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VOL. XXXVI-NO. 19.
OMAIIA, SUNDAY MOHN1XG, OCTOIUOR 2$, .1900.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENIS.
AROUND" THE WORLD WITH WILLIAM ' JENNINGS BRYAN
What American ancf Other Missionaries Ar Doing to Spread Western Ideas as Well as Christianity Among the People of Japan, China, India and Other Countries of Asia
)
In former letter I have mentioned the missionary work
being done by Americans in the orient and I deem the sub-
. Js, Ject Important enough for an article, In view of the con
. fllct Id g reports which have been brought back by tourist.
We had an opportunity to Investigate the work done by Ameri
can missionaries In Hawaii. Japan, China, the Philippines, Singapore,
India, Egypt. Palestine and Turkey. We met representatives of
nearly all the churches in the various departments of missionary
work, and as a result of our observations our interest in foreign mis
sions bas been quickened. In Hawaii the missionaries laid the foun
dation for the present civilization in the islands and exerted a moet
beneficial influence upon the natives.
In Japan the missionary work has spread rapidly and is carried
. on under tour heads. The religious teacher presents the gospel and
establishes churches; the school teacher arouses an Interest In edu
cation and establishes schools; the medical missionary, by unselfishly
rendering an obvious service, opens the way for both the preacher
and the school teacher, while the Young Men's Christian association
and its accompanying organization, the Young Women's Christian
association, weld the church membership into a religious, but unsec
tarian working body. The rapid growth in public instruction has
somewhat dwarfed the relative importance of the mission schools
In Japan, and the spread of the science of medicine has made the
work of the medical missionary less conspicuous, but the religious
teacher In Japan bas a field which is not surpassed anywhere. The
Japanese people are rapidly drifting away from Buddhism, which
until rently was the national faith. Shintolsm, which has become
the state religion, is not 'a religion at all. but a reverence for an
cestors. Japan must have a religion, for no nation is likely to avoid
decay unless its morale are re-enforced by religion. If I had the
authority to decide the question I would send some of the leading
men of each denomination to Japan to present (Christianity to the
educated Japanese. English is taught in the schools of Japan, and
one can speak to the Japanese without the aid of an Interpreter.
This proposition I tested several times. While it would be an ad
vantage to have preachers who could speak the Japanese language,
still, it Is more Important that we should send our ablest divines
there men who can meet the most intelligent of the Japanese upon
an equal footing and defend before them the Christian philosophy
of life. '
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Japan's Influence on China
Japan Is the gateway of the orient, and today is exerting an in
fluence upon China greater than the combined influence of all the
European nations. Western civilisation is likely to enter China
through Japan. In" fact, I believe that the Christian religion, pre
sented to the Chinese by the Japanese, would spread more rapidly
than if presented in any' other way, for China has come to regard
Japan as a leader 'of thought.. More than 6,000 Chinese students
are now at school In Japan, and Japanese teachers are being more
and mere employed In China. Some of the most earnest Christians
whom we met are' natives of Japan. At Tokio, at Kioto, and' at
Kogoshlma I was especially Impressed with the sincerity and enthu
siasm of the Japanese Christians. I ceuld not but recall the lines,
'"Blessed be the tie that binds our heart In Christian love1, as I saw -
bow much stronger tkls heart tie is than the ties of blood or race
or language. ' l .j,
In Seoul, Corea, w found a very successful medical mission and
a flourishing young Men's Christian association. We also learned
of several Christian congregations.
.In. China mission work has made great progress, although it has"
had to -bear the brunt of the fight now being made against foreign'
, Influence. ' During the Boxer trouble there were examples of heroism
among the Chinese Christians which recalled the early days ' of
martyrdom. There were those who suffered death because of their
devotion to the Christian faith, and thousands more who did. not
hesitate to take the part of the white Christians against members
of their own race. It takes time to educate a race or make an im
pression upon a great population like the population of China' but
the next quarter of a century is likely to see the Christian religion
spread more rapidly among the inhabitants of the Flowery Kingdom
than it has during the last .century.
That our missionaries often make mistakes need not be denied.
