n domestic circles are not many husbands hen-pecked by their
wives, because they, and not the men, rule the roost? Are not many
women practically governed by their husbands, whose word is their law?
The eager hunger for "the almighty dollar" leads most Americans to
sacrifice their time, health, and liberty in the acquisition of wealth,
and, alas, when they have acquired it, they find that their health is
broken, and that they themselves are almost ready for the grave. Ought
a free and independent people to live after this fashion?

In every well organized community it is essential that people should
obey all laws and regulations which are enacted for the greatest good
of the greatest number. In domestic circles they should willingly
subordinate their own wishes to the wishes of others, for the sake of
peace, concord and happiness. Happy that people whose laws and
conditions are such that they can enjoy the greatest amount of freedom
in regard to person and property, compatible with the general peace and
good order of the community, and if I should be asked my opinion,
notwithstanding all that I have above said concerning the United
States, I should have to acknowledge that I believe that America is one
of the few nations which have fairly well approximated the high ideal
of a well-governed country.

[1] The names of the parties and places were given in full in the
"China Press".

Chapter 8. American Manners

Much has been written and more said about American manners, or rather
the American lack of manners. Americans have frequently been
criticized for their bad breeding, and many sarcastic references to
American deportment have been made in my presence. I have even been
told, I do not know how true it is, that European diplomats dislike
being stationed in America, because of their aversion to the American
way of doing things.

Much too has been written and said about Chinese manners, not only by
foreigners but also by Chinese. One of the classics, which our youth
have to know by heart, is practically devoted entirely to manners.
There has also been much adverse criticism of our manners or our excess
of manners, though I have never heard that any diplomats have, on this
account, objected to being sent to China. We Chinese are therefore in
the same boat as the Americans. In regard to manners neither of us
find much favor with foreigners, though for diametrically opposite
reasons: the Americans are a