Perhaps I can do what I want to do most effectively by asking you to place yourselves in the position of a newcomer to China, somebody who has taken an interest in its affairs both for their own sake and because they form an important part of the affairs of the world, but somebody who has never lived in China and does not know anything about local - conditions. Reading through the agenda, he would, I think, acknowledge that it} was a varied one which required a good deal of practical, not to say technical knowledge, and he would deduce from that, and I think quite rightly, that whatever else this Association might, or might not be, it was a live organization and one interested in a wide range of subjects. Some of the subjects he would dismiss as obviously of local-importance only, while on others he would fasten as illustrating the attitude of the association towards Chinese affairs. Our Inland Waters Navigation resolution, for example, he would note, expresses "strong dissatisfaction"; our Disorder in China resolution does the same; our Copper Currency resolution indicates dissatisfaction; so too does our resolution on ex-Enemy Concessions at Hankow and Tientsin. 'These people," he would say,'? "have apparently a lot to complain about." Then, perhaps, he would compare these resolutions with the one about the Boxer Indemnity from which he would see that, our complaints notwithstanding, we were urging the expenditure of a large sum of money upon the education of Chinese, and he would gather from the last line of the resolution that a certain amount of money was already being expended on this subject. In the whole agenda, however, being as I have assumed, interested in Chinese politics as a part of the world politics, he would probably be most struck with the resolutions on the proposed 2} per cent. surtax, which he would con-neet at once with the Washington Conference and the resolutions passed by it. The recommendations which we make therein would, I think, certainly be contrasted in his mind with the general tenor of the Washington Conference resolutions and taking our agenda as a whole he might, indeed I think he would, come to the conclusion thas we were not altogether in tune with Washington.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I do not profess to have any technic-jai knowledge of musical terms, but perhaps I may say that it is less a question of tune than of time. Let us glance at the present situation in China. There is no central government able to exercise its authority even over the whole of North China. The revenue necessary, and if properly remitted, sufficient to enable the various departments of government to exercise their administrative functions, is not remitted. On the other hand it is not spent in local administration. It goes in part to maintain very large bodies of troops, in part into the pockets of individuals. The troops are not disciplined and orderly soldiers. They frequently act like robbers and terrorize the districts in which they are stationed. There is a Parliament in Peking but it gives no visible indication of a sense of responsibility. In name China is republican; in reality the country has not yet determined where sovereignty in the State should lie. There is but little effective expression of public opinion; there is little effective ce-operation of classes. The literati, if influential, have given birth to no organization other than secret societies and to no movement that has achieved anything in public life of more moment than changes of personnel. The great mass of the people, the farmers, stand outside politics altogether and the vast majority are unable either, i to read or write. The merchant classes are only just beginning to anisrest Mirror hae in national things from them. 4 affairs, but we hope ver: eat
In certain directions there. is evidence of what the West terms progress, notably industrial progress. On the other hand the railways are going to rack and ruin. The educational field promises a good deal but the really effective educational work on modern lines is done by foreigners. In certain places, in Canton, in Shansi province, and in a few places [ike Nantungchow there has been considerable improvement of the type that we should term municipal; and in various places encouraging efforts have been made in experimental agriculture, sericulture, afforestation and prison reform. On the other hand the judiciary is very largely corrupt and the use of torture is by no means infrequent.
THE ILLUSIONS OF WASHINGTON, I think, ladies and gentlemen, that that is a fair description of the actualities of the present situation.
On the other hand, I do not think that anybody who had not lived in China would, from reading the resolutions of the Washington Conference, suppose that such were the actualities. I think the impression conveyed to his mind from those' resolutions would be a very different one. He would imagine that the country was far more advanced that itis: far more progressive in spirit than it is: far nearer being able to achieve large reforms than it is. _Of course, we must take into consideration the fact that the Washington resolutions were in part dictated by considerations of world politics, The Washington Conference met to find formulae which would remove international dangers threatening the world from the Pacific, and it was essential that 8o vital a factor in the affairs of the Pacific as China should as far as possible be brought within the compass of those formulae. That is clearly indicated in the desire obviously underlying many of its resolutions, which seek to remove causes of international friction in China.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, the British Chambers of Commerce are wholly in sympathy with the cause of peace in the Pacific and wholly opposed to any policy which endangers that peace. But we do not believe that the cause of peace is going to be saved by supposing China to be stronger than she is. We do not believe that she should be invited to run before she can walk: we do not think that in the absence of a sovereign power with-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.