The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-17

any Of these. and, with the exception
of France. 1t is more important In the
quality Of the people.
With a population of 400, 600. 900
there are all kinds of minds in China.
Many of these minds have oom in
them for new knowledge, Dr. at least
for knowledge different from that
which they hold, but very few Of them
hold much that they need to get rid
OF in order to carry through with a
fair chance of success the experiment
pom which they have entered. The
normal Chinaman is accustomed to
look at things pretty much as they
are. He has his pet beliefs and Gus
TOMS. but these do not impair the use
of his W. judgment in the situation
in which he finds himself. He Is not
heavily with prepossessions or
prejudgrnents or superstitions. Doubt
less no possesses these things in n fair
degree, but not in a sufficient degree
to make him lock the door of his
mind and throw the key away in re-
gard to new conditions and new
chances. He is not a dreamer or n
visionary or a mystic. He is thor
oughly practical; he is sensible to the
degree that his opportunities have
furnished him with knowledge; and
he laughs to scorn the silly idea tina
of meal enough for only one.
The curse OF this revolution is
good enough proof of the general
capacity Of the Chinese people. 1t is
the biggest revolution that the world
has seen since our own, and in the
end it may have quite as large and
wholesome an effect upon the world
as ours. Making due allowance for
tho greater number of people in
China, and for the difference in orig
and environment, this Chinese
revolution has been quite as peaceful
as our own. There have been bat
in China. such as they were
trifiins engagements. like those of
IL Revolutionary war, and not at
all like the terrific and devastating
encounters that distinguished our
Civil war: n or two cities have been
pretty we'll burned. and also parts of
perhaps half a dozen other cities or
towns: some few hundreds of these
combatants, or possibly two or three
thousands. have been b%eheaded, the
customs of China making this the
only feasible method-a method still
used in Europe; and perhaps a dozen
men been killed by throwing
bombs at them; and this fairly sums
up the s%anguinary side Of this rcvolu-
ton.
One Of the theories that the west
has cherished in regard to China is
mat there was no national spirit
among her millions OF people. 1t is
evident now that this theory was
more of a comfort to the west than
the truth about the Chinese people.
The revolution has been national from
beginning to enc. 1t almost went on
OF itself after the first stroke had
been made at Hankow last summer.
and in no quarter did it ever go back
ward. The ultimate place to be af-
fected and cleaned up was Picking,
the seat Of h Manchu power. Prob
ably the most memorable triumph of
tho revolution is that Peking has at
last Joined China without an open
fght-merely by the pressure of the
Chinese mind. multiplied by 400, 00O,-
900. Peking is nothing but a court
residence; its business life hangs on
the expenditures of the Manchu court
princes; it has heen the backyard
OF Manchu corruption, debauchery
and tyranny. 1t was the unanimity
Of China-the common and determin-
cd national spirit that has been de-
scribed over and over again as in
dividualism raised to the highest pow
penetrated the stupid Nam
chu mind and broke its f1erce obstin-
acy.
The lesson for the west is tolerably
plain. The safe day for playing
guardian to China. and making her
pay for it at one hundred per cent
interest. has closed. They are a great
people out there. in spite of their
manifest deficiencies; they act as if
they intended 10 pull together; and
all the probabilities are that they will
know how to take carc of themselves
and of their country.