University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1914-06-11

when separated in ones mind-cata
logue, we are inclined to judge al
Orientals-and naturally so-by th'
usually unworthy specimens seen ol
American streets. China is not, how
ever, a nation of washermen, JapaI
is not composed chiefly Of geisha girl:
nor is India peopled altogether witt
jugglers and sellers Of shawls. Would
We wish the United States judged by
the Cooks tourists in Paris or the
cabdrivers in New York? American
| ignorance of the East may be explain
ed in several satisfactory ways. We
have been busy at other things, we
were not in world-politics. We were
studying Europe and sending our
young men and young women to Ger
many to come back college professors.
Whatever the explanation, the fact re-
mains. America is just now discover
ing the Pacific ocean. Having dis
covered it, We are, with characters
tic American energy and liberality,
opening a canal to it for other nations
to sail ships on.
The American merchant does not
get the trade of the East because he
does not go to a worlds trade school.
A Texan, Unexpectedly summoned to
China upon a business mission, sought
in Fort Worth books on China trade.
He wished to know something of its
commercial possibilities. There were
no books available. He went to st.
Louis. After searching he found three
rather Indifferent volumes with small
information. Yet China sells cotton
to the United States in competition
with Texas cotton. That was five
years ago. The situation is slightly
different today. In England, however,
at Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Bir- .
mingham, and, of course. in London, /
the worlds business center, the mer-
chant could find every book on China
and could tell the trade condition of
any Chinese port at a moments no
tice. AS for Germany-two Roman
Catholic missionaries from Germany
we're killed in China and the Protest
INT soul OF Germany Mortified thereat
demanded indemnity. When asked
what indemnity would be sufficient,
Germany asked at once and got the
'ichest unappropriated town-site in
he most desirable province explored
" Germans twenty years before! The
school of Commerce of the Univers-
ty of Missouri has not come too soon.
Representatives sent abroad by
american business houses have not,
s rule, been of a character to build
p trade or reflect credit upon Christ
an America. 1t may be observed,
that whatever opin-
ons are held at home, America abroad
) looked upon as a Christian nation
nd its Americans abroad, merchants,
diplomats, tourists, or what
OF, are regarded as representatives
Christianity. Shanghai boasts in
ne Shanghai Club "the largest bar
l the world" Practice at this bar
oes not promote business success,
Rough American clerks sometimes
link so. The ability to drink cock
advertised as American
and to sign chits-the eastern pro-
issory note-gracefully and fire.
lently are not the only or the chief I
for enchanting Ameri- :
IN commercial prestige in the Orient.
oral character guaranteed to stand
e mildewing effect of Oriental eli
ates and conditions, knowledge of at
asst one foreign language, acquaint-
ice with the history and customs of
e country, some information as to
orld-politics and world-trade and a
sion that takes in more than a club
r and a ledger-these are needed
the American representatives
road who are to bring reputation
d trade to American business inter-
Is at home. Some American estab-
hments, the Standard Oil Company,
a conspicuous example, realize the
ed for trained and qualified men OF
,ral fibre. Others send out to trade
tn the Chinese, the worlds shrewd-
merchants, men who would fail as