The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1886-12-02
MISUNDERSTANDING

rant Cinnamon Secure High omoes.
On entering what purported tobe the
place where the great examinations
were held found myself inside a vast
wall surrounding few acres of what in
Chicago would be taken for cattle
sheds. Each one of these cattle-pen
looking stalls, of which there arc 10. 200
in the Enclosure, is meant TO receive ?
candidate for examination. &
This candidate sits crouched on q
board floor raised few inches from the
ground. 1t is hard to toll whether the
elevation is made to secure him from
dampness or to facilitate an inspection
Of the premises by those whose business
It is to SEQ that no "skinnipg papers"
are used. The candidates body lie PIN
toned to the back of the cell by sort of
sewing board, which 81 des In like n
shelf against his stomach. This is used
as table. These cells are arranged in
long tiers, with guardians at zach end
to see that no communication takes
place between the aspirant and the out
side world. AT the ends OF these alleys
stand largo jars Of water and caldrons,
in which the food is cooked and which
the guardians supply to them. No ono
is allowed to leave his cell until his ex-
animation papers are completed. These
examinations last as long as the candi-
date can endure the discomfort of his
posltion-often for several days.
In the midst of these dreary little
prison alleys is handsomely carved
pavilion, where sit the chief examiners
and high officials, and where the deter
limitations are reached that make or
unmake the Chinese office seeker.
hear that many man passed eN-
aminaticns here in way that would
surprise most people. Pretty much
every well-informed resident tells me
that the Chinese officials, as class, are
irredeemably corrupt, and that none
but the rich men and crafty men can
afford to be Mandarins. The way this
paradox is made to harmonize is some
what as follows:
The rich Chinaman who wants 10 be-
come Mandarin comes to Pekin some
weeks before the. examination COM
mences. He wants to look about, to
post himself as to the examiners he 5
to have and. above all, select his sub
stitpte.W This substitute" is schol-
arly but impecunious individual, who
loans his services to rich but brainless
candidates for mandarinship. Bargains
in China are of slow making, and for
work so delicate as this unusual time is
needed. There werc on the steamer
coming up the Yellow sea with me q
number of officials on their way to an
examination that was not to take place
for several months.
Before entering Examination hall. the
rich candidate and the scholarly but Inn
pecunious substitute exchange names.
When the papers are handed in the rich
man has signed the poor mans name
to sloyenly piece Of work, while the
impccunious party has given the credit
OF his mastery manuscript to wealthy
patron. When the names of the sue
cessful candidates are announced our
wealthy knave takes his diploma, while
our poor but equally knavish scholar
takes the bride that is to support him
until another wealthy candidate turns
up.
One would think that man could not
long carry on profession of thisnature.
So those think who do not know the
ramitications of corruption In China.
The great crowd that goes into one ex-
animation facilitates any mans sinking
his identity. The question occurred to
me at once: If this poor devil could pass
Mandarin's examination, why did he
not sell out his patron and take the
Officer The answer received from the
knowing was that the getting to be
Mandarin was small matter compared
to holding yourself in power after you
once get there, and that the substitute
in Pekin' was, in view of his means,
doing a very wise thing in repaining
where he was.
OF course there are number,ess ways
OF cheating in examinations. Chinese
.skinning papers that have seen are
marvels of fine work, which one might
expect of a people who have brought
the art of deception to a degree Of per-
lection hitherto undreamed Of = outing.