The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-27


Corruption Of onicials-Tlevcrencc 70,
Antiquity MongoIin Prejudice.
The Chinese throne has been conspicuous
for is lack Of great, strong, formative
minds. mud il IS SO hcdged in with form
ceremony and adherence 20 preccdents thai
unless the Incumbent he "A man of supreme
ability he falls under tho guidance q his en-
t0urage and although an absolu'e despot
he makes little positive impression on the
government Of his people Tie province
ore governed by viceroys Of governors, who
so long as they follow certain minute direc
tious laid down for them, are at liberty &c
manage. affairs as they please And under
them the mandarins do the same
In the matter Of taxation, II the tax gath.
ercrs turn over 70 their superiors their ex
pccted quotas, too careful examination is not
made into the amounts over and above those
sums which they havesxtorted from the PEG
pie and put into their cwn pockets Tho
civil service is honey Ambed with corTup-
ton. II from no otheHyidence, this s. np
parent from the fact THAT officers with utterly
inadequate salaries retire with ample fort
unes. Mandarins, rs n rule, seldom enter
Office with large possessions and II Is rea
sonablo deduction that the wealth with which
they smooth their declining years is Ill got
ten Occasionally, the official who has been
more successful Ia fcathering his nest than
IN conceaiiny the fact, eScites the Jealousy OF
his superors and suffers in consequence.
Hang he who was superintendent Of customs
at Canton prior 20 1889, resigned his seals
with a fortune of 10000 taels $500, 600. not
outstanding his salary was only {, 400 taelsa
year, aud the necessary expenses Of his yaniun
Official rcsidcnccJ were 5000 "a month He
was ordered 20 Pel;in, aud BEFORE he had been
many DAYS IN tho capital one-third OF his
$4,000 had been transferred to tho "irsidc
pockets Of the members Of the government.
OCCASIONALLY seyercr punishm9rt is inflicted ,
bat the elmo apparently consists Of being
discovered not OF ileocing the people.
Withoug a strong, elevatng force on tho
throne % lit them up without representa-
tive government IN which they can partici-
pate and raise themselves If they wanted toy,
without a well developed and equitable judi
.sa aud legal system to insure justice and
encourage l.eht living. with nothing TO slim
ulatc invention 10 amcliorate the condition
OF the race, without anything 10 develop
yirlity and stamina. with almost everything
20 pross, subject, cJnfinc and servilize them,
it D. little 20 be wondered al they they do not
rise, expand and advance.
But they 10 not seem to desire anything
better They donot aspire 70 q higher corr
dtion With an Unborn spirit If subservi-
eucv, intensified by centuries Of heredity,
which is reflected IN q degree Of abiect sub
missiveness toparental aud civil authority
which is unknown in this country, they have
not the spirit. courage or energy TO lift up
their hand for anything higher than they
possess The samc lack Of animus which
leads fun grown men meeky TO submit to
unmeritcd a-d cruel hogging, without even
raising a finger Of protest, causes outraged
people 70 neglect one Of the most potent
means II protection against oppression
afforded in tho imperial censors. Only the
most aggravated cases arc reported to them
and the rest are mcekly tolerated
10 doubt this condition Of things is due IN
q largo measure 10 tho intense and supersti-
tious reverence of the Chinese for antiquity.
We study the past TO improve upon IL; they
TO initiate H.. Tradition and custom are
everything 20 them They're linked to the
dead past rs the unhrea-ablc bonds Of pre-
ccdent; they 1re chained % historical
corpse Their government, rs las been seen,
is crude: their language, without alphabet
infection or grammar ic uuwlcdy and un-
suitable for progressive literature; their
blind prejudice against postmor,em cXanl-
nation stl leaves. them iu ignorance ~
human anatomy. the functions Of Tire heart
luuo.. liver and other organs arc scaled
books t3 thorn. they mako mo- distinction be-
tween Veins and arteries or nerves and ten
d1us IS mere ruossgors they have hit
uuon tHo gih bladder as the scat Of courage
and assuran,,. which, according 70 modern
slang. Is rot far amiss.
I'm medicine, ignorance and superstition
prevail. and tho medi.s- board at Pekin, in
Tine exercise Of its profound wisdom, has
sanctioned such ren.edes a. dried red spotted
lizards. silk worm moths, tortoise and oyster
shells. dragons teeth, ycrdigrls, iears gall
shavincs of rhiuoceros horns, elephants
skin. otc In astronomy, their Chaldtan
heritage. they have PROGRESSED no further
than popularly 90 believe that the earth Is
SQUARE and fat, and that cclipscs arc caused
by some monster attacking TIC sun or moon.
Their agricultural methods are OF tho most
primitive sort Aud SO 10 goes through all
their So called arts and sciences. They have
not tho inherent hfoaud power 70 break their
way out Of the cocoon Of early superstition.
Although as nation they are forty ccntu-
RIO old, thoy are yet in the first stages OF
evolution.
One Of the most striking evidences OF tho
Monaghan prejudice against Innovations IS
tho utter absence OF railroads IN tho country.
4 few years ago some foreigners secured the
right 70 build a dozen miles of rcilrocd and
operated 10 for short time Tie Chinese
viewed 10 askancc, and at length purchased
it-not % run il themselves, hGt deliberately
10 tear 10 up America and China arc IS
complete antipolcs in this respect as they arc
geographically. We have half tho-Faiiroad
miloaceof tho world they none; a.l when
ono considers the vat ciyihging influence
and the great potency for progress of great
railroad system. which brings thc ends OF
country together gives quick communica-
ton among the people, cxcites ambition, opens
avenues for enterprise, develops community
of interest a.d makes n nation homogeneous,
It is evident that bcre ono finds greatlactor
of the disparity between the American aud
Clnuese peo~ie.
lNhilo thore ara "A few miles OF TELEGRAPH,