September 4, 1895.]
the absence of a rejoinder, a conviction that the stronghold has been captured, the fact of its impregnability being obscured in the smoke of the literary discharge. I find myself, there- fore, with no alternative but to defend myself against the attack made upon me, since, as is so often the case, silence would otherwise be taken to mean inability to reply.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
寥寥
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183
It may be quite true that "had we not supported the rotten Peking Government during the T'aip'ing rebellion China would by. this time have been an entirely different country and would decades ago have been opened throughout its length and breadth to foreign enterprise," etc.; but this only proves that the disintegration I advocate would have the desired results, for in this case the "rotten Peking Government having vanished, there must eit er be one or several foreign governments or several small native governments. Only in the millennium shall we be able to do without govern- ment. If another native government had been set up over the whole empire, the case would be the same as before-one native government must be as "rotten as another, since the character
of the people does not change with a change of government; which leads us to believe also that several small native governments, though per- haps easier to deal with, would be as "rotten" as one general government; which leaves the alternative of one or more foreign governments; which is the point I have all along been driving at.
passed by, and that nations which get into it Your correspondent says he does not see what seldom if ever get out without being broken up bearing the quotation he gives respecting white by internal revolution or by external force. The men serving the Chinese can have on the argu- Japanese have succeeded in avoiding this statement for the breaking-up of the empire. It has had sufficient foresight, as it were, or been this bearing. In order to show that the break- compelled by a different environment, to keep ing-up is the only possible solution of the ques- themselves pliable and to avoid becoming rigid tion, it was necessary to show that the proposed (the law of evolution being that though dis- solutions would not do. I endeavoured to show Your correspondent's accusations of "rudeness sipation of motion must accompany integra that, as other societies of similar nature have and crudeness I do not propose to dwell upon, tion of matter, if the motion is parted with proved, progress towards civilization must come, partly because the costermonger style of con- too quickly enough will not be retained to if it come at all, from without; that several causes troversy and tu quoque repartee (which, had I a prevent the matter becoming rigid and in- conspire to show that the various forces as at mind, might with justice be hurled back with capable of further redistribution), and there- present acting from without (including those full force at " W's" head in this instance) are fore the comparison so often made between introduced from without and acting from under- distasteful to me, and partly because this and his them and the Chinese is, to a student of neath) are inadequate, and that the supreme other personal thrusts are entirely irrelevant to Sociology, merely a sign of inadequate know danger does not justify us in endorsing these the issue, being dragged in neck and crop in a ledge of the laws which govern social develop- proposals, even granting that they are working manner suggestive rather of acrimony and spleen ment. "W" shows this want of knowledge by quickly enough to effect any useful results, than of a serious desire to get at the truth. comparing Europe of the Middle Ages-a which I think they are not, and cannot, Accusations of rudeness and like personal reflec- collection of "aggregates of the third order by reason of the nature upon which they tions are the easiest to make and the most dif. to China-an "aggregate of the first order." have to act. Character, I repeat, is the all- ficult to combat of any. The usually come at The proper comparison (of social states, of important consideration, and there is nothing the end of a controversy instead of at the begin-course, not of two societies for the purpose to show that any change has taken place or, if ning, and are a sign that the party from whom of showing different degrees of civilization) is any has taken place, that the results are not too they emanate has exhausted his polemical not any such muddled up arrangement, but a slow and too infinitesimal to be of any value resources and, conscious of his inability to comparison of "aggregates of the first order' whatever. continue the argument or of the untenableness with "aggregates of the first order "- -of of his position, descends to a type of wrangling China, mot with Japan or Europe, but similar to that expressed in the question, "Have with Assyria, Ancient Egypt, Ancient you left off beating your grandmother?" so com- Mexico, and Ancient Porn. Where are these mon a feature of political "heckling." What societies now? They were precisely similar in rudeness there can be in pointing out that the type to China, with the one exception which I Chinese are still in a state of savagery, that it pointed out in my paper, namely, size. But the is against the order of progress for white men to matter of size does not alter the state, any more place themselves under the commands and to than a huge boulder need be considered soft take the money of yellow savages, that facts because it is bigger than a pebble. Were it not seem to show that the methods at present em- for the vast and ever increasing numbers of the ployed to bring about a change in the condition
Chinese people there would be no China problem. of the nation must prove futile, that societies The society would follow the course which other which have got into a rigid state can only be societies of like nature have followed before it. freed from that state by rigid means, and that But, to use once more the simile used in the there is danger to civilization from the unre- paper criticized by "W" the weed may prove stricted spread of uncurbed savagery, is not very dangerous to the rose, though it must al- apparent to me at least, but that is no doubt the ways remain a weed. Therefore the question of fault of my
crude intellect, and no course the possibility of regeneration from within, to remains open to mo bat to wait until some of which "W" seems to attach so much importance, that wisdom of which "W," by ridiculing the may really prove a danger and not a blessing, less highly gifted, would have us believe he and the problem for us is to see to it that we possesses so much, shall shed its bright rays into restrict this dangerous growth-even at the the dark corners of my mind.
