September 3, 1906.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
spasms.
127
CONDITIONS IN MANCHURIA.
very real, these practically regular vails | much more pronounced in the last two have to be supplemented by all manner of generations. There will not be wanting irregular contributions, with the result that scoffers to declare that the promptings of
(Daily Press, 29th August.) the provincial officer, whether inclined or the national
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conscience often rest on
The merit of a message like that we not to meet his engagements, has to adopt humbug or hypocrisy; but we incline to reproduce elsewhere in this issue, relating similar measures amongst the people com.
the less harsh view that the extremer
to conditions in Manchuria, is that we know mmitted to his charge. Now it is precisely sentimentalists are victims of a form of from whom and whence it comes. Dr. this financial element that all parties, self-deceit. They undoubtedly mean well; MORRISON is no more infallible than any whether belonging to the Court or to the let us forbear the familiar reference to a other writer, but at least we know his mandarinate, bave tacitly consented to let, pavement of good intentious, and remember abilities and his fairmindedness. The text slide; yet it is on this that the possibility that their ethical arguments to begin with of his message, considered in the light of a constitutional system actually rests. have our universal approval, and that we of his well-known sympathies, is very So long as the system of practically selling split only when it comes to ways and means significant. While doing full justice to the office forms the only means of support to of giving effect to them. Offhand, nearly Japanese, he allows no misunderstanding Peking, so long must any check acting every decent thinking man is ready to of his opinion that considerable changes of through a mere provincial chamber prove affirm that Great Britain could consistently the conditions are desirable. When all is utterly ineffective to remove present abuses. take no other action than that she took in said, however, nothing more definite is The first and fundamental principle connection with slavery. Truth, however, alleged against Japan than that she has at the root of the present system of govern has more than one side for some whose followed certain precedents established by inent--namely, that the Emperor, as such, claim to honour is as just as the average Russia and other Powers. Throughout this is lord of the soil, and not of the soil only cocksure person's. Professor SKRINE has lengthy and careful statement, it is clear but of all those who inhabit it must be recorded his opinion that England's part that as usual the onus is on China, unless once and for all abolished; and with it in the emancipation of slaves in 1833 was we consent to dwell on the academic but must go the equally untenable right of the due to "a fit of nationa! hysteria", and useless arguments of those who persist that Emperor to exact from his appointees that it had evil results as well as good. China is justified in resenting the presence Compensation for their appointments. Supposing, however, that what was done of any foreign Power in the land at all. Constitutional law, on the other hand, was altogether the right thing to do, it is a We are shown that Japin's endeavours to demands that in all these things the head pity that it could not have been unaccom open Dalny, if they do not succeed by the of the State obtains his rights from the panied by the emotionalism which history promised date, now only three days off, governed, and as such receives his emolu- teaches has been responsible for as much have been hampered by the usual Chinese ment as servant, not as owner. Of course national crime as virtue. The bishops niggling policy; while in the matter of the all this in accordance with the most should warn the people against spasmodic opening of Mukden, an interesting parallel ancient of Chinese doctrines. By these piety, instead of inciting semi-pious with the recent history of Changsha is theories, amplified by MENCIUS, the
Those It is not pleasant to remeinber | afforded.
