Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-31
China's Motives Must BE
AS Great AS Cfina'S Mass
Bv Bishop w. 4. Gambler

Napoleon the Great warned cnristeh-
dom of the danger of waking the sleeping
giant OF China: but nevertheless that
gigantic nation is now more than half
awake.
thinks of the awakening of China, 1t is
the most revolutionary and far-reaching
movement in the earth at the opening OF
the twentieth century. The mere bulk
of the population staggers the mind that
to comprehend its great mag
nitude. 1t is now known that the inhab-
ftants of China number more than no.
900, coo of souls. Hitherto this fact has
seemed a myth of the speculative statis-
ticians, but a recent census shows that
the estimates which have put the popula-
ton of the Celestial Empire at 4OO,oOooOc
have been below rather than above the
mark,
And the Chinese are not barbarous,
nor an inferior, people. They are heath
en-, but not a savage. people Tnelr
philosophers are not inferior to the PM
losophers of ancient Greece or ancient
Rome. Indeed, many of the agnosuc
philosophers resident in the Christian ma
lions today are not so profound IN their
systems of thought as are the thinkers OF
China.
The Chinese, like all other orientals,
have been heretofore more philosophic
than scientific in their intellectual en-
deavours BY consequence they are far
behind the Occidental nations in matters
of inventions and all the things Wnicn
make for material greatness. But tne
events of the last decade have qutckened
interest and fired effort among them IN
this direction Japan, located as an
island kingdom in mid-ocean and washed
by all the currents of modern commerce,
learned moe quickly the knowledge
which the Orientals are accustomed 70
bulk under the general term OF the
Western Learning. The power OF these
acquisitions upon the part OF the Japan
csc was underestimate by the Chinese
when the two countries went to war a
few years ago. When Japan won such an
easy and swift victory China was amazed
and shocked. After the lapse Of few
more years the war between Japan ano
Russia came on, and again China was
surprised beyond mesure at the strength
displayed by Japan. These repeated
shocks of war set China thinking. With
serious. philosophic consideration the
Chinese began TO inquire for the cause
of the surprising strength Of japan, ana
the conclusion reached was that the
source OF that strength was In the West
ern Learning" which japan had acquired.
Forthwith there sprang up In China an
unwonted zeal for the same knowledge.
MANY thousands of students Hooked to
the schools of Japan. Many more thou
sands entered the mission schools OF the
churches A very great number went
to the schools and colleges of Eu-
rope and America. Not within historic
tunes have men witnessed such an edu-
cational revolution; 1t has amounted 10
national contagion. affecting all classes
from highest to lowest
One of the first fruits OF the move
ment is the national demand for a con-
stitutional government. The reigning dy-
nasty in China is not really Chinese,
but Tartar, and very naturally the Re
gent and the men about the throne have
not been favourable to the demand for
a parliamentary government. But they
have not been able to resist it. In 1907
the Chinese Imperial Court. therefore, is
sued an ediot promising te call par
lament In 1916. But that did not salts
~ the people, and there has been a
persistent agitation for the earlier IN
auguration of a constitutional govern
ment To appease the popular clamor
a sort of Senate was constituted, COM
posed of 9S members OF the Imperial
family and 9e representatives OF the peo-
pie. But this has not been enough. A
great petition, asking for more repre-
sentative form of government having
been refused repeatedly by the Prince
Regent was sent to the Senate for its
approval last October, and to the amaze
ment of all parties the petition was ap-
proved by the Senate most cordially,
even many of the representatives OF the
Imperial family in the Senate giving II
their hearty support
correspondent Of the Japanese news
paper published at Osaka and called the
'MAINICHI" writing from Peking de-
scribes the occasion on which the Pc
tition was discussed In the Senate as
follows:
more than ten members spoke.
all indorsing the petition in the most
emphatic terms. The galleries were
filled to overfiowing, most of those
present being agitators who have been
urging the Government to open par
lament Immediately. When the pro-
uosaI was adopted these agttators
burst into an enthusiastic demon
stration of jubilation, clapping. their
hands and shouting Long live the
Senatep
Such a scene In conservative China Is
most significant to all who know any
thing about the Chinese government and
people It is almost incredible that such
a situation should have come to pass so
soon.
Another Japanese newspaper COM
mentfng upon the mater says:
Heretofore we have been inclined
to think that the clamor for an ear
ly parliament in China came only
from indiscreet agitators. The re-
cent act of the Senate puts this po-
htlcal movement In a somewhat diff
ferent light. The Chinese Senate.
which, In the event Of the Inaugural
ton of a constitution, is to be-
come the upper house of the diet.
consists at present of 1876 members.
of whom sS are composed of MEM
beers of the imperial family and
those chosen by the Government z
from among mobiles, officials. schol-
airs, and highest taxpayers. Natural
ly they constitute the conservative
element In the Senate, and 1t was
universally expected that they would
not lend ear to the clamor OF polit-