January 20, 1908.]
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the sensational Shanghai incident is dead. Our correspondent assured us in his Inter message that the matter was regarded as practically closed, that the native Press was being kept well in hand, and that the Chi- nese official atituds in the premises was correct and exemplary. So nothing remains but the punishment of the misguided enterpriser responsible for the whole thing, and this we expect to hear in a day or two was also examplary.
We
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
thing in their colony of Formosa. British | words in daily use that do not mean what rule in India differs somewhat with British they are understood to mean, mainly because rule in Canada,` Australia, and South they cannot. Some meanings are imp 3- Africa, and what is morally right in one sible. A word like "eternity," for instance, place is regarded as inexpedient, not signifies only an immeasurable time; the necessarily immoral, in another. But we human brain won't hold a concept of any have not quoted our cout-mporary in a
unless it resorts to the figure of a manner to do it full justice. It says this circle (as the Buddhi 13 do) and then we aspect of morality
as qualified by gen-jeannot possibly conceive of a circle without graphical Imitations! appeals to BES as an outer environmen'. When the finite something new, since morality is properly a mind talks of infinity, it must abandon all question of individual belief." Properly, or pretensions to logic. It becomes as lucid as We have already coupled with the ideally, morality ought to be a matter of the idiomatic "what d'yo callem of Lon- pincident the tiresome but inevitable immutable law, as many good peopl · fondly don or the "je ne suis quoi" of Paris. phrase, China for the Chinese, and hut vainly endeavour to have it regarde!. A chase heard e mversation on the Kow- ¡ this suggests the ide that there might Their thesis is that such and such conduct, loon Ferry the other night suggested to us conceivably be something to say on behalf is everywhere and always wrong; this and sample that is not obscured by too much of the culprit's patrio'ism. Doubtless a that conduct universally and eternally subtlety. Take the word "Lyalty," on good deal will be said on that score. right. If our contemporary had sided with which many people pride themselves. One have very little scruple in suggesting that the universalists, it might fittingly have would think to hear people talk that lovalty the patriotism of one banker urging a boy- higgled over the geographical limitations of is a virtue, whereas, under analysis, it cott against a firm in the same line of morality, but its naive claim that morality betrays itself as a sheer insult. The person business is bound to be met with considerable is a question of individual belief, and who claims to be loyal, either to country, suspicion. There is a cant saying that one consequently (individuals and beliefs being ruler, faith, or spouse, implies effort. Imag- should not impute motives, but if, as the scattered over wide geographical areas) unt ine a man tactless enough to assure the law always dues, one looks for them, and territorially limited, “appoils to us #3 queen of his heart that he was loyal to her. finds them, or if the motive obtrudes itself something new in philosophical argument. She could fairly claim, prima facie, that in a manner to make search unnecessary, why If morality be not, as we supposed, largely consciou & loyalty indicated disloyal ineling-¦ not? The curious thing is, (and again we a matter o qual le social convention, with; tions overe me, that is to say, inadequate | find this week's train of thought accom both geographical and historical limitations | affiction 13 begin with. To be loyal to a modated) that it is only the imputation of and modifications, but (as our contemporary į ruler one has no respect for, or to a faith | bad motives that convention kicks against. cheerfully asserts) “a question of individual one begins to doubt, is to be untrue to We may impute all the good motives we belief" (every man a law to himself, it | one's-self, disloyal to truth. Conscious like, and it will be accunts to us for words mean anything) how can this new loyalty implies dubious devotion; un- | right ousness. Thus a patriot's excesses are professor of ethics go on consistently to conscious loyalty needs a better word-it excensed on the ground of their worthy claim that it must be apparent that ei me is, in fact, undistracted devotion. So much | motive, or (we apologise for the apparent committed by an individual, or a Govern for words and phrases. The world reads | bassiu) a “Christian Scientist's" bungling ment, is criminal wherever committed "? to much and thinks too little. Worse still, with sick people is pardoned on the score of It is quite wrong, of course. The point of it writes and talks more than it thinks. the pure, religious motives and maiuspring view affects morality like nuust other things. When it begins to digest ideas more, and of his or her meddling.