They are human, and to err' is the lot of all. A missionary among
strangers must exercise more sagacity and discretion than one who
works among people of his own race. The wonder is not that mis
sionaries make mistakes, but that they de not make more than are
now charged to them. It is even possible that a missionary occas
ionally proves untrue to his calling. Is it strange that this should
happen to a missionary almost alone and with but little sympathetic
support when it some times happens to ministers who ere sur
rounded by friends and hedged In so that a fall would seem almost
impossible? v '
One part of the missionary's work has received scant notice
namely, the planting of western ideas in the orient The dally life
of a missionary la" not only a constant sermon, but, to a certain ex
tent, an exposition of western ways. His manner of dress and his
manner of living are noted, and even If he did not say a word he
would make an impression upon those about him. It would be
worth while to send Christians to the orient merely -to show the
fullness and richness of the Christian life, for, after all, the example
of an upright person, living life of service according to the Chris
tian ideal, is more eloquent than any sermon it is the unanswerab
argument in favor of our religion. ' c.
Effect of Missionary Example
' It is some times suggested by those unfriendly to missionary
work that missionaries live la too great comfort. This criticism will
not have weight with those who have attempted to live in the
.. orient upon the salary of a missionary, but even If the missionaries
lived more luxuriantly than they do, that would still exert a bene
ficial Influence. As the Chinaman becomes educated he learns of
' the manners and customs of the people of other nations, and the
home of the missionary gives an opportunity for comparisons. In
China there is polygamy, while the missionary has but one wife. In
the Chinese home the birth of a son is the occasion of rejoicing; the
j. birth of a daughter an occasion tor less rejoicing. If not actual
' mourning. In the missionary's home the girl child is as welcome as
the boy. The missionary's wife is not only a standing rebuke to the
'practice of foot binding, but Is a stimulus to the movement now set
ting in for education of women.
The Catholio missionaries reach a class which mibt not be
reached by Protestant missionaries, and Protestant missionaries ap
peal to some who could not be reached by the Catholic missionaries.
Each church docs its own work in its own way, and the result is
better than if either church attempted to follow the example of the
otter. The celibacy of the priest and his voluntary sacrifice of home
and Its Joys that he may more fully devote himself to religion these
i appeal to some, especially to th6e who have been .impressed with
i xthe asceticism of the religious teachers of the orient. There are
others, however, who are more impressed with a form of Chris
tianity which does not deny to its uinliiters the advantages of the
family. In other words, the different branches of the Christian
church, each pursuing its own way, meet the widely different needs
of the heathen better than any one church could do it.
Missionary work In the Malay states has been very slow, be
cause the Malays are nearly all Mohammedans, and it has been
, , found oiffleult to nia'ae headway against this religion. The Mo
V hammedan believes' in most of the Old Testament and regards
Christ as a great prophet, out claims tnat uanomei was a later
brophet and a greater one.
Burnish, the home of Buddhism, Is one of the best missionary
) fields, and great euccets has attended the Baptist mission, which
his Its headquarters at Haajoon. '
j'uj- tuyr jfai Auieikaa missionaries have been establishing
FILIPINO fciOxTT FdlOOIV-nAMERldAJI PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS. .
schools and churches in India. While this field bas also been de
veloped by the English missionaries, I was informed that a majority
of the Sunday school children are now attending American Sunday
schools. It is one of the indisputable proofs of our country's su
premacy fn altruistic work that, though drawing nothing whatever
from India in the way of revenue, it sends into Indfa every year for
religious and educational purposes almost as much as England does,
notwithstanding the fact that England draws something like $100,
000,000 a year from India.
Medical Missionaries and School Teachers
" i
t :.We found the various departments of Christian work growing
vigorously in India. Medical missionaries are winning the confidence
-and the affections of the unfortunate; teachers are bringing in
creasing thousands to a higher level of Intellectual development,
and the ministers are explaining to the people why It is that the
Christian is sympathetic and benevolent. Simply stated, the medi
cal missionary c&mpols attention; the school teacher takes the one
whose attention bas been aroused and furnishes an education'' which
enables the pupil to see things in their proper relation, while the
minister points out the philosophy of the effort of the other two and
presents the conception of life which leads both medical missionary
and teacher to separate themselves from home and friends and de
vote themselves to people who are connected with them only by the
primal ties which bind each human being to every other.
I shall long remember two meetings which I addressed in
India. One was held under the auspices of the Young Men's Chris
tian association at Allahabad, one of the centers of the Hindu re
ligion. At the conclusion of my address an Indian arose and ad
dressed me as follows: "Mr. Bryan, you cannot Judge of the in
fluence of Christianity upon our country by the number of church
members. The spirit of Christ and the Christian Ideal have made
an impression far' wider than the church membership would indi
cate. Tell your people that the Indians are grateful to thera for the
missionaries and teachers whom they have sent among us, and tell
them how few these are in number compared with our needs. Send
us more, and assure your people that we appreciate the benefits re
ceived from America."
