Evening Star Newspaper, October 8, 1898, Page 15

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOB 15 FRONT GATE CHINA’S RULER Behind Pekin’s Massive Walls States- men Intrigue. DAILY LIFE OF THE DEPOSED EMPEROR Reared on Deception, He is Easily Controlled. a THE ORIEN ROYALTY IN - y and of great states- mystery. Re- twangsTl, nd passed to the whe named him for his resa dow office, at tremendous power the absolute ruler over the most on earth wields. Fol- report has gone through- the emperor is dead, 3 rumor remains a yeculation. The impe- a walled or “pro- 1own to the Mongo- that have caused lynasty’s govern- & the present ng emperor, are world can only easure of chief actors in na’s Imperial stage. t the chi tors in these s dowager, | and Li Hune | he It is k rigues a wor m, an e powe who for nearly half a important szate en more were power: emperor, of no but t who re he Great vernmen n her ow such su- where Rassian Influence. = generally belli t Russian mm Min- of = world over | nods in both | ideas that man even he spoke It was he war between his countrymen nts of war- re would hem an easy victim to : modern appliane 3ut China not see how harm could come to s0 ent His words fell on de s. and i da disaster to g force to w P knows that adviser of Hong Chang is toward Russia © change in regarded as a { | i Id his a { | | | I almost nothing of China. Unlike most | prince of the royal blood of the nations, | he was not reared with any idea of mak- ing him an intelligent head of the military | service of his country. He knows prac- | tically nothing of the soldiers of China. Once a year he leaves the sacred city and | proceeds to the Ming tombs, the tombs of | | his ancestors, where he goes to worship. On al! occasions he unded b; a | number of official: | the OF PEK step toward giving that empire a stronger government. What Can England Do? It is a question what England will or can do. If the young emperor is not wholly within the power of the dowager empress England would naturally become a party to reseating him on the throne if she could see some method by which that could be accomplished. But it is difficult to see how Li Hung Chang. it could he done without an appeal to arms, and there stands Russia, alert to maintain all her diplomacy has gained. The railroad Russia is building from St. | Petersburg to Viadivostock is half com-|{ pleted. and within two y it is expected | that road will have heen tinished, with terminus at Arthur. The completion | of the trar railroad will result in | abruptly eut off by the dep emperor, the punishment meted out to him is that of decapitation. With these safeguards against being seen the emperor proceeds to the Ming tombs, where he finds everything in the most per- fect condition. The officials surrounaing hi pion ‘im, th: i Ching is in a rcs an Sa A Oa ee rebate ct verious kinds are suggested to the emperor he is not likely to see the need of them. ‘The emperor is termed the Son of Heav2n, and he is never allowed to come in con- tact with the representative people ouiside the class of officials who live within the Sacred City. It is the duty of these offl- cials to wait upon him and to keep him informed of the conditions throughout the empire and they have done their work £0 cleverly that he knows little except the romances and distorted notions that have been given him since his childhood. Any progressive idea that comes to the imperial household is first presented to the immediate officials waiting upon the em- peror, and-after a time these ideas may reach the emperor with such adornments as tie officials conveying them may see lit to give them. Since the construction of the railroad from Pekin to the city of Shang Hal Quin, a distance of eighty miles, the cmperor has repeatedly expressed a de- sire to make a trip over it with the pur- pose vf inspecting it and paying a visit to a number of Chinese cities along its line. But up to the present time he has been un- able to do this. Notwithstanding the pre- cautions against allowing the young em- percr to Know anything of the outside world, it is said his curiosity has been suf- ficiently excited as to make him show an interest in western civilization, and it is quite generally belleved that a fear that he might listen to suggestions for modern methods in controlling his country as he grows older has brought about his abdi- cation. Succession in China. The Emperor of China is the son of Prince Chung VII, brother of the late Em- peror Hien Feng, who succeeded to the throne cf China in 1875, when he was four years of age. He is the ninth emperor of China of the Manchu dynasty of Tsing, which overthrew the native dynasty of Ming in 1644. ere cxists in China no law of hereditary succession to the throne. It Is left to each sove emperor to ap- nt his success among the mnem- of his fam younger generation. gn or vv from y of i te perer having died suddenly, the empress dowager appointed the emperor who has lately abdicated