An ordinary Possibly a definition offhand may lead us uses words more carefully, only to express charlatan who kills a patient is punished; into erior, but we should say that nothing ideas, it will be less open to swallow a re igious one is forgiven. In our pu ely is immoral that causes no deterioration of absurdities. A gifte I confière, the late Mr. academic view of the anarchist, in yesterday's character. We could, for instance, pass a QUILTER, once complained that there is an comments, we did the same thing, recog- sincere anarchist as a moral man. Oh-unfair proportion of the Un-Idead, who nising his motiva! morality. But in prac- vi usly, immorality must be conscious, make rule for all the world and punish tical affairs, the mo al motive of the wilful—a deliberate violation of an accepted | their infraction. He meant ideas, bien an trchist's crime does not save him, and in code of conduct. Matricide in Hongkong | entendu, not me stical dreams, so it will be the case of the masal at Shang' ai (even if is immoral, even more 8 among the seen that our little excursus is less academie his patriotism be admitted) it is fair to hope Chinese than among Europeins. In the than it seems; that it has, in short, some that he will receive the salutary treatinent case of the Inoits of the Arctic circle, it is practical baring.
he deserves, always supposing (as seems a social obligation at certain seasons, a
fairly certain) that his responsibility is recognised moral duty to the community.
proved. He will then be regarded as a PATRIOTIC MOTIVES. A woman no longer capable of hearing
martyr," and one more error will have children, or a man no longer capable of (Daily Press, Juntry 18th.)
bad its bolster. hunting, merely cumbers the ground,” Our two long telegrams from Shanghai and they are enemies of the race at very on the 12th and 13th instant toll us of the mouthful of food they eat. So much for this | Intest phase of the China for the Chi. new geographical aspect of morality. nese movement, wherein a Chinese banker The King (for which nowadays read tried to incite a boycott against the Hong-
There was a large attendance in the prettily "Government") can do no wrong, though kong and Shanghai Bank and the firm of
decorated matshed at St. Stephen's College be or it may change its policy if the news Jardine Matheson. We have been post on Jan. 17th, when His E o lleocy the Governor papers and people make a sufficiently poning discussion of the incident in the an Lady Lugard presided at the annual dis- alarming fuss.
We are not concerned with hope of more ample details, but in the tribution of prises. Included in the number the Japanese and Formosan Government-' | absence of other' unhackneyed political were his Lordship Bishop Lander, Captain apparently opposite views now, and merely | subjects, and being afraid of wearying some
Mitchell Taylor, A.D C., the Van. Archd-soɔn refer to our coutemporary's extraordmary of our readers by too many abstract dis- Blaister, Rev. and Mr Pearce, Mr W. D.
Braidwood, Mr and Mrs philosophical divagations to illustrate the cussions in which many of them have never
Q Pieray, Dr. Stunders, Rov, J, H Frane, Rw. M? F. T. amazing indifference, obtrusively appar affected to take an interest, we dare not
Johnson and Rev. Mr A D. Stewart, The ent during recent days, to the value wait any longer. There are readers who,uter gentleman opened with prayer, and then and meaning of words and phrases,
unfam liar with the difficulty indicated in the Archdeacon read the report as follows:- Our English langu has
Ive
making the professionally adopted plirase,
Your Excellency. Ladies and Gentlem «n : It wielly through the constantly recurring bricks without straw," expect the Clony, is with the greatest pleasure that we welcome necessity of additions required to express and its great neighbour to afford a constant Your Excellency and Lady Lugard among us fine shades of meaning.
to day; for your presence, Sir, is not only an It is a pitiful and sufficient supply of subjects for the commentary on the value of 80
many pragmatical discussions they prefer. (We honour bat a real incentive to us all; we are not unmindful of the many calle on your time and years of free, compulsory, and popular use the word pragmatical in its literal sense.)
are glad that matters · ducational in the Colony education that we should find so many
hare your prononno-d and active sympathy of "educated" people mouthing phrases in
which your presence with us to day is a farther apparently complete disregard of the
eridence. Our Warden (the RT. E. J. meaning, the limited signific ce, those
Biruet') went to Engl.nt last Midsummer words are capable of conveying. "Real"
on account of the very unsatisfactory statą of Mrs. Barnett's health; latest advices show a gradual improvement but convalesce U CE bas not been thorougly enough e-tablishei for Mr. Barnett to be quite sure of the date of his departure for Hongkong. During hia absence, Sir, I have endeavoured, fa
means
13
grown
<
un-
un-
real," and "unreal" means real." No pseudo-metaphysical jargon can alter that. We are prepared now, however to admit that sometimes people are more misled than criminally careless. There are
14
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Such practical and plain issues are by no dieins numerous, and certainly not suffi cient to enable a newspaper making six appearances each week to gratify (even if it so desired) this one businesslike section of its patrons. So much by way of confidential preamble.
As a political issue demanding vehement advocacy of anything either one way or another, it is gratifying to note that even
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ST. STEPHEN'S COLLEGE.
SCHOOL SPEECH DAY.