The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-23
Minister'S Wu's Talk
at Commercial Club

The Commercial Club luncheon to
Minister WI was undoubtedly one of
the most important incidents of the
distinguished diplomats stay in this
port, and one of the most important
affairs the club has given. It was a
i ladies' day at the club, and members
brought their ladies in such large
numbers that there were more than
of the club was designed for When
the seating arrangements We're finally
made there were fully twice as many
ladies at table as there were men, the
club members themselves, for the most
part, waiting in the library and loung-
ing room, and coming into the dining
room and standing when the speech
making began.
Minister WI, accompanied by Consul
Chang, and others of his suite, arrived
shortly after one o'clock and were met
by F. w. Macfarlane and President
George w. Smith. They were taken
at once to the dining-room, where seats
had been reserved for them, as well as
for number of representative Chi
nese merchants of Honolulu, who were
also the guests of the club. At the
presidents table, Minister WI was
seated at the right of President Smith,
and the new Consul to Hawaii, Mr.
Tseng Hal, at his left. Next to Min
lister WI at his right was Governor
Frear, and then in order around the
table Consul Chang, Secretary On Sho
Chuen, j. p. Cooke, Lam Stu Gang,
Yee Chin and James F. Morgan. Other
members of the Minister'S suite, and
the local Chinese guests of the club,
were seated at tables nearby
In introducing Minister WI, Presi-
dent Smith said that for upwards of
fifty years we in Hawaii had been in
contact with the citizens of one of the
oldest nations on earth; and during
that time We have found them as mer
chants. honest and industrious.
"A few moments ago." began the
distinguished guest, 1.-The president of
the club asked me to make speech.
/ said I was not prepared. But as. he
insisted and / was his guest, / had
no option Yet, in my unpreparedness
L may De DSlEdNSu Iito SdSIA SOfiiC
thing that I otherwise would not
Therefore, if l should say anything
that may be unpleasant to you, / hope
you will forgive me.
1T is now five years since 1 passed
through here, yet it seems as though it
were but yesterday. There is one sig
nificant fact in connection with ray
visit which 1 shall not forget. In this
i han where you are assembled my couH-
trymen are not disseminated against.
This can only be accounted for by the
fact of your geographical position
You are here in the center of the
broad Pacific. China until a few years
ago was the most exclusive country
/ in the world. She had shut herself
up for centuries from the rest Of
| the world. she was satisfied with
! her own ancient civilization. She had
an abundant population, and album
j dant resources. So she shut herself up,
I evolving her own civilization, an an
cient one; not a perfect one. But
, still a civilization. and in some re-
| spects worthy of imitation.
But China was not allowed TO re-
main thus shut up to herself. Her
/ seawalls were battered down, by force
Il viii not say what force. And re-
pairs are not easy She is now open
/ TO the world.
I"Thus into one side of this great
ocean there pour the streams of a civ
ilization thousands of years old. Or