in her favor. lowager, the most powerful woman in China. is the second wife of the Emperor Hien Feng, who died about twen- ty-seyen years ago. In December she will be sixty-four years of age, and she has practically been the ruler of China since the death of the late emperor. She is re garded by the Chinese as a woman of ex- ceptionally good qualities, and such for- elgners who have secured an audience with her have spoken of her as a born diplomat. For instance, when Prince Henry of Ger- many visited’ her it was thought he would learn much of her purposes, but, like Td Hung Cheng, when on his tour around the world, when asked a question she replied to it by asking another, and at the end of the Interview the prince knew as much as he did before his visit, with the additional knowledge that the empress dowager was as wily a diplomat as any of those Europe could produce. The deposing of China's emperor places the empress dowager in complete control of the government, and she may not only rule during the balance of her lifetime, but has the right to appoint her successor. Ever since the war between Japan and China the empress dowager has been strongly opposed to the Japanese. The ef- foris of the Marquls Ito, the prime minis ter of Japan, to secure an offensive and de- fensive treaty with China are fresh in the minds of every one. The emperor was fa- vorable to this idea, but negotiations were ing of the em- STREET LEADING all s of Manchuria | the ending produ Mongolia, Thibet and north Chi which | have heretofore gone by sea to American and slish markets, overland and int Russian markets, at the Same time givi Russia a decided advantage in the mi situation, as she ble to land her | m St. Petersburg into Viadivos- | or Port Arthur in fourteen days. the seven weeks’ trip by sea is cas mperor of China has been the most 1 monarch in the world, living as has in the third or sacred or forbidden city of Pekin. The first city is surrounded by I sixty feet thick, being the outer or ity. The second city is protect- ed by a wall of the same dimensions, as is | the third or sacred city, in which the em- 1! Pperor lives. For tw: even years he has | been secluc th ad with Walls of this clty. He has seldom left it, on these rare | | occasions such preparation has been made over the route he was to travel as to| its aspect so greatly eror no correct id over which he has ruled. change you: try as to give the | of the coun- He has seen duty ap- garding the pears to be t ve true condition of affairs. Fer instance, when he prepares to visit Ming tombs the roads leading to them are prepared so as to present a surface as sn-coth as the e pavements of this city. The rc is beautiful in various ways and when the emperor makes the journey he is told that all the roads of China are in similar condition. How the peror Travels. king this Journey, a procla- mation is ed warning all people to be away from the streets and to close their es of business. Carpets are hung be- the of the various houses, ev ution 1s taken to prevent Previous to m: issu windows y prec and any one of the masses from seeing the em- peror. If any one should be so unfortunate to be caught in an attempt to violate the terms of the proclamation, waleh for- bids them from looking on the faze of the LEGATION STREET. TO FRONT GATE. peror, and now that the empress dowager Son the throne the hopes of Ito can hardly result in action Tie only way in which the tables of diplo- macy in China may be turned would be by re-establishing the emperor on the thron In the east the possibility of England doing this by force of arms is being talked of, but such an act would require the active co-operation of the deposed emperor, and is much easier suggested than put in’ opera- tion, Li dowager hi Hung Chang and ng accomplished what they up to the present time may be de- pended upon to maintain their advantage. Li Hung Chang seems to have no opponent of great favor in China since the death of Prince Kung four y ago. He owed the loss of his peacock feather to the influence of this prince, who appeared to have power to thwart his purposes on other occasions, but with the prince out of the way Li Hung Chang appears to be without a rival worthy of the name, the empre ve e+ BCLLIAR PRESUDICES, Nearly Every One Manifests Some Favorite Eccentricity. From Pearson's Weekly Everybody, more or less, possesses a fa- virite prejudice, which, in the yes of everybody else, appears nonsensical and | Unnecessary. In the gay time of th Georges, for instance, the young rakes strove their hardest to develop some pe- culiarity or curious prejudice, by which their names would bsccme famous, and pessibly through this he handed on to pos- terity. Just now there is an eccentric old gentle- man living near Luton, in Bedfordshire, who persists in donning the attire of an eerlier time. Any day h2 may be seen tak- ing his walks, wearing knee breeches and an indescribable green waistcoat, whilst his sik hat is peculiarly antique.’ Notwith- Standing the remonstrances of his friends, he refuses absolutely to dress up-to-date, protesting that he is a great admirer of the ‘good old days und of all its customs. The present-day orthodox dress is far too Scher and severe to suit his tastes. Equally singular is the prejudice against modern things shared by anoth>r old gen- tleman who is the squire of a small village in Derbyshire. He also shuns from his tables any French or continental dishes, allowing the cook to prepare only plain food, in which a saddle of beef always plays a conspicuous part. As might be 2x- pected, he is a firm believer in the great- ness of his country, and has never yet evinced a Gd. ire to travel further than Scotland, wher: he possesses another resi- dence. A celebrated author professes a terrible prejudice against cats. He can neither eat nor work while one is in the room, and says that, without seeing ths animal, he can tell whether one is about. A well- knewn politician {is similarly prejudiced against the feline race. Music halls and theaters are the pet aver- sion of another individual, who ascribes much of the wickedness of this world to their influence. His eldest son, of twenty- two, once visited a certain place of this de« scription, and so enraged was his father that the latter vowed that if it occurred again he would cut him off with the pro- verbial shilling. A wealthy old lady living in Derbyshire has never yet entered a train, although her age must be very nearly eighty. Her ideas are naturally very old-fashioned, and so great is her dislike to rallways that sh> has fixed upcn a house some fifteen miles away from the nearest line. When she does travel, she accomplishes it by means of a peny-chais? very similar to the one the qveen uses at Balmoral, Sd A FILIPINO’S VIEWS —.— What He Thinks Should Be Done With the Island. ANNBATION OR A PROTECTORATE The Need Just Now 'is for a Dem- ocratic Despotism. AMERICA’S OPPORTUNITY Written for The Evening Star. (Mr. Ramon Reyes Lala, who is now in New York, is the only native of the Philippines in the United States with the exception of the two dele- gates who are on their way to present the claims of the natives before the Paris peace commisstafy Mr. Lala fs a member of @ wealthy and influential native family. He was educated in St. John's Col- lege, London, and was for many years prominent in the business anu social life of Manila. As a re- sult of his interest in the revolutionary plans of the natives he was compelled to change his resi- dence to the United States a few years ago. He Is & representative of the mcst Intelligent and high- minded Filipinos, and his remarks are highly in- teresting as giving the views of the people most in- terested in the destiny of the Philippines, Mr. Lala is at present engaged in writing a history of the Islands.) So much has Leen written about the Ph ippines in a purely descriptive way that I presuppose some knowledge ef them. This article has to dea! with a few of the problems {hat will soon esk for solution at the hands of the conqvering Americans. I believe America has an unparalleled op- pertunity—aa opportunity not only for wealth and commercial advantage, but also for humanity and for civilization. Though Marila is at present in the aangs of the Americans, all the rest of Luzon and most of the cther islands are held by the insurgents, who have also taken Iloilo and Cebu, tha two cther chief ports. The peace commission appointed by the President is to decide, it is said, what is to be done With the islands, This at least seems to be the idea of the administration; but what- ever the commissicn may decide, I, as a Filipino—with a thorough knowledge of my ecuntrymea and of the conditions—assert that the decision of this commission can in no way effect the destiny cf the archt- pelago. This may seem a strange stat ment, but it is nevertheless true. Suppos that the Americans decide to keep the is! ards, which ore row Virtually theirs by right of conquest and possession, the na- tives will receive the exchange of Spanish tyranny for American liberty all too ly There will be no cp-position; for this 1s the logic of Gestiny and in line with the trend of events. Division Impossible. Should, however, the commission decide that the Southern Islands shall be given back to Spain while Luzon alone is retain- eG by the United States, believe me, this decision will be rendered impossible by the attitude of the natives themselves—for the sayas, the inhaiitants'of the Southern Islands, are even more fierce and warlike than the Tagalos, the natives of the north, and will surely not brook Spanish misrulé while their brothers are ehjoying the ben fits of American civilization. Suppose, furthermore, that the commission deci to give all the islands back te Spain, the United States to retain a coaling and naval station, and to receive indemnity for losses incurred while in the orient? The money might be paid anf the coaling