£
282
ANTI-RAILWAY ARGUMENTS.
(Daily Press, April 29th.)
C
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
¦
**
[May 4, 1907.
MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.
the prophetic ere to anticipate the time work, more practical (and Japanese) than the when different methods will be employed by previous showy demonstrations, is in train; the uninstructed agriculturists of China, and altogether Peking seems to have made Te the western mind it seems inexplicable Example will be their great preceptor, the up its mind that as the foreign Powers are that there should be any objection to the example of those who have lived and learned not easily bluffed ", it must go in for the opening up of a country by means of rail- abroad, and having been taught in this way real thing. When the gallant fifteen return roads, but we have recently discoverd that to help themselves they will ere long enjor from France, and obtain appointments, and there are educated and intelligent Chinese the satisfaction which comes from making | when they have had a year or two of com. who are not so sanguiné about the benefits two blades grow where only one grew
mand without to niuch Mandarinesque` and improvements to follow the introduction before. Moreover portions of lan I not yet meddling, it may then he time for us to of the locomotive. The steam engine may be, under cultivation can be made to pay
“look-gre in the case of China and her the precursor in Europe and America of tribute, while it is only necessary to uien-imperial army. The Yellow Peril. instead thriving townships resulting from a tion mineral resources to indicate the great of a foolish nightmare as at present, may developed trade, but it cannot be expected, wealth which can be brought from the then be a possibility to some extent. But they argue, that such experience will be howels of the earth to redeem the nation while there is sure to be much foreign repeated in Chins. Though we may not be from the reproach of poverty. Undoubted comment on this newest sign of China's able to share those prognostications with ly the railway is an educative and a factor awakening, we have no doubt that those the gentlemen who express them, we must of progress. It may disturb the calm | who will make the most of it, and over- admit that their views are entitled to the I which the Celestial enjoys, but it will estimate its importance as a factor of respect due to all honest-expressions of inspire the discontent which leads to ma- change, will be the members of Man- opinion. Their attitude seems to be based terial advancement, and with agriculture | darindom themselves. on a certain appreciation-more or less fostered, industry developed and com- perfect of the economic conditions which
merce advanced there will ensue greater prevail in the Empire. The vast majority happiness founded on greater knowledge of the people live on the land and they t and a material prosperity such as will us that the operation of the patriarchal 2ølevate future generations above the tradi- system has resulted in the partition of ancient; tional but somewhat e.pty glories of an heritages to such a degree that the small ancient civilisation. Railways may plot left is inadequate to the proper support bring a nobler civilisation to China, but of the family working upon it. The
they will bring greater comfort, and make people are indeed so poor that they are the bounds of knowledge and freedom incapable of any further effort.
In other wider yet. words, the dwellers in the interior who are not able to raise sufficient from the land to meet their own needs cannot be in a position to produce crops of any kind for export. That being so, they ask us: what advantages are likely to accrue the establishment of a railway through the heart of the country? Politically, its advantages are apparent. It will strengthen the government, and will give greater cohesion among the members of this rather large and unwieldy organism. Its educative influence, also, have previously enlarged upon. But commer- cially, what are the prospects? The
We
from
mass of the population, taxing the soil to its utmost to provide sustenance for the millions, cannot avail themselts of the opportunities which the railway presents in less impoverished countries." To that we reply, that we cannot admit that the mass of the population has ever done anything of the sort. The great bulk of the land has not been exploited, as it will be when the railways come. Much of China has beep neglected as it would ever have been neglected if it had been more acce- sible. Most of the objections to the railway (apart from the intelligat attempt at born of argument quoted), rank prejudice, and usually abandoned when the benefits were seen and realized. The Chinese are averse to change. The are the ignorant unenlightened masses most conservative of all, and so we are toll that " until some vivifying influence has 'infused į new vigour in them and in duced them to adopt different methods their condition will not be bettered
were
the con-
by such costly experiments as struction of railways. But it is the railways that are to supply that vivifying influence. In fact, it will be worsened, because instead of a poverty-stricken but contented population there will be a people misérably poor and unhappy in their grow- ing discontent." Affe is the argument employed not to actively rebut railway proposals but to passively discourage their realisation. While interesting as repre- senting a certain point of view it cannot be taken seriously. The new link with the great world beyond will present opportuni- ties which the villagers will be shrewd enough to appreciate, and it does not need
·
CHINESE MILITARY
EXPERIMENT.
unt
• rear.
