April 21, 1906. |
the times, have not so far been particularly remarkable. While his ability and honest partriotism may be taken for granted, it should be remembered that in his case the wish is patently father to the thought; and that his optimism leads him to blink stubborn facts. He declines to admit
"
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. JAPAN'S TRADAL EMINENCE.
(Daily Press, 19th April.) Most people having grown accustomed to the idea of Japan as a potential rival in commerce will be surprised to learn that Japanese competition need be feared at all Dr. RUTHERFOORD HARRIS does not think under existing conditions. He speaks of
statements.
American wheat and flour, and America reduce by fifty per cent. or so the duty on Japanese silk fabrics. A new treaty on these lines, which should have the effect of greatly developing trade between the two nations, is, we understand, being talked of on both sides of the Pacific.
FOR "THE MAN IN THE STREET.”
(Daily Press, 20th April) Apart altogether from its quaint expres sion, and most certainly apart from its political bias-a thing we deliberately avoid where, from the writings of the Singapore —the brief extract which we reprint else- Free Press 'Topicist,' appears to take. hold of the tight end of the philosophical stick. political views, will probably enjoy its flavour The average render, whatever his
would also ponder it seriously for a reason- as a philippic, but if the average reader able time, allowing its mental stimuli full effect, the subsequent thought processes should be of a momentous and, in his case, a startling nature. It is "the man in the
street
10
that there is any general feeling of hostility towards foreigners in China, and explains the frequent outbreaks as 'chiefly due to
"the small and infantile scale on which ignorance." It is that very ignorance, of course, which may still, in spite of
Japan's industries are conducted", and considers that hny prospect of Japanese educational effort, be described as general, commercial supremacy, even in China, is that is responsible for the general feeling of hostility towards foreigners.ment returns and business statistics have exceedingly doubtful. Japanese Govern- The ancient ignorance and the ancient heen telling the world a more flattering hostility have neither been removed, and if mitigated at all, then only on their fringe, tale; and that the lion's share of what the We would fully accept his assurance that
enormous China market has to offer would it was entirely against China's wishes and ultimately fall to Japan has been regarded interests to adopt an attitude of hostility the other commercial untions have been as almost a foregone conclusion. Possibly towards the rest of the world: she wanted to multiply points of contact with other taking Japanese success too much for nations, so as to assist her own develop. granted, in view of recent military achieve ment," if only it were granted that the term
ments; and will now feel somewhat China" embraced him and his like. But relieved by Dr. RUTHERFOORD HARRIS's Paris is more fortunate than Peking, in its type of
Chinese diplomats, and His EXCELLENCY will probably discover in the course of his duties that he has to combat with difficulties within as well as without. Quite recently the province of Hunan bas been flooded with a vernacular pamphlet advocating his own views, but in which the statement is made that soon the foreigners will do to China what France bas done to Annam, namely, kill seven-tenths of the population! That is a sample of the ignorance and foreign hostility before referred to. In the case of LEW SHIH- BHUN, while we may modify those terms as applying to him, he is not altogether above suspicion. Recently, when the GOVERNOR of Annam was announced to be starting for Yunuan with the object of inspecting the railway works there, he (the Chinese Minister) telegraphed to his chiefs at Peking that the reason given for the GOVERNOR's journey was not the true one, that it was merely E pretext pre- cedent to French encroachment in that Province, The probability is that there was more distrust than reason behind
From the foregoing quotation it will be that warning; and unless he had the gravest seen that even Dr. HARRIS's words used to cause for it, it was not the sort of thing to bring about the useful kind of contact he taken a too sweeping view of the matter. be carefully weighed; he appears to have has since desiderated. It is a pity, for he England, the nation of shopkeepers, still is one of the men to whom China must look has its class of inen who depend on the for salvation; and on occasion he speaks production of others for their living," but with a sweet reasonableness that is especially
like the Samurai of Japan and the plutocrats to be admired in a Chinese statesman. He of America, they are not sufficiently numer. does not, for instance, share the impatience ous to detract the commercial progress of of his younger compatriots for the abolition the country. The plausibility of this critic-one supposes that they have attained perfect of extra-territoriality. The time is not ripe | ism of Japan wanes as soon as the satisfaction and happiness. Great Britain,
"Although the Japanese are strong and united when confronted by a foreign enemy; they return, he says, to their former state of petty domestic dissension and seeking after small gain as soon as the tension is withdrawn. In my opinion, so long as the better classes do not take seriously to business, and devote time aud take pleasure in empty political talk, no industry. The existence of a class of men, real progress will be made in commerce and without any definite occupation, who depend on the production of others for their living, is to be deprecated. England sixty years ago resembled Japan of to-day in many respects. At that time there were very few better-class English men who pursued any business. Since theo, however, a complete change has taken place, and there are now many high-class men who are in this direction set by some rich and enterpris- leaders in commerce and industry. An example ing Japanese peers will have the effect of breaking down the existing prejudice. At the same time, if men like Mr. Asano and Mr. Okura, who have accumulated wealth by their mansions and luxurious living, to show what own efforts, were, by means of magnificent
effect of arousing the wealthy bat slumbering success in business means, it would have the peers and others to a sense of the situation."