station would probably be given up: but the islands can never again come into Spanish possession. I will tell you how I know thi en in 1896 the Society of th Katipunan, founded by the Philippine ma tyr, Dr. Rizal, whese sworn dbject it wa to drive the Spanish oppressor from the archipalego, numbered 809,08) member: Within the past six months this order has grown tremendously. Vietory after victory over the once fe Spaniard was won by Aguinaldo and his enthusiastic fi The back of the Spanish power was broken and the morale of their army was forever destroyed. The natives found that when equally armed, a Filipino was as good as a Spaniard any day. Thus the cause of the insurgents has been strengthened, and the Katipunan now numbers 600,000 memb, all of whom have sworn that their country shali be free from Spanish cule. This is not commonly known, out tt Is true, and I do not believe that even 500,000 Spaniards will now be able to conquer my country and keep it in subjection, The Filipinos have tasted the swee's of liberty and the fruits of victory. They will not and cannot be deprived of them. The Spaniards have broken every promise that they have ever made and they can no longer be trusted. Far different is the feel- ing toward the Americans, who are now regarded by the natives as their deliverers from Spanish bondage. But if the Amert- cans give the islands back to Spain they, as well as the Spaniards, will incur the eternal hatred of the islander: Demands of the Filipinos. Now this is what the Filipinos want, and this I know is what they consider them- Selves entitled to have—in fact, it is com- monly understood in the istands that the follownig has been guaranteed them by their American allies: Independence from Spanish rule shall be proclaimed. A protectorate shall be established with a government designated by the American representatives, and approved by the in- surgent leaders. This government will recognize such tem- porary adjustments as may be made by the American or European commissioners. If a protectorate be established it will be of the same kind and nature as arranged for Cuba. The ports of the Philippines shall be opened free to the commerce of the world. Precautionary measures shall be adopted against Chinese immigration, so as to regu- late their competition with the natives who at present suffer severely thereby. The corrupt judicial system at present existing in the islands shall be promptly reformed—such reform to be intrusted to competent American officials. The complete liberty of speech, of asso- ciation and of the press shall be declared and maintained. Religious toleration must be made general throughout the islands; but the friars or religious corporations, of whom there are about 5,000. who have been a cancer in the body politic and who have ever ruled the provinces with an iron hand, demoralizing the civil administration and blasting every reform, must be expelled root and branch. The parish priests, whose presence is most aecessary and beneficial, must remain un- disturbed in the performance of their sa- cred calling. f: € Measures conducive to the discovery and development of the great natural resources of the country must be adopted and at once enforced. - The existing obstacles to the forming of commercial enterprises and investment of foreign capital shall be taken away and encouragement shall be given to every in- dustry. The new government shall keep public order and prevent everyvactrof reprisal against Spaniards. a The development of the public wealth shall be facilitated, together with the open- ang of roads and roadways, ~~ Restoration to the natiyes of the lands held by the religious ordérs, éxcept where lawfully acquired by the fattet. No arrest without a judge’s Warrant. Abolition of the fifteen days’, compulsory labor. s The Spanish officials shall be allowed to return safely to Spain, with their property unconfiscated. : These are the reforms that my country- men demand and expect. True, all of this may not be attained at a bound, nor fs it reasonable to expect it, but they feel that they at least have America’s guarantee pia’ these things shall sooner or later be lone. American Protectorate Desired. Thirty revolutions have been waged in the islands to secure these reforms. Should America deny the freedom so long desired and so bitterly fought for, thirty more would follow in bloody -succession, until liberty became a glorious fact. My countrymen desire above all things an American protectorate. They desire this even above independence, well know- ing their shortcomings, and that the road to self-government is beset with many dan- gers. But if America withholds her guiding and helpful hand, then the Filipinos desire to try the experiment of government for themselves, free from Spanish influence. The rule of any other country would also be rejected; and rejected, 1f need be, by force, for the Filipinos are well aware that a European colony usually means Euro- pean exploitation. It seems to me, therefore, that an Ameri- can protectorate, or annexation, will be the logical outcome of the situation. Commercial Value of Islands. The value of the archipelago as a com- mercial center, a strategic base and as a vantage ground for the tremendous trade with Asia, is apparent at a glance. With Hawaii and the Philippines in her posses- sion, America should fear no eompetitor. And then the islands themselves offer wonderful inducements to the American investor. The mineral wealth of the col- ony ts fabulous. 