"A judgment after the fact, Mr. Hampden, when it is easy to be wise. Yet even now it is not difficult to see that bitterness and division have been sown among the enemies of my race. Action against us has been postponed for years--perhaps for all time. The mass of your people--especially beyond the mountains--are shocked at the excesses of the past week, and will oppose the demands made by your disorderly classes. Like all the weak, we must conquer by the division of those who could harm us. The division has come." "I think you mistake its extent," I said. "The riots may have roused a prejudice in the Eastern States against the demand for the exclusion of your race. But it is only a temporary check. It will not be five years before there is a law on the statute books forbidding the coming of your people." Big Sam looked over my head, with the far-away gaze of one who was looking to the distant future. Then he sighed and spoke: "Perhaps you are right. You must understand the temper of your people much better than I. But it will be as it will. If we are permitted to come unchecked, we shall build up on this coast a great Chinese State that will change the face of the world. We are adaptable, as you know. We are arming ourselves with the methods and machinery of western progress. Put a state of ten million of Chinese on this coast, and from this vantage point we shall break down the barriers between Orient and Occident, put the productive forces of the West into the hands of my people in China, add what is best in your life to the superior qualities of our institutions, and make China the leader instead of the hermit of the world." Big Sam’s face was calm with the self-possession of his race, as he described this vision, but his eyes glowed with magnetic fire, and his voice thrilled with enthusiasm as he spoke. "A magnificent plan--but there are difficulties," I said. "Difficulties, yes--but only such as the intellect and energy of man may overcome. The old order in China is tottering to its fall. The dynasty of usurpers is held in place only by the arm of the foreigner. Its strength is typified by its head--a child and a woman!" Big Sam spoke thus of the baby Emperor and the Empress Dowager, with an infinite scorn. "It needs but the man with the resources behind him to rouse China to herself--to show to the nations a new and magnificent civilization--more splendid and solid than the world has ever seen." I was stirred to admiration at his dream. "I believe," I said heartily, "that you are the man to do it, if it could be done by a single man. But I warn you now that the white race will never surrender California, except at the compulsion of arms." Big Sam sighed again, but his face retained its impassive calm. "In that case I shall live and die a Chinese merchant--Big Sam, the King of Chinatown, as your people are kind enough to call me."