Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-15

Smith that 1.-The great migrations of
mankind are the great epochs of his
tory" and whipple declares that there
was never a great migration which did
not give rise to new form of national
life."
These observations are abundantly con-
frmed by history. The migration OF
Abraham from Chaldea and the Exodus
of Israel from Egypt were examples In
the early history of the world which IL
lustrate the truth of these statements.
The migration of the Ahglo-Saxons in
to Britain, the later coming of the Nor
mans, and the more recent mtgrations
of Europeans to America, are exempli-
fcations III subsequent centuries of the
same principle
In the light of this great truth it is
extremely interesting to note that per-
haps the most migratory people in the
present era is the Chinese. They have
overhowed by the millions into the lands
near to China, and many thousands of
them have reached the most distant
lands.
The Chinese are monopolizing the
Straits Settlements. They are crowding
the federated Malay states. In the Ma
lay peninsula and the Straits settlements
Chinese. There are 100000 in Formosa,
and 100000 in Siam. In Burmah there
are thousands of them, and in the Dutch
East Indies are found more than half
million of them. They are pouring in
to Sumatra and they are filling Borneo
with Chinese colonies Although Hong
kong is accounted a British colony and
city, it is really huge Chinese settle
ment under English rule. OF the 100000
nIAlxre
$4,000 are Chinese.
These people are found in Japan, the
Hawaiian Islands, Korea, Mexico, and
the countries of South America. One
meets on the streets of every European
capital Chinese traders and laborers.
They would practically over-run Manila
if they were not restrained by the ex-
clusion laws of the United States, and
notwithstanding those statutes there are
very many of them in our own country.
Thousands are found in Canada, also.
They have many striking characters
tics besides the features of their faces.
They are uniformly thrifty, and they
never forget China. Industrious and
frugal to the last degree, they accumu-
late money and win commercial, success.
To regard them as wanting In intelli-
gence is utterly to miss the mark. No
nation has more natural mentality than
the Chinese. They are a nation of
philosophers.
What means the scattering of such a
people throughout the earth? 1t can not
be apart from the purposes of Provi-
dence concerning mankind. The disper-
sion of the Jews In an earlier age was a
movement far less extensive than the
running of the modern Chinese to all
lands throughout the whole earth today.
And this Chinese dispersion can scarce
ly be without the most marked influence.
They become bankers and capitalists in
many instances, and thereby they in
fuence commercial currents strongly.
What is more, this migration, great as
II is has just begun. For the most part
it has moved from the Southern part OF
China alone, chiefly from Canton. But
there is now wonderful stir IN the
great valley of the Yangtsekiang River
and in all the Northern provinces. And
it is worthy of observation that the Chi
nese of the North are a more robust
and aggressive type than those of the
South. The men of Canton and Macao,
whom we see in the streets of Ameri-
can cities, and who are for the most
part engaged in the laundry or restau-
rant business, are by no means such men
as one meets on the streets of shanghai,
Suchow, or Picking. When these North
ern ana central PROVINCES pSSlh " SCiio
forth their thousands they win go forth
conquering host.
It must not be forgotten that China is
awakening politically and commercially
as never before. A great standing army
is under training, and the making of
navy has begun. For centuries the
Chinese have not cultivated the arts of
war; holding as they have held that war
is barbarious and unworthy of an en-
| lightened civilization. But they are not
wanting in courage. Their ancient his
tory attests their valor, and the perfect
calmness with which a Chinese man will
take his own life reveals their nerve.
When their army has been trained and
their navy has been organized they will
force the repeal of exclusion acts which
at present humiliate them and restrain
their freedom of movement in the world.
They will crowd to Manila, to San Fran
cisco, or wherever else they please to go.