1t is a tropical Klondike. Fortunes also await those who will put enterprise and a paans: capital into the sugar, tobacco, coffee, hemp and lumber industries. With the most primitive ma- chinery even, many of the uncultivated and oppressed natives have been able to reap great wealth, while the Chinese, by their Ramon Reyes Lala, slow but sure methods, have often made enormous _fortun The agricuitural re- sources of the islands are manifold and truly splendid, and American enterprise should make th2 most of them. Not more than one-sixth of the land is now under cultivation. There is no reason why Luzon should not be another Java, why Minds should not become a second Ceylon. is America’s opportunity and ours. Native Republic Would Fail. True, many problems ask for solution. It will take diplomatic manipulation to reconcile th> race differences among my covntrymen, But it can be done. On account of the great number of isl- ands and the multitude of races—between whom there is a strong fecling of jealousy —I am afraid that a natiy2 republic at pres- ent would end in failure. But give us a Philippine protectorate and a congress at This Manila, to which representativ race and from every province s2nt— so that every Filipino will have his owr representative—and this problem will be on the way to 9 proper solution. Let Amer- icans control the archipelago, and within twenty-five years thousands of investors will flock to the colony, a network of Wweys will be spread over the ands, and new ports principal isl- will be opened. The ult will be that the productiven: of colony will be greatly augment and trade with the outside world will be increased ten fold. At the same time the natives themselves will have learned si reliance and self-government—the first truest lessons of civilization. In add! thereto they will Le contented, free happy, while their American proi2ctors will have been repaid a thousand fold for the expense and trouble of their occupation. It is America’s duty, therefore, as well as her opportunity. My’ “countrymen need a helping hand in this new path that they have chosen. Will Brother Jonathan help us? or will he stand by while our ancient enemy again despoils us? When the United States shall assume control over the group—and I have shown, I think, that no other solution of the ques: tion is possible, and when she shall have instituted the Various reforms mentioned above, she will find a hearty co-operation on the part of my countrymen—who will as arule be found docile and obedient. It will, however, greatly siraplify matters if some one with tact and firmness is ap- pointed governor of the colony, for there are many petty jealousies to be overcome— many things to be avoided. No Standing Army Needed. Furthermore it is not to be expected that my countrymen will accept at once an ocei- dental civilization and western self-assert- iveness in its entirety. , Such acceptance must be gradual, and will be a work of many years; but if Americanism—modified by the native character and by the com- plex conditions of the east—flourish there after being carefully nurtured for a cen- tury, the United States will have accom- plished a great work for the good of the world. I have already spoken of the material benefits to be derived from American con- trol, and yet I have heard it asserted that it will require a standing army of 25,000 Americans to Keep the natives from mur- dering each other, and that this will entail an expense which will neutralize the com- mercial profits of the Americans. This can in no event be true. Such an army may be necessary for a year; out the natives themselves wilt eventually form the guard for ¢ivil protection and for defense against foreign aggression, and such army can be supported entirely by home taxation, Nor need such tax be Onerous. With an efficient and economic administration the colony should be self-supporting in five ye after the Americans assume entire control. Even under the inefficient, corrupt and disastrous Spanist regime (before the recent revolution had made a targe army necessary) the colony was administered with but little aid from the home govern- ment. A Form of Government. I would suggest that the American gov- ernment appoint an administrative ad* visory council or cabinet of nineteen, com- posed of a native from every civil province, who is conversant with the conditions there. Let the provincial governors for the present also be