This unsolicited testimonial to the good work of our mission
aries and teachers is entirely deserved. The Influence of Chris
tianity upon the orient is vastly greater than one would think it if
church membership were the test. The stimulus which Is given to
eastern thought is enormous, and already the Hindus, Parasees and
Mohammedans are imitating the methods of the Christian worl l and
establishing schools independent of the government. The education
of the boys Is proceeding more rapidly than the education of the
girls, but the latter is not entirely neglected. One Mohammedan
woman of Bombay, of unusual mental strength and character, oat
lined a plan which she had formed for establishing a school for the
women of her religious faith. '
Lecture Crowd in Bombay
The Bombay meeting was in some respects the most remark
able meeting that I ever addressed. Rev. Mr. Mell, an American,
is pastor of the Methodist church in Bombay. While in Calcutta I
received a letter from him asking me to deliever in Bombay, in his
church, the lecture entitled "The Prince of Peace," which I delivered
at Tokio and Manila. As the time approached for the meeting he
concluded that his church would not be large enough for the audi
ence and arranged to secure the town hall, which accommodates
The Growth of the Harriman Lines
LMOST exactly eight and one-half years ago the entire
A Union Pacific railway system changed hands for the
sum of 158,898,865.49 in cash and $27,637,435 in se
curities. Of this fifty-three million odd dollars In cash,
$40,253,605.49 went to the United States government
to satisfy the latters subsidy lien on the properties, thus leaving
only $13,646,000 paid in cash to the former holders of the property
exclusive of the United States government. In addition to this sum,
the reorganisation committee paid to the first mortgage bondholders
the above mentioned $2 7,637,435 in new bonds for a like amount of
old securities.
v At that date the system consisted of 1,849 miles of railroad and
equipment and a land grand of approximately 6,500,000 acres. The
lines extended from Omaha and Kansas City on the east to Ogden,
Utah, on the west. Thus the railroad's eastern terminals were in
cities of less than 160,000 population and its western terminus was
in a city of only 20,000 people. It passed through no cities of very
great importance, and even its entry into Denver was not on the
main line, but was reached by way of a branch. .
The gross earnings of the property during the fiscal year pre
ceding the reorganization amounted to only $14,944,477, or $8,201
per mile of road, and the net Income was only $4,927,681, or but
$2,704 per mile. Under the plan of reorganization as adopted by
Mr. Harriman and his associates the new company was to have a
total capitalization of $231,000,000, of which $95,000,000 was in
4 per cent bonds, $76,000,000 in 4 per cent preferred stock and
$61,000,000 common stock. The fixed charges on the bonds involved
an annual payment of $3,800,000 for Interest, which, based on the
earnings of the previous year, would leave only about $1,000,000
surplus, equal to less than 1 H per cent on the preferred shares.
The wiseacres and onlookers at that time expressed many a
doubt of the ultimate success of this plan. Not many believed that
the preferred shares would ever pay a dividend and a large propor
tion of the Wall street contingent freely predicted that it would
prove a difficult matter to continuously meet the interest charges on
the bonds. The stock market reflected this sentiment in the price
of the bonds and stock issues of this time. On March 12, 1898, the
bonds were quoted at 90, the new preferred stock at 48 and the
new common stock at 16. This gave a total market valuation to the
entire bond and stock issues of $132,480,000, and of this amount
$85,500,000 was represented by the bond Issue, leaving $46,980,000
as the valuation in the public mind of the equity in the Union Pa
cific railroad system, Its business, property, land grants, right-of-way
and future possibilities. Lens than $47,000,000 to represent a
property which extended nearly half way across the American ponti
nent, running through a ttretch of country promising enormous
future possibilities and being the most direct and important route
between the settled and populous east and the already largely de
veloped, resourcefully rich and promising Pacific slope.
Today the gross market valuation of the preferred and com
mon stocks of the Union Pacific railroad proper U $456,915,483, or
nearly ten times that of the preferred and common stocks of the
same company in March, 1898. In the same period the market
value of the bonds for which the system is responsible has Increased
from $85,000,000 to nearly $210,000,000, thus giving a total market
valuation for the Union Pacific railroad's bonds and stocks, which
are la the hands of the public, $654,815,483, as compared with
$132,480,000 on March 12, 1898, an Increase of over 500 per cent
In less than nine years. y
From the standpoint of the stockholder these facts are in every
respect remarkable. The man who bought 100 shares of Union
Pacific preferred stock on March 12, 1898, paying $4,800 therefor,
has today more than double his principal besides having received
over 8 per cent per annum on his original investment for more than
seven years. But he who bought 100 shares of Union Pacific common
stock at the date mentioned, thereby investing $1,600, assuming
that he still holds his stock, has fared far better. His principal has
grown in this short period of eight and one-half years from $1,600
to $18,700; he has received in dividends since he bought the stock
the additional sum of $3,200, giving him in all $21,900 on bis origi
nal investment of $1,600 only a few years ago. Today he Is re
ceiving dividends at the rate of $1,000 per year, or nearly 63 per
cent per annum on the original cost of his stock.
