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Show CHINESE VISITORS. Mr. Li, distinguished representative of the republic of China, has paid us an an illuminating visit. H seeks to set at rest American fears as to the destiny of his country. He intimates that iu the long run the republic will prevail, even though there be a retrogression to monarchy, mon-archy, because of lack of education among the masses. He points out that Yuan Shi Kai, the president who has just had himself proclaimed the first af a line of hereditary rulers, is a great believer be-liever in education and is fast inirrovincr the industrial and political conditions of the country. A inerieans will be glad to be reassured reas-sured concerning Yuan Shi Kai, for they have been led to think that he was plotting a restoration of the black despotism des-potism which has retarded China's 'development 'de-velopment through many centuries. The Chinese people are naturally democratic and with universal education should be able to maintain an ideal republic. It is to be hoped that Mr. Li is right. It is to be hoped that the increasing prosperity pros-perity of China will result in such growth of education as will make a permanent republic possible. The historic policy of the United States toward China has been one of friendship and helpfulness. Such ' a policy will be of immense value to both countries in the years and centuries to come. The unfortunate attitude of Japan makes the friendship of 400,000.000 Chinese especially desirable to us. Our policy toward Japan was the same as that toward China until the Nipponese began to dream of empire and decided, rightly or wrongly, that their vital interests in-terests in the Pacific were in conflict with those of the United States. "Japan for a long time has tried to dominate China, but wo have no fears that she will succeed, ' ' says Mr. Li. "There are so many more Chinese than Japanese that there doesn't seem to be the remotest chance of her succeeding." This is encouraging, but perhaps too optimistic in view of Japan's preparedness prepared-ness for war. H is practically certain that in the test of centuries the myriads of Chinese will come out on top, but in the near future Japan is very apt to deal China a crushing blow and hamper her progress for generations. But whether China be a republic or a monarchy, the sympathies of Americans will go out to the Chinese people. The vast possibilities of this mighty race form one of the dazzling dreams of the future. If the Jarpanese are so foolish as to think that they can keep China perpetually in .subjection they arc piling up woe for themselves. It seems inevitable inevi-table that China should become the dominating nation of the orient. H would be well for J a pan to apprccfate this fact and to shape her policy accordingly. ac-cordingly. What will it profit Japan to reign for a few years and in tho end to have the undying enmity of one of the richest and most powerful empires in the tide of time? The American people should not be led into a similar mistake. They have the friendship of the Chinese and they should be sedulous to preserve it from century to century. |