Americans—not politicians, but jurists of ability and renown, for the office combines judicial as well as execu- tive functions, and much revision and ap- plication of law will be found necessary, should the office of provincial governor, as well as that of representative to the con- gress, be made elective, when the natives shall possess the franchise, which, I be- lieve, should be based upon both an eguca- tional and property quafification. The mi- nor offices should all be filled by natives. By this system the skeleton of the pres- ent government would be maintained and there would be no violent changes. A dem- ocratic despotism—if such a paradox is per- missible—is what the colony needs before it can be made ready for ail the functions of true democratic government. ‘The church should be left alone, where it does not interfere with the functions of government. I have heard that consider- able activity has been manifested by some of the American Protestant churches, who are getting ready for a “Christian propa- ganda’ among the “heathen Filipinos.” Status of Religion. This activity, I think, is entirely uncall- ed for. We are, and profess to be, .Chris- tians, and it is just as necessary and as logical for American Protestants to Chris- tianize American Catholics as the Catholics of the Philippines. Indeed, it is my be- lief that Catholic‘em with its ritualism and gorgeous ceremonial is more suited to the character of the natives than the colder forms of Protestant bellef; which have never flourished in oriental soil. The friars should be expelled, for they are religious corporations that have no soul and that are unassailable and irre- sponsible, but the church, with its exoel- lent system of parish spiritual ,°vernment and its gentle refining influence on the na- tive character, should be maintained invio- late, though the separation between church and state should be made complete. I will conclude by saying a few words about my countrymen. We have had, as all the world knows, but few opportunities, and yet I challenge any other native co- lonial race—the people of Java and o British India not excepted—to show a finer people than the best Philippine product All visitors t ify to their refinement honesty and hospitality, and not a few have shown remarkable artistic talent, as, for instance, the Luna brothers, whose genius teok all Madrid by storm, and Dr, Rizal, poet, scientist and patriot. We have our merchant princes, too, and our ereat lawyers, who have shown excep-| tlonal ability and judicial integrity under the most demoralizing and discouraging circumstances. And the victories of Emilio Aguinaldo and his army of patriots have demonstrated to the world what the Fili- pino Is capable of in the field of war. CbnnlKig ts i, ————_cee+__ _____ AN AROUND-THE-WORLD DE A Startling French View of Seward's Prophecy and American Expansion, From the Figaro. Europe has just seen the United States advance toward the south to the Antilles and toward the west across the TINY? acific ocean, and she says to herself: “What possesses them? What is the meaning of this new fancy to seek trouble with us and to make conquests at our expense? We never imagined that they would be capable of such a thing.’ As a matier of fact, Europe has to be amazed. It is not a has set the United States in motion. contrary it is a very oid idea, since back half a century. The eve ch we have just witnessed form a y of the program conceived and extolled > right that On it new idea before the war of ¢ jon by an A can statesman placed in the highest 1, among his compatriots, and wh Fi rhetic views they now love to rv : thought of this policy of ¢ been silently hatched in the ienc since his ¢ th, counsel which he himself ve, and that was to precip H But there was little ei recognizin the States ia ‘cugh Phe as Se Secretary « ecministration of Abrah Vineed that his couniry rm in t B that » de mission, it he he too sud but he kh be attai Well that his e realized without plored t and added mag 5 a lette blished in 1836, under the tick “We Should Carry Out Our Destiny:” “To Y out that destiny the United States hould prepare tncmselves sion by getting rid of the in oid world which still conuny her age, upon portions of the one colony upon this continent.” He called that buying out the foreigners. France did not trouble him; she was a ligeable, having already sold out. quantit N neg- t 1er did Spain embarrass him. The events that ave just happened apy to him atth time “already accomplished. In 18% he counted, without any ceremony, the rulers of Cuba 4 among the for n- ers V their possessions to the United St: He was also sure that Russia would leave without offering difficulty, and in this he was certa not deceiv It was he -himself during his term of office who purc 1 Russiar America, or A from the czar for the sum of $7, lie also ytiated f the acq the pro: te isition of the Danish Aniilles, and t fell through by the fault of the f Washington, which