we should be striving for il between
our race and every other race with which
we come in contact. But there is great
danger in the dealings with the Chinese.
even With those in this country We don't
give them fair play. Our busines is 10
deal with them fairly. That doesn't mean
to pamper them, but to give them fair
play in our international intercourse and
give them a chance 10 know what we
know.
Justice 20 the Weak.
I'VE know enough Of them TO admire
them. Americans ought at least to do
justice to the weak members Of any race.
and. certainly Of a race with such mag
nihcent qualities as we have found in
the Chinese. There is not a race of
better stock than the Chinese. They are
as sturdy as We are; they are mentally
strong, with a capacity for work that
ought to make Us envious; with intel
iectual culture that any nation might De
proud Of and with a morality that has
kept out of their temples the dedling
things that have been allowed 10 get
into the temples Of all other races ex-
ccpt the Christian.
The hardest question ! was ever asked
was that propounded by a Chinaman.
near Hankow recently. when he said 20
me: Why do you Americans treat my
cOuntrymen so2 and he referred 10 the
matters which brought about the Chinese
boycott about a year ago.
When / address an audience of Chi
nese, I tel them that in the next treaty
between the United States and China the
same class of Americans viii be excluded
from China as the United States excludes
of Chinese from our country. And that
sentiment is greeted with loud applause.
because the Chinese know the conditions
and understand the prejudice. And if
that Is done, there viii never DE another
boycott"
''Wiu the speaker please tell US specif-
cally how We have not given the Chinese
fair plsy?' asked one OF the members Of
the audience, as Bishop Roots was about
10 leave the platform.
Because You pick them out from all
the nations of the world and refuse them
entrance into this country quickly re-
piled the bishop.
Look at the Chinese in San Francisco.
and viii you say that we want such
people in this country" persisted the
questiOner.
The Chinese are as moral as any
people that live" flashed back the cham
pi0n of the Orientals. when the Chi
nese learn our vices. they suspect us of
more than we suspect them. Race pToju-
dice is wrong. If some Chinese are bad
put them down, just as you put down any
mean man alongside Of you from every
country"