The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-09-20
CORRESPONDENTS.
Letter from China.


Messrs. Editors,-In your editorial
columns of May 18th, 1 find this item:
A Shanghai telegram states that the
Kaiping coal mines have been closed in
Difference to the opinion expressed by the
Censor that the continued working of
them would release the earth dragon, dis
turb the mind of the Empress, and bring
trouble upon the Imperial family"
This, no doubt, sounds very foolish.
Doubtless it is foolish; and yet it is very
much like some things in other parts of
the world
In China as in every land where there
is any freedom at all in politics, there are
two parties-a Conservative party and a
Progressive party. Here, the Conserva-
tives try to hold everything back to the
old condition of things, in which, amid
the tranquility of the Confucian philoso-
ply and of agriculture, the coal mines
were not worked, steamships were not
used, and the telegraph was not so much
as known. The Progressives want to
adapt China to the new relations into
which she has been forced with foreign
powers. They purchase and they build
vessels propelled by steam; they open
coal mines to furnish fuel for the new
ships; they have already set up tele-
graph from Shanghai to Tientsin, and
they are doing their best to get railroads.
The leader of the Conservatives, to the
popular eye, is mandarin named Tso a
burly fellow, who used to hold Office in
Hangchow, and in this city walked about
the streets in staggering, independent
way, quite unlike the ordinary Chinese
mandarin. The leader of the Progress
sives is Ii pronounced Lee) Hung Chang,
Vlceroy of the province In which Pekin
is situated, a man six feet two inches tall,
who by his force of character and talents,
raised himself from an obscure rank, and
now commands an army of 10000 men,
armed with foreign rifles.
In China, as elsewhere, sometimes
things favor the Conservatives, sometimes
the Progressives. In the matter of the
Kaiping collieries, it seems the Conserva-
tives got the upper hand. The mine must
be closed. But, what good reason can be
given for shutting up rich coal mine ?
OF course there is no good reason for a
bad piece of obstinacy so the Conserva-
tives have recourse to the usual expedi-
ent OF politicians great, high sound
ing lie. The earth dragon will be re-
leased, and the consequences disastrous.
Rather astounding mendacity, to be
sure. The keen-eyed people in the EN-
pire will see through it. the duller peo-
pie will be in a haze. And where is the
great difference here between China and
other countries? France makes grab
at Mexico, and her Emperor talks grand
ly and vaguely about the unifcation of
the Latin races, and says the Empire is
peace. England takes away another
Pleces OF land from somebody, and the
fremler enlarges in Parliament on the
rectlhcatlon Of our natural frontier in
that region, and security that trade be
maintained upon proper footing. The
government Of the United States ALLEGES
but 1T might seem invidious to sin9le
out any as the biggest story of an Amer
lcan politician, so we leave each one to do
1T for himself. In all these cases, it is the
Kaiping coal mine over again. The thing
shall be done, and for the reason some
yoluminous earth dragon is always at
hand
The history Of the telegraph in China
SHOWS Just how the matter lies. The first
0Iegraph here was put up some years
ago by foreigners 1t was short line
between Shanghai and the town Of WI
sung-the town at which ships coming
from from sea enter the Wusung river for
shanghai. 1t was an innovation hateful
70 the old Conservatives. So the tele-
graph poles walked up snakes, if not
dragons. They brought evil on this and
mat Chinese family living between the
clJy and Wusung. They were not to be
io1e iio1erated. They were pulled down. But,
i"SV year war was imminent between