MUTUAL HELPFULNESS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE 

 UNITED STATES/ 



B}^ His Excellency Wu Ting-Fang, 



Chinese Minister to the United States. 



Trade, which lies at the foundation of international intercourse, nas 

 an eminently selti.sh origin. It is a constant maneuver on the part of 

 ni3n to sell dear and buy cheap. Since each party in a commercial 

 transa-tion seeks only his own advantage, it was for a long time 

 thought that one of them could gain only at the expense of the other. 

 Thus the ''mercantile system," which for centuries held Europe spell- 

 bound, made g'old-getting the end and aim of all commercial activities. 

 The promotion of iriendly relations with the object of securing an 

 exchange of benefits was not considered of even secondary importance. 

 Then came the navigation laws, which had for their avowed purpose 

 the crippling of all rival shipping by laying a heavy tax upon the 

 carrying trade of foreigners. Though such measures are no longer 

 considered advisable in the commercial world, their baleful effects are 

 still felt in the political thought of the present time. 



Nations now enter into friendly relations with each other because 

 it is believed that both sides are benefited by such relations. Their 

 transactions can not be one-sided affairs, for the simple reason that it 

 takes two to make a bargain. If one party is dissatisfied with the 

 arrangement, the other party will not long have an opportunity to 

 enjoy its benefits. 



Confucius was once asked for a single word which might serve as a 

 g-uiding principle through life. "Is not reciprocity such a word T' 

 answered the great sage. "What you do not want done to youi-selF, 

 do not do to others." This is the " golden rule" which should govern 

 the relations of man to man. It is the foundation of society. It lies 

 at the bottom of every system of morality and every system of law. 

 If it holds good with respect to individuals, it ought to hold good 

 with respect" to nations, which are but large aggregations of individ- 

 uals. Therefore, if permanent relations are to be established between 

 two nations, reciprocity nuist be the keynote of every arrangement 

 entered into between them. 



1 Reprinted by permission from the North American Review, No. DXXIV, July, 

 1900. ' 5(55 