argu.
fore the average reader of the centres of whom we are thinking of, and there- civilisation; and not so much the average render in the Far East, whose mind is diverted by 'immediate considerations from the problems which seem lately to be ob- taining extraordinary prominence in Europe. Party politics have caused the terms "Radical" and "Conservative
to loge their original value, and we cannot put in a plea for conservatism without being sus- pected of holding a brief for the Tory party. Yet that is the apparent need, when we look round and observe the rash fervour, the iconoclasm, the disregard of consequences and of experience, with which (to repent a recent phrase of our own) Utopian "ideals are being bandied about as if they were banknotes, payable on demand. Socialism, even of the "whole-hog" variety, is a noble ideal, but it is true only with an "if" If all men would be, feel, and do so-and-so, panacea for all the ills that civilisation is pure socialism would be an undoubted
and free food for poor scholars, woman heir to. Old-age-pensions, free education suffrage and public creches for working mothers, payment of legislators, these advocated can be but partial remedies, and many other remedies so ardently
no more efficacious to cure the com- plaints of civilisation than is an embro- cation of camphorated vaseline in the case advanced in radicalism, have got rid of the of cancer. France and America, the most old historic tyranny of monarchism, but no
for that, and it is less ripe even than be ment is realised: the critic makes too the retention of whose monarchism has thinks, for he does not seem to be aware much of the well-known Samurai tradition. averted troubles incidental to republi- that the alleged reform of Chinese penal Taking into consideration the comparatively canism, appears now to be upsetting its procedure is as yet only nominal. To a short period since the Japanese graduated latest surviving tyranny, the tyranny of suggestion that the new national spirit in trade and manufacture, we should think Capital, and probably before long it will showed itself in a disposition to take railway twice about calling their industries "small discover that it bas hut set up another, the concessions out of the hands of foreign and infantile." They may be small from tyranny of Labour. La tyrannie est morte : syadicates, he diplomatically replied that the American point of view, but then vive la tyrannie. And when in its turn when the concessionnaires failed to carry America takes pride in big things. Labour goes back to its own place, at some out their obligations, they could not expect Since the Japanese Commercial Code future and by no means improbable Bunny- to retain their privileges. That again, it was revised six or seven years ago, mede, the free-est of tree peoples will find will be noted, was scarcely quite ingenuous. there has been no lack of undertakings to that there is one tyranny that never dies, But we
can hardly blame a patriotic satisfy Western idens of importance; and the tyranny of the majority. Reform as Minister for making the best of a bad case. after all, the statistics of exported com-
we will, dream as we may, we shall surely. It is to be hoped that further experience modities tell a more trustworthy tale than find the uselessness of kicking against the will convince him that his foreign friends have no ulterior designs upon Chinese lens cursory survey.
cau an individual sightseer after a more or pricks. We expect too much of life: the America generally, highest ideal so far consistent with reason territory, and that DOW their mutual where commerce is concerned, appears to has been the greatest happiness of the distrusts are being removed by ententes put a much more respectful estimate on the greatest number; the greatest happiness of cordiales, there is less reason than ever for importance of the island empire; and it is all is an impossibility. Civilisation, being Chinese distrust of them. Their mutual possible that we may soon hear of a effort of man to improve upon nature, m
reciprocal treaty between the two countries, have its darker aspects.
“Such things as by which Japan will abolish the duty on these we know must be", as the boy
understanding is tɔ be good; not to exploit a third party.
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