who followed the Emperor indeed rules as the vice-regent of that if Professor SKRINE be right, controversy started by the treatment of the T'ientse; but it is left for the people to England did its duty in a burst of emotion pioneer trader BENNERTZ will be struck by judge whether he is worthy of the trust; caused by reading a work of fiction Dr. MORRISON's phrase. He says the and bis failure to prove this looses the the imaginary sorrows of UNCLE TOM Chinese advance the "preposterous conten- constitutional bonds between him and his were invented to make impossible the real tion that the opening of Mukden means the subjects. It may not be agreeable with the sorrows of real persons, which would pre-opening of an unoccupied area outside national feeling of the Empire at large to sumably have appeared less romantic, and Mukden ". If it is so preposterous put these principles in the form of so many so less likely to touch the national con- a contention in the case of Mukden, hard and fast rules; but the very first thing science. Years later, Mr. GLADSTONE, with it was doubly preposterous in the case of to be acknowledged before the idea even of his Bulgarian atrocities pamphlet, fanned Changsha, where the area offerel was, constitutional government can be practically into flame another of these hysteric as we repeatedly pointed out, not only broached, is that some separate provision ebullitions due to artificially stimulated unoccupied but unoccupiable. There is must be made for the support of the consciences. This week's telegrams show als room for a suspicion that in their Imperial Household, and that the systein of us Bulgaria beset on three sides, and it is chaffering with Japan, over the restoration provincial vails must be for ever abolished no exaggeration to say that from prior to of Manchuria, the Chinese may be enjoying under any pretext whatever. It is the Mr. GLADSTONE's politic cultivation of the the doubtful advantage of Russian advice, absence of any genuine feeling of this sort national sentimentalism to the present day, privately tendered. There is nothing to that indicates the artificial nature of the things have been constantly occurring there warrant more than the bare suspicion, how- movement; and the want is not peculiar to which as humanitarians we are bound to ever, at present; and in any case it does the Court but permeates almost the entire deplore. The great moral indignation of not make their attitude much worse. body of officialdom. A few individuals, that particular time was due, it will be re- such matters the Chinese do not stand in indeed, have commenced to grasp the first membered, to the emphasis put on certain need of tuition; such devious diplomacy beginnings of the financial problem, but unsavoury aspects of "man's inhumanity to seems to be quite innate and characteristic. this is so contrary to the instincts of the
To paraphrase a remark of one of The protests of the Chinese as to the pre- Court and the bureaucracy that the mere MARK TWAIN'S French duellists, it is not sence of growing numbers of a certain mention of such a reform would retard, if death that the national conscience feels, but discreditable class of Japanese in Man- it would not effectually destroy, any hope mutilation. A British conqueror may churia, although fully warranted from our of future official promotion. Unfortunately, nearly exterminate a rebellious tribe during point of view, would have had much more in the absence of any independent class in a wel directed campaign, and the nation force if they had been preceded by similar China, the sole avenue to influence lies in will attend services of thanksgiving; but protests before the war, during the Russian official rank; and so affairs mutually react let him flog or hang a few rebels, as an regime, when the same symptoms were on one another. This is always to throw example tending to prevent tresh slaughter, apparent. The Japanese regret such a back into the slough of despond any hope and the national conscience is up
state of things as much as anyone doas; în of self purification.
against such "wethods of barbarism". The fact their strong objection to it is proved British Press is the worst tubthumper of by the rigorous precautions they take with them all, in respect of this illogical regard to their emigrants. These, however, emotionalism; probably,
the VOX like most laws, are liable, to evasion. The populi, it cannot help itself. But it was only serious charge against Japan seems to curious to watch how after a romantic be the expropriation of so much of the crime in Madrid-we mean a crime com. river frontage at Antung, which is declared |mitted under circumstances that added a to be, even by Japan's best friends, an flavour of romance to the outrage-they evasion of the "open-door" principle. It raised outery against anarchy and was, of course, the act of the military ad. anarchists; while all the while, and to a
ministration, and the civil government may unit, they were expressing sympathy with not ultimately confirm it. Were Great Britain the cause of Russia's revolutionaries. To in the same case, and proposing to relinquish
avoid political sentimentalisin is not to such advantages, it is easy to imagine the ignore our duty to our neighbour. Un. outcry that would be raised against the fortunately, those who at Home at present meddling government.
It would cause more fuss than the abandonment of Wei-hai-wei. Of most of these grievances we have far heard very little, and, indeed, we have very little to do with
'A PLEA FOR A DIGNIFIED NATIONAL CONSCIENCE.
(Daily Press, 28th August.) The BISHOP's reference to the abolition of slavery, in his anti-opium sermon which we reported yesterday, serves to start once more a train of thought leading to curious reflections concerning the nature of what is called "national conscience". We have frequently drawn attention to the senti- mental character of many of its more recent demonstrations, and it may be we have unwittingly confirmed the impression, apparently held in many minds, that this sentimentalism is a new attribute of civili ed society. It is not, although many writers appear to consider that it has become
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