Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-08
THE CHINESE NATION.
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
IN THE EMPIRE.

Ihe Peoples Encapac!ty for Self Elevation.
Lack OF Intelligence flae Throne.
Corruption of acknowledgements for
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Prejudice.
The Chinese throne has beer conspicuous
for its lack Of great, strong, formative
minds; and it is SO hedged in with form,
ceremony and adherence to precedents that
unless the incumbent be a man Of supreme
ability he falls under the guidance of his en-
tourage, and although an absolute despot,
he makes little positive impression on the
government of his people. The provinces
are governed by viceroys Of governors, who,
so long as they follow certain minute direc
lions laid down for them, are at liberty to
manage affairs as they please. And under
them the nlandarins do the same
In the matter of taxation, If the tax gath
erers turn over to their superiors their ex-
pected quotas, too careful examination is not
made into the amounts over and above those
sums which they have exto-ted from the peo-
pie ard put into their own pockets. The
civil service Is honeycombed with corrup-
ton IL from no other evidence, this is ap-
parent from tho fact that officers with utterly
inadequate salaries retire with ample fort
u1es. Mandarins, as a rule, seldom enter
ciiica with large possessions; and it is q rea-
soa2ble deduction that the wealth with which
they smooth their declining years is Ill got
ten. Occasionally, the official who has been
mere successful in featAeTing his nest than
III concealins the fact, e1cites the jealousy Of
his superiors and suffers in consequence
Hang Ke, who was superintendent Of customs
e. Canton prior to 1888, resigned his seals
with a fortune Of 800, 009 taels (5JO1 COO. not
outstanding his salary was only Q, 400 taels a
yer, and the necessary expenses Of his yanun
Official RESIDENCE were s, 900 month. lie
was ordered 10 Pekin, and before hc had been
many days III the capital one-third of his
$50 0O0 had been transferred to tie INSIDE
pockets" of the members Of the government
OCCASIONALLY severer punishment is inflicted;
hut the crime apparently consists Of being
discovered, not Of fleeing the people.
without a strong, elevating force on the
throne to lift them up, without representa-
tive government In which they can partici-
pate and raise themselves IF they wanted toy,
without q well developed and equitable judi
cial and legal system TO insure justice and
encourage right living, with nothing TO slim
ulate invention to ameliorate the condition
Of tie race, without anything to develop
virility and stamina, with almost everything
70 press, sub iect, couIine and serviiize them,
it Is little to be wondered at they they do not
rise, expand and advance.
But they do not seem to desire anything
better They do not aspire to a higher con
oit.on With an Unborn spirit Of subseryi-
ency, intensified by centuries of heTedity,
which IS reelected IL a degree Of AFFECT sub
Iniss.veness TO parental and civil authority
which is unknown in this country, they have
no5 the spirit, courage or energy to lift up
thcir hand for anything higher than t.
possess. The same lack Of aninus W
leads fun grown men mcebly 10 submit
unmeribcd AID cruel fogging, without even
raising q finger CT protest, causes outraged
TeoDlo to neglect one Of the most potent
,loans Of protection against oppression
afforded in the imperial censors. Only the
most aggravated cases are reported TO them
paI tho rest are raeelly tolerated.
10 doubt this condition of things is due in
q larre measure 10 the intense and supersti-
tioas reverence of the Chinese fer antiquity.
We study the past to improve upon it; they
to initiate it. Tradition and custom are
everything to them. They are linked to the
dead past by the unbrcakablo bonds Of pre-
ccdent; they arc chained to a historical
corpse. Their government, as has been seen,
Is crude; their language, without alphabet,
infection or grammar, IS unwieldy and IN
suitable for = progressive literature; their
blind prejudice against post-nortem exam
iaation stIil leaves them in ignorance Of
human anatomy, the functions of the heart,
lungs, liver and other organs are sealed
tocks to them; they make no distinction be-
tween veins and arteries, or nerves and ten
63as. BY mere guesswork they have hit
rn0n tho gall bladder as the seat Of courage
aud assurance, which, according to modern
Ela2g, is not SO far arniss
In medicine. ignorance and superstition
prevail. and the medical board at Pekin. il
the exercise OF its profound wisdom, has
sanctioned such remedies as dried red spotted
i-alds. silk worm moths, tortoise and oyster
shells, Dragons teeth, verdigris, bears gall,
saaviuCs Of rhinoceros' horns. elephants
Slln, etc. In astronomy, baeir Chald6sn
heritage they have progressed no further
than popularity to believe that the earth is
square and fat, and thGt pses are caused
by some monster attacking the sun or moon.
Their agricultural methods are of the most
grimitive sort. And so it goes through all
their so called arts and sciences They have
not the inherent life and power to break their
Way out Of the cocoon Of early superstition.
Although as nation they ara forty centu-
ries old, they are yet il tie FIRST stages of
evolution.
Ono Of the most striking evidences Of the
fIongolian ore judice against innovations is
the utter absence OF railroads in tho country.
a few years ago some foreigners secured the
right TO build dozen miles Of railroad and
operated it for . short tine. The Chinese
viewed j. as5ance, and at length purchased
fo-noe 10 run it themselves, bit deliberately
70 tear it up, America and China ere as
complete antlpcdes in this respect IS they are
geographically. We have half the railroad
mileage OF the uorl3, they lone; and when
one coasldelS tEe vast civiliziIg influence
Eld the great potency for progress Of great
isulro@d s tenn, wt.ch brings ITO ends of
country together, rIyes quick conr1unica-
ton among the Tleop.e, erc3Ues ambition, o0ecs
avenues fer enterprise, develops community
&c Interest and makes nation HOMOGENEOUS.
it is evident that here ore G-dsa great factor +
q TIE disparity between the American and
Chinese peoYle.
While there are E Few niles Of teIarranh.
tie use OF this means Of communication 10 /
hampcred by the aawieldiress Of the Ian /
c-uage and the iE;pcssioiiisy Of expressing il
IN talegrcphie symbols, except through the
cumbersome and inadequate method Of con.
version into tu.a belS-New y orz Times
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