Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-06-13


While am writing there sits in one
corner Of the saloon OF the steamship.
utterly unconscious that he is the sub.
ject OF this sketch. a short, slender
Chinaman. dressed I'm conventional
continental style. At first glance you
might easily take him for a japanese,
but II so you will discover your mis-.
take BY the time you have taken your
second or third glance. There is that
In his quiet, dlgnified bearing and in
his attractive department which tells
you he Is Of the highest class.
I was on the boat four days before
he spoke to me. Then. after I had
opened a conversation, he remarked
that he had heard of me before EN-.
barking, through the editor OF q Chi.
nese newspaper in San Francisco, and
that he had been waiting to make my
acquaintance. Evidently he consider.
ed It in bad taste 10 make advances.
You perceive to start with. then,
that he ia diffidept. but as your con.
yersation lengthens, embracing many
subjects. Il gradually dawns on yo,,
that his Is the modesty born of seren.
ity. OF confidence in ones own powers
that have been tried and not discoy.
cred TO be wanting NV ew.found
Chinese friend Is a graduate of Cor.
nell and after travelling on the CONT.
nent to finish his studies In ANALYTICAL
chemistry he is on his way back to
his home in Canton
He Is modern 10 his finger tins in
reasoning. sentiment and conviction
but when he reads for his pleasure he
prefers. the Chinese TO our European
classics. which is of course solely a
matter OF taste and therefore not omen
to dispute. He believes. as YOU nigh,
Icxpect. In modernity for China and he
lean see its ancient system and insti
buttons go to the wall without a
loualm. When Won ask him To EXPRESS
an oDinion as In the nrobable sneed
Iof the Transformation no lodges tbe
Tissue in his modest wellbred way
and seeks refuge In a Quiet smile.
China. he tells Won. il n country OF
very much over 400 900 900 people and
when dealing with mass OF that size
Ino one can sneak with certainty Re-.
sides the mass ia heterogeneous al.
yided into different peonles. with ar.
lferent customs. MANY of the Chi.
lnese cannot even understand the dia.
llects of tho others
Az for himself he baa trave,ed al,
Through China from and 10 end knows
lar thorouehly sneaks all its dialects
with the same facility that he does
French. German and English and begs
Ito he excused from yenturing on nm
dominion. Some things are far beyond
the penertation of his limited mowers
and an he can do r. to hone for the
hest. Reforms. innovations. institu
ltions. all these are tribes and but su
tperf,cial. The real thing ia the peo
ple ali depends on the people. ant
1.-The people. he repeats. are an un
known quantity. even to him VIII,
lloyes them SO much and knows then
SO well.
You are tempted. of course. into
asking him what he thinks IA the IN.
lture OF the European powers in China
land how China will solve its burden
lsome European problem. Again he
lovades tho issue and tells you gently
lhe was not born with the gift OF pro
Iphecy, He has abiding faith in his
people, but more he will not say. YOU
feel that he stands aghast before Eu
ropean self.sufiiciency, which know.
lso very little and dares rashly to pre-
dict SO much, and you are silent.
The conversation turns later on n,i
lmerous Chinese subjects and ther
lshifts to America. He speaks with
self-restraint but with Just indigna
ton of the insults visited on his owl
people by our country. He himsel
when q student at Cornell crossed tn,
border at Niagara to 10 into Canad;
with HIS professor and class O
American students on q scientific ex
pedition. On the way back he wa
| stonnod nv N stunid immiRration on