The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-06-10
Chinese Manners and Cheer.
From Asia Magazine.

The weak points If a people, like those of a. Individual. are the defects
OIL their qualities. Vices are lot ar removed from virtues; hey are their
Theya re probably right in their belief. In comparison even the best Of western
manners often appear either crude or else overdone, affected. Nothing an
exceed M ameniy of tn Japanese in personal intercourse. But they learned
Lher tGu G Wena IS 10 much else from China, and it remains somewhat
TIT forms of intercourse It'll they no longer seem forms. High and low are
so easy n nconstrain din their bearing toward n another, that ne is
tempted, in spite of scientific authority to believe in the inheritance by later
generauo Of The acquired by previous generations. Cheerfuhness
e contentnent amid the most trying conditions are a part of good man
ners 9et there is none IF that rightly, to ga nothing If guinness and
nanc1s which W ordinarily associate with soicism O. fataism. There
is 10 flourish o. self control which betrays that the self control is main
famed WIN thcult Fate is welcomed with a smile perhaps a JEST not
undoubed products of long continued close face to face crowded existence
n unremttng impact Of a hck civilization las impressed tn folk of
adding to the burdens of life by friction or repining. Ponteness and cheer
une are m lubricants by Which the closeness and constancy Of per-
tives; either ruthless competition, war t. the bone, or IN easy going peace.
Having chosen the latter way out, the Chinese have carried it to its logical
oncmSon H3
Yet personal consideration for others in direct face to face Intercourse
Is quite compatible with what n he western world would b e regarded as
unfeeing cruelty and lack of active aid to others. The other day in Picking
q passing carriage knocked Town a MAI min tn street. n rolled by n
heedng h Ia was 81 badly injured that hi was unable to rise. No
passgby made a move; all literally passed by O the other side, untis some
by bandits in Manchur:a. The other persons present not NIL offered n %
aId, ut hey raj aside and shut their yes so that they could nt be called
upon to testify. further point Oft this incident lies lin h fac that Mr.
BaEe a ake .puor n miserable persons from h more crowded parts
oi NINA 20 I1anchurF WhereIt there vas plenty Of land, n by coonizing
them had greatly improved heir conditions. These men who closed they
eyes hat they might lot know what wa going on werem men whom h had
aided;t they were personal friends # s#+s @## +MN@f@@
This does lot meal that Chinese habfual pohteness is insincere. I have
never heard the Chnese accus OIL hypocrisy, though I have heard Of many
bitter complaints of their unwilHngness to carry things through. I q w
never seen anyone who did not regard genuine fiendlness a s one of the
chief Chinese rats Vi where there is a complete manifestation of the
Marhusian theory of population, readiness develops with great difficulty
% III point of active effort to relieve suffering. Where further increase ain
population means increase in severity of the struggle fr subsistence az
s.cSs:vc cac'o.eacc IS Hct likely to assume large proportions.