cost of damage to or destruction of the Chinese Enough light has, however, been vouchsafed society-before it becomes too widespread to be I have left no time to notice "W's" minor. to me to show me quite clearly that "W" has rooted out. The law of self-preservation the quibbles, but must not use without reminding not given to this very important matter half the first of all laws-is our justification for doing him that I have now ve maintained that the amount of study it deserves, and that he does not this. If we do not do it, then all the civilization fact of the hair of the hinose being black "is bring to its consideration one atom of that most which has been the sacred duty of our race to sufficient proof that [the Chinese] is in- indispensable of all knowledge in the discussion build up will be overrun by a low type of men capable of being regulated without being, as a of sociological questions-knowledge derived whose god is their belly and who will first corner nation, stabbed in the heart." The coarseness of from the study of Sociology. People who write and then trample under foot our descendants and his hair was referred to as one among many about this star or that planet are usually sup by their slow growth overspread the earth. tokens of uncivilization-fineness of hair on the posed to have spent some time in the study of The settlement of this question is an ethical human head being, as
W" himself admits one Astronomy; and people who write about this duty to the civilized races--not merely a matter of the characteristics of the higher races--and tribe or that society may justly be supposed to concerning the self-government or foreign the tokens of uncivilization were referred to have given some attention to the study of government of the Chinese people. Therefore show the small advance made in the immense Sociology. Of all the sciences Sociology is the I have, I maintain, been justified in insisting length of life which, in the case of societies most difficult, because the phenomena presented very strongly upon the ethical wrong of helping of
this type, warrants the assumption in it are the most involved, yet judgments are instead of hindering the life of an element which that advance cannot go on at a more daily passed on its most abstruse problems with- may prove so baneful-pay, fatal to our chil-rapid rate. To draw from this the inference out a knowledge even of its fundamental axioms.dren's children, and on the propriety of each man
that I hold that the "dark-haired races are Had your correspondent given himself the re- sticking to his own colours and working for incapable of self-government would be more quisite preparation, I venture to think he would them to the best of his ability Sociology tells absurd than that generalization would be itself, have avoided the errors which several previous us that for social aggregates of the first order" and only shows once more how utterly lacking discussions of this same question have shown me
there is no other remedy but disintegration. The your correspondent is in the first principles of are invariably fallen into by those who do not nature can no longer be changed unless the con- Sociology and in the ability to grasp even the comprehend the true nature of the Chinese society. ditions are altered. The old bottle of China can- most obvious meaning of an argument. Surely How hopeless it is to attempt to reach tenable con- not hold the new wine of civilization. It is not the fact that English hair has reached a fine clusions on the matter in the absence of this study made that way. The society must either con- quality already, whilst that of the Chinose is is conspicuously shown in "W's" absurd compari- tinue to increase in size without attaining that still coarse after their 5,000 years of social life, son of the people of Europe in the Middle Ages structural and functional heterogeneity in the is, if anything, a proof of non-advance in with the Chinese of to-day. In common with most absence of which civilization cannot be, or it physical civilization on the part of the Celestial critics of his kind, "W" overlooks the most must go to pieces. In the paper called The and not a promise or potency of better things. important little item of time. He sees no signi- Ling-ch'ihing of China I endeavoured tos how The same superficiality is shown by your ficance in the fact that a nation in one part of that, being an aggregate of this kind, China correspondent in his next paragraph. What in- the world has got a thousand times as far as a cannot advance herself, or be advanced either consistency is there in saying that we chip off much larger nation in another part of the world from a position of inferiority or equality, but small bits now and again" althongh "nearly has in five times as long a life. Has W ever that in any case the advance of Chinese civiliza- heard of an
Why is it aggregate of the first order," and tion is not the object to be aimed at our own impossible to chip off small bits from the main does he know that the people of Europe in the self-preservation is the first object. When we body? The very illustration I used, namely, Middle Ages lived in an environment which ren- have made sure our own salvation and averted that of a boulder, does not suggest anything dered it impossible for them to enter the state the dangers which threaten our civilization, then with limbs. Again, the assertion that the common to such aggregates, whilst in China the
we may, if we like, civilize others as much as we morality of the Chinese in the Straits Settle- environment has all along conspired to mould can or please but not till then. What steps ments (mostly emigrants from the lower classes them to and keep them in that state? The mistake should be taken to restrict or uproot the Chi- who left their country in opposition to public made by even such a careful thinker as Bagehot nese weed it is not easy to say, but it is obvious opinion and, until recently, of their country's and many who have come after him was that that dealing with several small societies by law, and therefore not to be compared with this state had to be passed through before a their respective foreign governments would be honest merchants of Shanghai) has not improved higher stage could be reached, whereas it has an easier matter than dealing with an immense in fifty years (I never heard of anyone trying since been conclusively shown that it must be | rigid aggregate under its own government. to improve it), is only another proof, if any
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all the limbs are now severed ?”
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