The Washington herald., 1908-07-30
The East Awakeaing.

Near East and far East are. IT IS evil
dent il the turmoil Of a great awakening
an awakening in a struggle for liberty
that. in some OF its aspects. is not unlike
the seething Of Europe century ago,
when tie people were coming into their
own Two comparatively modern causes
have resulted toward this effect; first.
the establishment Of American power in
the Philippines. and. second, the Russo
japanese war But the Ieaven had begun
to work before that; it has been working
for many years and in divers ways. but
the revolt is spreading fast
It's latest manifestation Is the granting
Of a constitution TO his people by the sui
tan Of Turkey. The same thing was done
in 1876. but it did not last long, It was a
spasmodic attempt al reform. and 1t died
early. some OF the abIest men Of Turkey
travelling 10 the grave with f. But the
present decree has been wrung from the
Sublime Porte by the demand Of his 2eo-
pie. and is the direct result Of the propa-
ganda carried on from Paris by a large
body OF young Turks whose patriotic
ideal has been the Westernizing Of their
nation The moment was propitious. The
Sultan had the example Of Russia on the
north, Of Persia on the south: he was
made 10 feel the imuinence Of revolt in
his army. the dIsanection throughout his
provinces. and at last he has yielded, and
a great step toward liberalism has been
taken
The action OF the Sublime Porte is
symptomatic Of the upheaval' Throughout
the East Japan is the most significant
example. with the magnificent strides she
has made within the last half century to-
ward an ideal OF Western civilization.
The leaven is working in Korea. where
the struggle for liberty and independence.
though comparatively silent. Is costing
thousands Of lives and much treasure.
Backward China is coming 10 the front
IN the worlds affairs mainly because Of
the struggles Of its people 10 be free. Il
is only within the last decade that such
a word as seIf-government has had any
meaning for the Chinese. but al last Ire
revolt IS on.
In Hindustan. TOO. the leaven Of revolt
against oppressive conditions IS seething.
aided by The propaganda OF the japanese.
and reacting again on the people Of the
Philippines. and carrying a voice. only a
whisper Yet. 20 Siam. Afghanistan. and
-ha other Eastern --arfo-s
The struggle is on; the fight is well un-
der way. and It is given 10 US Of this
generation 20 watch these nations grow.
We may mark the progress OF liberty as
exemplihed in the growing freedom OF the
Russian DOuma, We may see Persia, with
her year-old parliament. stiu struggling
against the agtocracy Of her Shah. we
may note India calling upon he. people
TO throw or the yoke Of British govern
ment- The people OF Korea laying down
their lives against oppression: the un-
counted millions OF I0ng-benighted China
grop-ng toward the light OF liberty and
expression.
Il IS a world movement toward freedom
that IS On. and looking 10 the future. one
can see something fitting IN recalling the
prophetic expression Of Charles Dickens
= see a brilliant people rising from this atyss.
and in their struggles Be Truly free IL their tn
umFh= and dsiez-s. through Icrz. long years %
come. see the er e this time and of ;le 7rzv-rs
time Of which this IS the natural birth. E-adsaIly
making ezEiati1n fr ITSELF and wearing cut