DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 172, 19 January 1912, Page 7

DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA.

[By Rev. James Milne, M.A.]

(In Dunedin Star.)

In a recent issue of a London daily an article appears 011 "Changes in China," by the Uev. Lord William GascoyneCttil. A friend has kindly sent me this, and as to my mind it is at once most enlightening and significant, in view of what has transpired since the article was written, it has occurred to me that its contents might not be devoid of interest to others than myself. Its reference, too, forms a good introduction to a consideration of the situation as presently found in China, a situation which may not be lightly esteemed as of little importance to the people of New Zealand, but greatly concerns the whole of Australasia, the Empire, and, as a matter of fact, the civilised world.

Lord William wields a trenchant pen, and in the determined incisiveness of his style reminds one of his illustrious father, the late Marquis of Salisbury. He has, it appears from the article, visited China twice within recent years : — in 1907 and again in 1909. On the occasion of the former of these visits he tells how the universal feeling in the country was that revolution shi-uld come with the death of the Dowager Empress, bt/tf on the occasion of his last visit there were rumors of the. great impending change, "but now," to quote the words of the writer, "it has come with p loud explosion that is reverberating throughout, the world with bloodshed, arson . .j •: all things necessary to a terrible revolu-' tion after the French model." Yet, in the opinion of this thoughtful visitor to China, the present revolution of turn' and war is as nothing in importance the peaceful one which preceded it. ! respect to influencing national life, tli - latter is described as going "far more deeply than any change of government;." The peaceful revolution so lauded is the steady progress of change, which, working now for years, is undoubtedly changing China into a Western land, or, as it is put in the article, "at least into a Western country after the Japanese fashion." This change is described as so wonderful that it is hard of realisa tion. By ingenious illustration this fact is enforced. Just as in China the East is being changed into the West, so a vivid picture is drawn of a like change contrariwise enacted, as it might be realised in the West. "What should we say if in England we were, for instance, adopting Chinese dress!" Lord William asks: "If the business men who sit opposite to us in the train turned up one morning in blue gowns and began ta cultivate pigtails? . . . What, again, should we say if the whole of the British | Constitution were being Orientalised, if' every municipality were introducing I Chinese methods, if the whole moral I code of England were in a state of flux?" ; After such manner it is sought to em- [ phasise the drastic nature of the change i which is being enacted in China. Confucian civilisation, with its virtues and vices, is beng abandoned for that of the West. The Chinese are described as "abolishing opium-smoking" and "unbinding their daughters' feet, learning military science (a thing abominable to Confucius), listening to Christian teachers, sending their children to mission schools, cutting of! their queues. . . The writer forgets not to indicate the multitude comprising the nation so affected, and {he comparative suddenness with which the change has been and is being effected. "What is going to be the end?" it is asked; but the rule of the prophet, in view of the failure of others who es-' sayed to prophesy, is wisely not assumed. The writer does not hesitate, however; to p:u cwniiy and forcibly what he deems the expectations of others to be. It is when he states these that the force of the illustration already mentioned is seen, in the way of , emphasising the veiled almost unconscious cynicism indulged in. "Young China/'."the article reads, "expects that a Western nation will be born in a day, and that China will be able to Westernise with as much ease as a Chinaman can cut off his queue a,nd.put on a Western dress;, that his country is to be a Republic, Western fashion, with a 'Magna Charter/ a. declaration of independence. . . : in fact,! with all the incidents of Western constitutional history that all Young China has learnt to admire and to confuse in the Western college." Then follows Lord William's interpretation of the aspirations of the East. Young: China's ideal is but as the means to an end. The making of a "Westernised" China is with the hope of defeating Russia, Japan, France, Germany, and keeping China for the Chinese. Young Japan, again, is described as at least hopeful in some way or other of becoming possessed of part, if not the whole, of China, that so the -wherewithal may be found for controlling the Pacific. Such a contingency, as expressed in the article, is likely to make Australia and Zealand* "rather anxious and very loyal to England.", But far more impregnable ground is assumed when the conviction is stated that whatever mistakes China may make in development, •ke can never again be the old China, iridifferent to matters of the West. Indisputably is her destiny laid down as a future factor in the civilisation of the West. Graphic, too, is the statement of the particular danger attendant upon such a situation. This is none other than the danger of China misunderstanding the Western civilisation, and so, through her human potentiality, being n:ade a powerful factor for evil instead of good. So a powerful plea is advanced for the saving of China from gauging the West from its material gains or losses, apart from the ethical and spiritual forces behind the same. The writer goes on to tell how, in the course of an interview with a Chinese statesman, the latter remarked that he was aware that all that was best in Western civilisation came from the religion of the West,

So it is further argued that China is in need not only of missionaries, but of men to educate the young Chinese in the thought and history of the West, that they may know "how closely Christianity and the good side of Western civilisation are allied.'' The special need of the country is stated to be a university, where the enlightenment of the West might be thoroughly and adequately imparted to the sons of the East in China, who in turn should go throughout the length and breadth of the land to enlighten their brethren. This statement will be about universally approved, and it may be hoped that when China sees an end of her present troubles, wisdom and good counsel may be manifest in the direction indicated.

Meanwhile China is distraught, and no mail may se.v what the outcome will be. There are friends of the great country who have resided end travelled in China who, in view of the essential conservative nature of the Chinese, believe that the country should be best developed by representative ami democratic government under a monarchy; but there are

others who equally and sincerely hold to the opinion that a republic is what China both desires and needs. Whatever may evolve from the present position in the East, the attitude of Japan to China will be closely observed by the Western nations. Without presumption, and apart from all prejudice, one may hope that .lapan. at least for a time, as far as she herself and other nations are concerned, will sedulously'uphold the policy of "Hands off China!" When the two great nations of the East come into friendly alliance, which, indeed, seems their natural destiny, even, if not be-

fore, will there be alliances formed in the West which are but dreamed of, or even scorned, to-day. Thus and again in the history of the world may it be proved that salvation cometli from the East.