Speech #590017706

China has not yet been really nationalized. The Imperial Government itself. as the Senator from Idaho says. is not a strong government. The government of the viceroy in each province is comparatively a strong government. and yet the viceroys realize that when the coolies are really aroused they are in a degree powerless. These guilds. these labor organizations. are so powerful there that if an officer were to attempt to carry out an edict which would be prejudicial to their interests they would not hesitate to paralyze the business of an entire city and province. I am told that in the case of unpopular taxes this has been accomplished and the unpopular tax has been withdrawn. Chinas national life is increasing every day. the sense of patriotism is Increasing there as well as the sense of pride. and I think our difficulties in the Orient are likely to increase instead of to diminishto increase not because of any fault of ours. but simply because we stand in such a relation to China. fhcing us on the Pacific Ocean. that we are likely. if the gates are open. to get immigration from that country that no other country would. The Pacific coast attracts the Chinaman because the climate is suited to him. and the high wages attract him. and the transportation is very cheap. The Chinamen realize what work in this country means. what it means in the way of assisting their families at home. what it means in the way of the accumulation of money. so that they can retire later on upon what may be regarded as a fortune in China. So they fasten their eyes upon this country of all the countries of the world for an immigration movement. and they resent the fact that they should be closed out. The national life that is now being aroused there will gradually increase their pride. They find that among the great militant powers of the earth. the great commercial powers of the earth. struggling in the Orient for commerce. the United States is theonly one of those great powers which excludes the Chinaman..