24 THIRTY THOUSAND MILES IN CHINA 



unselfish, then the five points of the compas assumed by the 

 Chinese may be rightly adopted — for the. north, east, south 

 and west will then all be centered around the common pole 

 of service to China, and from the provinces to Peking and 

 from Peking to the most distant provinces, the people will 

 be united in an efficient, peaceful and helpful state, at least 

 within the boundaries left them by their at present more 

 powerful and predatory neighbours. 



China is destined to become one of the foremost pro- 

 ducing nations of the world, a vast market, a huge stabilis- 

 ing, peaceful power if allowed to develop her great wealth 

 in her own way. The problem of China is a world problem, 

 culturally as well as commercially. 



The issue in the Orient is sharply drawn : Independent 

 national development for China, and continued progress of 

 the other free Asiatic states;. or the subjection of China, and 

 the endangering of all free nationality in Asia. 



The loss of free nationality in Asia would probably be a 

 calamity to mankind. However justly the occidental may 

 pride himself on his mastery of the art of living, however 

 truly he may rejoice in his achievement throughout the whole 

 reach of life, a sane modesty, taught him by his own science, 

 should keep him from regarding Western peoples as the whole 

 race of man, or from looking with scorn upon entire divisions 

 of the race, whom his training has not fitted him to appre- 

 ciate. 



A proper reverence for humanity will not allow him to exalt his 

 own position at the expense of the entire East, or to attempt crudely 

 to force upon a whole continent external domination or those forms of 

 civilization which are the product in some part of himself. 



From the higher level of human development, expansion 

 and domination we may well feel that the world is destined 

 to profit greatly by events in the Far East if they result in 

 restoring to humanity the whole Continent of Asia, free to 

 join in making the history of the next hundred years, free to 

 be itself and to supplement, with all of good there is manifest 

 or dormant in it, the strength and goodness of the West. 



The shortest road to a partial success in this endeavour 

 to preserve free nationality in Asia is the development of 

 China's material resources, which will not only enrich China 

 and the world, but will help to arouse the people from their 

 age-long sleep; and it may be that military development 

 consequent upon this awakening will serve to maintain the 

 nation's independence. 



