The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-01-19
FOR THE CENTRAL PREsBYTERIAN.
LETTER FROM CHINA.
GU-TsIU, October 5th, 1869,
CONCLUDED.

GU-TSIU, OctOOer Oth, 1OOS.
CONCLUDED.
In view of the probability of an increase
of Chinese Immigration it may be asked;
Is large Chinese Immigration to be de
sired ? There will probably be two answers
to the question, according to the different
stand-points from which it is viewed. Those
who regard the material civilization of a peO-
pie and the development of the internal re-
sources of nation the object principally to
be sought, will say, as a New York editor
writing of this subject, that capital does not
regard morality, and will answer in the af
frmatiye. Unless holding the political dog
ma, ''all men are born free and equal, and
should enjoy free suffrage, they will fear to
entrust this power in the hands of heather
people who some think viii in the course of
ten years outnumber any race represented In
the United States. Another class who have.
looked with dread upon the introduction of
the lower orders of Europe into our political
hemisphere, may see in these heather ele-
ments a yet more portentOus cloud lowering
over the political horizon. But, as l before
remarked, my purpose is to present few
facts bearing on the subject, gathered from
China as a standpoint, rather than to draw
conclusions from the American political point
Of view.
Then, solat vH Be the character Of the
Immigrants as regards education and iRteIF
gsncs viii they be superior to the ordi-
nary German and Irish Let us look at the
Chinese as a people. write as friend
who feels the deepest interest in their tenn
poral as well as eternal welfare. But can
not agree with those who see in China a sys,
TEN of government suitable to be a model
system of morals needing ''only to have
engrafted on it the Gospel of Christ, and a
literature emitting them to be called ''the
literary nation of the world'-the latter an
appellation attributed to Hon, Caleb Cush-
ing by an American paper. Nor does my
limited experience in TWO of the literary
cities of this important province justify the
praise given them by the writer in the Gal
Qry. He says: SCHOOLS are universal,
and the proportion of inhabitants who are
unable to read and write is rsry small The
italics are mine.) "Tbr classics and history
of their own country is very geg orally stu
died. If he is mistat en- in his first ate
ment he must of cours surrender the sec
ond or restrict it to the literary class which
we shall proceed to show is in Chinese phra-
seology, ''the smaller half" of the people,
Mr.. Houston, in a letter published in the
July number of The Missionary, justly and
clearly deals with one branch of this subject,
showing that many who may have been in
schools two years and can read the charac-
.ers of many books quite Auenrly, are un-
acquainted with their meaning. They are to
the reader las sounding brass or a tinkhng
cymbal." THIS is not education, or even
reading in the sense in which we understand
it. Thus many who enter schools do not
come out among those able to read. And
during Mr.. Stuayt's and my residence here,
we have been selling the Scriptures and dis
tributing tracts, as well as observing the peO-
pie, and find many Of those in shops, to-
gether with most of that large class employed
in China as bearers of burdens, and tillerS Of
the soils, who are unable to read. And
taking a superficial glance at the boys on the
street morning and evening, one will find a
small number returning from school, while
many more are at work embroidering clothes,
making shoes, or behind counters. Again,
add to these oae-6alf of the inhabitants
of China-the women, scarcely any of whom
can read, and it appears that decidedly the
smaller part of the population can be called
educated. And in this connection let it be