But we have only begun to tell the story. Not only has the
Union Pacific proper grown in value and in earning power, but
under the management of the Harriman Interests it has expanded
and ramified in all directions. Starting its new career in IS 98 aa
a comparatively limited system of lines, simply crossing the western
plains and affording connections with eastern and western outlets,
' it began to grow almost before the ink was dry on Its first official
statements. Immediately after the reorganization In 1898 had
been completed the Oregon Short Line and the Oregon Railway ft
Navigation properties were acquired, thus giving the system its own
outlets to the Pacific coast, adding over 2,000 miles to its railway
lines and vastly increasing its possibilities. Other profitable feed
ers were also added In this and the following year, and by 1900 the
system had grown to 5,400 miles and its gross Income from less
than $15,000,000 lnl897 to over $39,000,000 in 1900. The fol
lowing year control of the great Southern Pacific system was ac
quired, with its 9,000. odd miles of lines, thus giving the Union
Pacific interests new outlets to the Pacific coast and an outlet to
the Atlantic seaboard at New Orleans besides the practical domina
tion of a vast stretch cf growing country extending through a half
dozen enormous states, that it had never reached before.
The story of the Harriman lines bines the acquisition of the
Southern Pacific in 1901 has been a continuous tale of gigantic de
velopment and expansion. So steadily and quietly has this gone
on that a large body of the public is just awakening to a fuller
realisation of lta extent and import. In 1901 the Harrlmr.n interests
reached into the northern territory for the control of the great
Northern Pacific system. Thlti attempt being ultimately Bet aside
by the courts as illegal, they withdrew from this flld, but in doing
so they disiH)sed of the Union Pacific company's Interests In these
northern neighbors at a profit to the company of about $70,000,000.
Today what is commonly known as the Union Pacific system
embraces about 15,000 miles of railway lines, extending from
Ou,aUa, Kansas City and New Orleans on the east, to all important
parts of California and Oregou on the west. The, par value capitali
zation of these properties aggregate $1,009,587,000, and the total
market valuation about $1,182,367,000. The combined earnings of
this vast system of railway line? for the year ending June 30, 1906,
amounted In gross to no less a sum than $173,900,657, and in net
(Continued on Page Two.),
about 3,000 people. He was somewhat fearful that this hall would
be larger than necessary, but It was the only audience room that he
could secuie. When the time came for the meeting the hall was
not only filled to overflowing, but the cvowd outside was such that
it was difficult for us to effect an entrance. On the platform were
prominent Hindus, Mohammedans and Parsees, and throe-fourths
of the audience, at least, were made up of nouChrlstlan Indians.
Yet these people listened for more than an hour to a defense of tbs
Christian religion listened as attentively as any audience ever lis
tened to a political speech, and when I went from the hall the
younger men were massed along the way and cheered as our people
cheer during the campaign. The next day I received a letter from
one of the young merr thanking me for shakiug hands with him as
I passed out.
In the letters on India I- have referred to the Presbyterian col
lege at Allahabad. At Bombay we found a Congregational school
for boys and girls and a school for the blind. It touches one's heart
to see these sightless little Indians cared for by American
philanthropy, and, under the teaching of sympathetic friends, made
more capable of self-support and raised to a higher Intellectual level
than millions who can see. Many of the children taken Into thoss
schools are orphans whose parents have died during the famines.
What a history might be written if the events of their lives wers
put on record, and how much evidence would be furnished to those
who endeavor to trace the province of God in the lives of individuals,
as well as in the course of nations.
I have, in another article, referred to the work of the United
Presbyterians in the valley of the Nile. It would be difficult to
overestimate the Influence which these pioneer Americans have ex
erted over the decendants of the Pharaohs. The government is giv
ing more and more attention to educational matters in Egypt, but
the first work was done by the missionaries, and no one can appre
ciate what this work means who has not had an opportunity to
compare the boys and girls In the schools with the children who
are growing up in Ignorance, outside. In Jerusalem the Catholio
schools for girls most Interested us, and I need not add that the
Catholic missionaries have in many countries been the first to risk
their lives in the spread of the gospel and in the establishment of
schools, orphan asylums and hospitals.
