THE FUTURE OF CHINA.
(From the European Mail.)
Of all the countries of the world China possesses the potentialities of greatness in the most eminent degree. The soil is as a general rule fertile and productive, the population is eminently docile, intelligent, and industrious, with the accumulated experience and wealth of a thousand generations of civilisation, while tho number of the people exceeds that of all Europe put together. Here, therefore, is the raw material of greatness. To achieve the greatness it only remains that this raw material should be wisely and skilfully used. If China is conquered it will bo entirely owing to the blindness and perversity of the official classes; as, rightly used, her resources are such as should make her invincible. These resources, however, require to be developed and organised in such a way that they can bo handled with vigor and effect, else they will cease to .be of any practical value. Heretofore two policies have contended for mastery in China —tho policy of inaction and the policy of progress. Inaction implies weakness, and is beset with two dangers—one is foreign conquest and the other is internal revolution. It must not be forgotten'.that the veil has bee* lifted to a considerable extent which in former times was interposed between China and foreign nations. For years past thousands of Chinese have beeu domiciled abroad, and such of them as have returned to China must have carried back the knowledge of what they have seen elsewhere. For years past this knowledge has been permeating the lower strata of the Chinese people, and comparisons have been made between their own and foreign countries which have not been always to tho advantage of China. A desire for improvement has thus been spread abroad which, if not gratified by substantial progress, will naturally lead to disaffection, and thus'the present dynasty, if hostile to progress, may be overturned from within as well as from without. These are no imaginary dangers. . Already the numerous secret societies in China arc a source of anxiety to the Government, and if they were to be manipulated by such an unscrupulous. Tower as Russia - in furtherance of her hostile designs, they might be rendered truly formidable. It is important, therefore, from merely dynastic considerations, to remove all reasonable ground of complaint on the ptart of tho most intelligent and enterprising* section of the people, which is every year growing both in numbers and strength, and such persons will not be propitiated, and ought not to* be propitiated, except by the introduction of those improvements which have given wealth and power to other nations. Every mandarin who resists the introduction of such improvements will bo stigmatised as an enemy to his country and a secret ally of Russia-, and a discontent, which is reasonable in. its own' nature, and which is widely spread, it would be wholly impossible to repress. If the dynasty should adhere, to its ancient narrow policy, if the conviction should arise—as it reasonably may—that the present sufferings of the people from famine have been greatly aggravated by the action of the Government in preventing the establishment of railways and other public works, which would have given remunerative employment to the starving people while facilitating the introduction of food to districts now almost inaccessible to relief ; and if the doctrine should spread that the want of intelligence in the Government is the great impediment to the national prosperity and safety, then it will assuredly follow that the Goyernment will be swept away, and advantage may be taken of tho occasion by the secret societies to sweep away the dynasty also, A heavy responsibility now, therefore, rests upon the advisers of the-Dragon Throne. No temporising, no half measures will now do. Between the policy of inaction .and the policy of progress they must make their election. Should they choose the former the Government is doomed. Revolutionary intrigues will gather force from just discontent, and even loyal subjects might begin to think that foreign conquest was not an unmixed evil, as it would rid them of the mandarins, and that any change might be for the better, and could not be for the worse.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5384, 29 June 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)
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697THE FUTURE OF CHINA. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5384, 29 June 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)
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