voted against it, simply the President at that time was for it gland remained and presented, as he Was Well aware, the hardest nut to crack. Nevertheless, he was persuaded that she, too, one day or another, would come to terms, and that all that was ary Was patience. He advised his c triots to practice that virtue and to hasten nothing to take time to digest one territory before swallowing another. There was no need burry. “When I look upon the ter Hudson bay and Canada,” said he “and see there ap: ation enterprising an ging canals, bui telegr: ph line ritory in 18: industric nd org orv- ing great English pro a f the great lakes and of the St. and around Hudson bay, I say fine, You ate forming excellent states tined to be admitted jater on into the American Union.’ ” In polities he compared t« self and fal favored a system which he the ripe pear that deta into your h Mexico and the little republics of Cen Ame could not fail, acccrding to him.to come one after the other and solicit the honer and the favor of forming a portion of the Vnited States. One thing seemed to him still more certain, and that was that the United States could not help annexing by fore the people who would be too slow to com to them willing! who pa That was clear for him, his time In sounding public opinion and guessing at its future orienta- tion. “I abhor war,” he wrote. “I would not give one single human life for an portion of the continent which remains io be annexed; but I cannot get rid of the conviction that popular passion for terri torial aggrandizement is irresistible. Pru- dence, justice and even timidity may te- strain it for a time, but its force will be augmented by compression. Half a century passed before the ¢ sion occurred. We have just witnessed the first forced Mquidation. Whose turn nex!? Let us suppose that this preliminary op eration should be ended. Then, willing or forcibly, according to the known formu la, America must belong to Americans. The rew world will then be ready to fulfill its lc p mission. That mission consists in streiching cut its civilization toward the west across the Pacific toward Asia. By chance or by 2 secret law of nature the great invasions of history always moved from the east the west. The immense American nation will follow the eternal route of humz it will advance toward the set the barbarians of old, the Mon, the Turks. It will advance but it will advance. “Ou said Seward, “is destined to roll in iresistible waves to the icebound barriers of the north and to meet oriental civiliza- tion on the shores of the Pacifi The American will reach Asia. Seward foretold that he would meet the Chinese and Kalmucks upon the coasts of the yel- low continent. He spoke like a prophet of what the American advance guard would mect. “Looking toward the northwest,’ said he, “I see the Russian busily engaged; he works with energy, building bridges, towns and fortifications on the borders ¢ this continent to be the outposts of St. Pe tersburg, and I say, ‘Go ahead; continue build your outposts all along the coast; they will become the outposts of my coun. try, the monuments of the civilization of the United States in the northwest.’ ” The American incoming tide is bound to roll into Asia. It will neither stop nor turn; it will advance inflexibly until it reaches the civilization of the west, Rus- sia apparently being counted among the oriental empires. Everybody knows that mysticism and practical common sense often dwell togeth- er in harmony. Illustrious and striking ex- amples of this can be found in the lives of the saints. Seward only furnishes another example. That statesman, so practical and so unrestrained, spoke mystically of the role of the United States in the life of humanity. One speech that he made in Washington before the Senate in 1852 or thereabouts is extremely curious. The question was upon American commerce in the Pacific. Seward addressed the Senate as follows: “The discovery of this conti- at | nent and of lands an se ts organiz: tion upon their soil of societies and go ments have been great and impor events. After all, they are merety prelim inaries, a preparation by secondary tnel dents, in comparison with the sublime t which is about to be consum | the junction of the two civiligerions upan | the Soast and tn the islands of the Paci There certat never happened upon earth ay pi iy human event which ts comparable to that ranileur and in in portance tt will t followed by the levy ing of social conditions and by ni tablishment of the untty of haman fam ily. We now see ciear did 4 come about sooner and w is coming now. As a matter of fact it is ve Ty clear. Amer ica must take time to gird loins ar to take up her club: in other wor to be ready ¥ 3 her mission by force wher Persuasion will not be suffel nt. The events [in the Philippines ere the prologue of th grand march toward the west And when the Americans shall » joined Eure in some portt closed the ring of white civi zation ar the