Blue waters and green and the Far East today . en and children for all time mustdo the same. The brothels of the East are recruitedfrom his daughters if they are comely. The othersmust labor as their brothers and husbands do, atlabor that seems inhuman, fit only for beasts. Theirrank and station is fixed; there is no escape from sell themselves in far-off lands to toil that isalmost certain death, such employment as the Pan-ama Canal, for a pittance paid in advance to theirfamilies, to a father or mother too old to work. Theyare the most industrious, faithful, frugal self-denyingclass
Blue waters and green and the Far East today . en and children for all time mustdo the same. The brothels of the East are recruitedfrom his daughters if they are comely. The othersmust labor as their brothers and husbands do, atlabor that seems inhuman, fit only for beasts. Theirrank and station is fixed; there is no escape from sell themselves in far-off lands to toil that isalmost certain death, such employment as the Pan-ama Canal, for a pittance paid in advance to theirfamilies, to a father or mother too old to work. Theyare the most industrious, faithful, frugal self-denyingclass in the world. I can never look at one withouta pang. They are so honest, so patient, so kindly,they get so little: why did God make them so?Their desperate poverty, far beneath anything youever see at home, their patience, their self-sacrifice,their hopelessness, are sublimely pathetic. Theydumbly and unconsciously accuse the Universe, theWhole Scheme of Things as they are. Is God just?Is there a heaven for these poor creatures? Will it [116]. HONG KONG somewhere be made up to them? If not, there is nojustice anywhere. The scheme fails and we are butthe jests of an Idle God. Some facts about the Chinese stand out with suchstartling clarity, they are so certain and well attested,that you cannot escape them; and one is their hon-esty. You may ask any man who has dealt withthem and he will tell you the same, that they are themost absolutely honest and reliable race in the Chinese merchant will commit suicide if he cannotmeet his obligations. He will suffer any loss, he willsell himself into slavery rather than fail of his is the only country in the world that has nolaw for the collection of debt,—needs none. Thisstatement rests not upon a preponderance of theevidence: it is unanimous; there is no dispute aboutit. Every man in the East will tell you that he hadrather deal with the Chinese than any other people inthe world. They are slow in a bargain, they weigh
Size: 1308px × 1909px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauth, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidcu31924023279866