Activity in Syria and Turkey
In Syria and In Turkey the Americans are very active. For
half a century they have made Beyrout headquarters, for Syria, and
their churches and schools are scattered all over this portion of
Asia. At Constantinople, also, we met a large company of the rep
resentatives of the various American churches, and their schools
have been built on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Why spend money on foreign missions? If the oriental is happy,
In his Idolatry or in his worship of God through other religious
forms, why disturb him? These questions may be answered tn
various ways, but one answer will suffice for the purpose of this
article. The Christian ideal of life is the highest ideal. There Is
no .more beautiful conception of life than that it is an overflowing
spring. There is no true measure of greatness except the Christian
measure- namely, service. If this ideal Is good enough for America
it is good enough for all the world. If truth must, according to
eternal laws, triumph, then this ideal must triumph over all lower
ones, and how can it triumph over lower ideals unless It is brought
Into contact with them? If we see a man engaged lu.some useful
work, but laboring with antiquated tools, it is a kindness to him
to offer him an implement that will multiply his effectiveness. It
we see a man following a low Ideal and making but little of life,
', Is it not a kindness to offer him a higher one which will not only
multiply his usefulness, but his happiness as well? If the Christian
Ideal Is worthy to be followed In America, it is worthy to be pre
sented in every land, and experience has shown that It is an Ideal
capable of being made universal, for it has commended Itself to
people of every clime and of every tongue.
Bet it is said we must not neglect home missions in our zeal
to carry the gospel and its attendant blessings to foreign shores.
This Is a familiar objection, but as a rule it is urged by those who
do the least for home missions. I think I am far within the truth
when I say that the moat liberal contributors to foreign missions
are also the most liberal contributors to home missions, and that
those who are so afraid that work at home will be sacrificed for
work abroad are the very ones who themselves make few sacrifices
for the work at home. The same splr't which leads one to be gen
erous in the support of those benevol, ices which are immediately
about him, leads him to take an interest in the needy wherever
they are fonnd. The same spirit which makes one anxious to have
the Sermon on the Mount known in his neighborhood leads him to
desire that the knowledge of this sermon and the philosophy which
It contains shall be brought to the people of all the world.
Duty to Assist Others
There is another answer to those who say that we must confine
our efforts to the home field until e have supplied every moral
nMl Tf An Individual refuses to aaslst in the improvement of
others until he has himself reached perfection, who will be able to
aid others? In the effort to help others ono often finds more im
provement than could come from a selfish contemplation of one
self alone. So the country which refuses to extend a helping hand
to other lands until all its people have passed beyond the need
of Improvement will do nothing for the world. As the contributions
' to benevolences would be small. Indeed, if only those contributed
who could do so without sacrifice, so the contributions to the world's
advancement would be but slight If only those helped others who
were not themselves in need of help.
"Let him who would be the chietest among you be the servant of
all." If this is the measure of national greatness, then our nation
is the greatest of all, for its contributions to the world surpass the
contributions made by any other nation. These contributions are
made in two ways first, it contributes through the men and women
who have come from other lands to study here; and, second, through
the men and women who have gone to other lands as preachers and
teachers.
I venturo the suggestion that It would be worth while to es
tablish schools in the United States where representatives of other
nations could be brought and made acquainted with Christianity
end with the institutions which have grown up in Christian society.
These could then go among their own people and . preach with
greater effectiveness than, foreigners pos6lbiy can.
Next to this comes the education of the natives in schools es
tablished in their own land, and this, of course, is far less expensive.
From $40 to $50 a year will pay for the board, clothing and tuition
of a student in the lower classes of an oriental Christian college. If
the hundreds of thousands of Christians who could without sacrifice
educate one student a year could bo Induced to contribute money for
this purpose, what an impetus would be given to the cause of Chris
tianity througout the orient! And who will measure the beneficent
influer.ee of money thus si.ent when we remember what has been ac
complished by one trained mind directed by a high and holy pur
pose? Who will set limits to the good that may be done by those
orientals who are preparing themselves for larger work under the
instruction of American missionaries and teachers?
Making due allowance for the frailty of human nature and
for the mistakes which all are liable to make, it may be said with
out fear of sueci-Bt-f.il contradiction that the missionaries, physicians
and teachers who consecrate themselves to the advancement of
Asia's millions along Christian lines are as hlgh-tnlnded, as heroic,
as self-sacrificing, and, considering the great destiny of the race, aa
useful as any equal number of men and women to be found in any
other part of the world. W. J. BRYAN.
.(Copyright, 1806.).