The Washington herald., 1913-07-17
SHOWS CHINESE
AS DEMOCRATS
Always Governed Then,elve.
and Were Little Governed
BY Imperial Power.
BR0THERLY LOVE RULE
Chiness Philosophers from he Eariss,
Day. He Says, Taasht
Philanthropy.

fhuanthropy.
Chinese philanthropy is discus.ed in
z recent article in the Survey by Henry
Snans' OF the Chinese Legation at WASH
nston- He says the average American,
VINO believes that there is no real rood
IN China. except what has come through
missionaries. may be surprised to learn
mat philanthropy. with its spirit of
orotherly love and assistance, has been
taught by Chinese philosophers and
ethical teachers from the earliest days
ana has been the constant and wide
spread practice of the natives them
selves. He finds proof for what he sayu
IN q monograph by one Of his country
men. Yu Yue Tsu. recently published.
unusual interest to the average
Westerner, SO long accustomed to con-
slder the former imperial Chinese re-
time a. absolutely despotic, il the au-
tnors presentation OF the real nature
Of the old Chinese government" ssys
Mr.. Chang. "Mr. Tsu describes the
iooseness Of imperial rule. In his tude-
ment. the reason for this In the reo-
graphical isolation Of China and lack
or close contact with other nations. The
Sohsequeht lack OF necessity 1or a
s.rong central government has led to
eorreiative growth OF local government
among the smaller units Of collective
HE, towns. projects, and districts. The
result has been that while China on the
surface was under an absolute monar-
chical rule, its people were really auton-
omous. The functions of the general
government consisted almost entirely in
the collection of nominal taxes and the
At.
attention of the real government, which
was in the hands of the people
IN the Presentation Of his subject Mr.
isu nrst traces the spirit of philan-
trophy through the teaching of the an
Gent philosophers and the older prac-
tces Of the people and their rulers He
then, as preliminary to the discussion
of different phases of charitable activitv
on the part of the Chinese. explains the
poverty OF the masses in China This
ne states, is due not to any lack of fru-
ealty or capability or application on the
part of the people, but rather to the over.
p crowding of population upon the means
OF subsistence. The 'ove-crowding is so
excessive that privatioa and absolute
starvation must follow any unusual hap
pehing, such as failure Of the crops
Ihere Is a government poor law designed
for the relief Of such distress, to be ad-
ministered by the magistrates, who are
the real factors of authority in the small
er governmental districts; yet, owing to
the paucity of the revenues obtained from
the government taxes, which, despite the
general opinion of Chinese officiai rapac.
n.y. are very light. the government Door
law Is ineffective. Relief of distress In
really in the hands of the people them.
selves.
Charity Among the People.
Mr.. Tsu. having described the various
forms by which the people have taken
over the administration Of charity in the
Elementary sense. and iscussed at length
the private and institutional means where
by the aged. the dependent young. and
the destitute sick are provided for takes
up under the two heads of Mutual Benz
Mt and Civic Betterment the wider forms
OF charitable endeavor among the Chi
nese
The chapter on mutual benefit il one
of the most interesting. In IL Mr.. Tsu de-
scribes the readiness among Chinese mao.
pie to combine for the relief of each
others distress. This, he says consti-
tutes a distinct social habit particularly
as reinforced by the habits of co-opera-
ton engendered in economic activities.
SUCH as the clan and the community.
Inc chapter contains a most instructive
outline Of these different ORGANIZATIONS.
The clan, as a consanguinity group,
observing patronrmic descent, is dis
cussed with relation to its social value in
the promotion Of charities and general
cooperative spirit in social life, and is
shown to render great service in the
maintenance of law and order in the
country. To quote the author: The ira
ditional 1aw-abiding nature of the people
despite the apparent absence of govern
mental machinery. is explained by the
clan solidarity, working itself out in a
system of legal responsibility of members
of a family for one another The clan
conscience is termed by Mr.. Tsu the
simplest expression of social conscience
in its broadcast meaning. because IL Is |
elementary and primary and first ap- |
pears in social evolution. |
4 THE next simplest expression of social |
conscience he terms local spirit or local |
ISM by which he means the attachment |
to a locality. and. secondarily. attach |
another. He instances as the best ex-
ample of this the Chinese village, which |
though politically under the local magis- |
trate, who had Jurisdiction over all the |
villages in his district. Is in reality self |
governing group. They resemble the
early English communities, with their
town meeting government and elective |
head man who has delegated powers.
consisting in the maintenance Of roads.
supervision of fairs, building and upkeep
Of public edifices. sinking Of wells. and
the policing Of the place. This spirit of
localism is also expressed in various
ways in cooperation In the collateral,
economic, and Industrial life Of the viii
Iage. It is expressed in village charities.
mutual loan societies, and In mutual
providential societies. whereby provision
isl made for the special drains upon the
members resources occasioned by we'd
dings or funerals. Another form OF mu-
tuaI benefit in Chinese life is the district
club existing in large trading cities and
towns This provides a basis of associa-
ton for persons temporarily absent from
home.
Labor Organised, Too.
4 "The fourth subdivision of mutual
benefit taken up comprises the trade
and craft guilds which cover almost all
the trades and professions and forms of
labor. These, though existing primarily
for the promotion Of the interests of the
specific trades, crafts. &c, have also ex-
tensive interests in matters of social
relief, whereby the guilds become
mutual benefit agencies for assistance in
misfortune.
THE third general division OF Chinese
discussed is civic better
ment. which In Chinese conception and 1
6ractice Is a legitimate field for the ex-
ercise of altruistic energies. In this
chapter Mr.. Tsu discusses the Chinese
in theory and in pract;ce | l