globe, will they stop or c they stop That fs the secret of the fu re. Its solu tion will depend upen what ey will find before them—a Europe torn and divided or, as it has been said, the United of Europe. At all events, they, will have the right to be proud, because they wil j have carried out their destiny ——__+e-___. ART AND ARTISTS The third annual exhibition of the Wash ington Water Col Club will be held tn j the gallery of the Society of Washingtor Artists, 1020 Confie ut avenue, from No vember to December 3. The exhibition | WH cousist of original work In water color | nd black white, and it 4s hoped j that beth in the number and vai lety of pietures own ft may surpass the two | previous efforts of the club, An inter ng | feature of this exhibition will be the put licatic uted catal : gue | artist re sted to accompany x ; bictures with n sketches, from which th catalogue committee will select suc h as j} may be desired fo: ustration. The nur | ber of pictures to which any one artist is | to be limited has been set at eight, for t coming exhibttion, instead of which | Was the maximum last year. ‘This ought t | considerably rease the number of at j tractive works which will be shown, yet not jto such an extent as to overtax the wa | space of the gull. Those intending t | submit pictures wv the ext tion are re to communicate with Mr. Jame iH Mosc airman of the board j be October 31, while t be dolivered at the gallery | Sth of November. * | x * } Mr. Carl Gu rz has been somewhat 4 | layed in his re and wi | probably not be before middle of the month. He is at St. Paul, where he has been engaged on some portraits dur ing the past summer. * ~* In a series of articles in the Nincteenth Century on “The Art Treasures of Amer | Mr. William Sharp, the English critic gives Washington most place with re gard to th is collect | ti “it that ix that realized United t Louvre he | and i ys: “In the states are already beyond our own pro | vincial cities and towns ng which only | Live La ASBOW | nent. New York natur | art metropolis of | next, then Washington | | eague began its fif | k last Monday, with every prosy numt charge Miss Bertha § Humphre cording to pr ot Mr vious “an * The work which Mr William Fi 8 been doing in burnt wood dex this summer shows a noticeabl> a In his om enti Jubilat an angel with outetretched wings is ced as to occupy the entire width rizontal panel, of lilies, p' while a graceful st rend of the compo tion, adds to decorative effect. Mr | Curtis has never done a more beautifu | «: n the one which ts here set off by { s of dark hair and thrown into a | against the gold back- j greund. In contrast to the bold comt | tion of carving and burnt work in the ou | spread wings, the face has an exqut delicacy that is rarely attained in py phy. This panel alone should be en ‘establish its author in a place among work>rs in it is only one of his mi deservedly this medium ny a decorations gicat merit. Hardly less pleasing are mesis” and the supplementary pane | representing “Life and Death,” the decor: uon calied “St. Cecelia,” and the serie panels calied “Death and the Lady * * * or of the ¢ The direc Pittsburg has European tour, rnegie Ins recently returned during which he promises of contributi autumn exhibit of the in: many distinguished forzign among them C gent, Israels and Orchardson. The interna exhibition will meet i from has re a d is for the titute fron: painters c tienal jury of the Pittsburg on October 13 to award honor and prizes and accept works not passe upon by the foreign committ-es awards made the Carnegie Instit juries are coming to be regarded as high honors among artists. * x Miss 8. W. Kelly has returned to the cit after a summer spent in the Alleghani: at Terra Alta, W. While in the m tains Miss Kelly made a number of plea ing sketches in water color of the pictu esque scenes all around her. In one of these, a littie sketch, simple in compos tion, but true in coloring, Miss Kelly show a rugged West Virgiraa forest with peaks of the mountains ris’ng ouc of th haze beyond. Anotner is a viev: looki down wooded lane and across to ti mountain slopes ou the left. Miss K s meved her st irom lith strect t luz L street nort e The Franciscan nearing completion Rreokland, will posses: for ny Washingtonians architectural and ¢ecorative standpoint Oriental in charac the structure pre- sents a simple and uuobtrusive aspect trom without, but in the terior are to be fuund inany unique features in the course of cun- struction. Prominent among these is the reproduction of the tomb of Christ at Jeru- salem, for which Mr. James F. Earley of this city is doing the sculptural work. ‘The figures and reliefs of the holy sepulcher are being exactly reproduced in every par- ticular, and, when the entire work {8 com Monastery, which the hills beyond a griat intere purely from th: ts en pleted,’ will afford a most interesting spec men of the art of that period (Copyright, 1898, Life Publishing Company.) OCTOBER.