(Daily Prega 1st May).
The pre ence in Shanghai this last few days of the largest body of Protestant Missionaries ever gathered together in the is an event we ought not to over- Far East look, yet the task of commenting upon it is one we cannot approach without some diffi lence, Missionary questions have been so oftea discussed intemperately, that the most honest and impartial e›mmentator cannot hope to mention them without incurring the suspicion of one party or another. It (Daily Press, 30th April.)
is, indeed, broadly speaking a subject upon which arrived in port yesterday brings of intention.
The French mail steamer Ville de la Ciotat | which no one gets credit offhand for honesty No person or journal pro- among its passengers for France fifteen feasing interest in China cin ignore the young Chinamen, who may be said to missionary movement, and in once more constitute the nucleus of the real Yellow referring to various points appropriate at Peril. In charge of Colonel TING, they go the present juncture we claim the indulgence to join the French Army, by special due to all sincere convictions, however arrangement, as regular conscripts. Their unpopular they may be in some quarters. mission is an experiment by the Chinese At the opening meeting we notice there War Office, and is understood to be the were fully fifteen hundred person present, result of a suggestion from the Travelling represeuling: 83 different societies or Commissioners who returned last
Agencies, and coming from more than five These fifteen young men have undergone hundred Chinese cities. At the outset we two years'training at the Paotingfu Military can cheerfully admit that a proportion College, but on arrival in Franke they will these people are sincere and well-meaning, begin in all respects as the newest of new
aud that a certain amount of good has beeu Beyond the French regulation doge; but there are numerous features of Perui s allowances, they will receive only a. frane the business for which we are unable to a day, and so be saved from the ex- feel any sympathy at all. First and fore- we would like to see this Conference travagances and idleness of others who most have goue abroad as military students from honestly discuss the questing of woman through Hongkong to-day do not represent the Provinces. The young men pissing workers, the drawbacks to whos) prezenca we have previously pointel out. It is an any Provinces; they have been specially honest conviction of ours that all women selected on grounds of fitness to lar the missionaries should he recalled, but we do foundations of the Imperial Army that not expect that the mila" martyrs " will con- After going through the descend to even admft the question. Many routine discipline of the French on. of them politieally would doubtles; be found sript, ther wi!!
examined for objecting to the Suffragette moveicent were F different French military they at home, but their conscience does not entrance colleges, to learn the duties of officers.
seen to live perwided any of them that it is not right to let women and children make sure that its firteen francs a day are
at being wasted, the Luchunpu requires suffer the ills incidental to life in the from the Chinese Legation regular reports | interior. We need not recapi ulate our reasons at this time, but until the male of the progress of the party. The Chinese
missionaries do recogniw the issue, our Government, who have only recently cou
respect for them cannot grow. Neither reivel the idea of the Imperial Army as against Provincial Armies, are not likely to net we enter upon the broad question of repeat the mistake of the carefully rehears their justification or otherwise in bringing reviews and sham fights which exposed to dogmas to an empire so devoted to ethics the experts of the world how hollow were as China is. The misionaries have firmly these pretensions at army reform. It is established their footing, and it will need all stated that the despatch of this party under the space at our disposal to mention such the sensible con litions indicated is o. a par¦ points as his occurred through reading <with other morements started by the the reports of their doings at the Northern Ministry of War. The uniform question port. The Shanghai papers are fall of may soon be practically settled without pre missionary contributions, and it is passages judice, and the troops armed with the latest in these that have attracted our attention. or most effective weapons. Camp and field | Their calnı disregar of the literal meanings
i
[
4
Į
¦
to
he.
be
Ta
1