Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-12-06
CHINA AND IT'S PROGRESS.
INTERESTING DESCRIPTIVE LECTURE
BY GEN. JAMES X. WILSON.

lsstiai Empire-Neu Ideas from tho West
Not Received with cordiaiIty-Autoeracy
OF Science.
Maj. Gen. James II. Wilson delivered
lecture before the American Geograph-
ical society, in Chickering hall, New
York city, during the course Of which
he said:
In China the family is the political
unit, and II one member goes astray the
whole family may become extinct If the
emperor pleases No man can be gov
ernor in his own province. and no gov
ernor is allowed to surround himself
with officials who are his own relatives.
Nepotism is unknown.
The great rivers of China flow east to
the Pacific, and the populations gather
in the deltas in towns and villages. A
popularity Of the great cities isthat they
are surrounded with great brick walls,
with bitches. parapets and gates, and the
gates are regularly opened and closed
every morning. as they were 600 years
ago. The new capital of Formosa has
such wall, after the manner of the
middle ages. The crystallized labor of
Japan is seen in these great walls Of
cities. the great wall of the nation that
separates it from outlying provinces and
the grand canal. They spend every year
large sums to keep the grand canal open.
Yet it is inadequately supplied with re-
serve stores of water.
He spoke of the civil service system of
| China as democratic institution, that
gave every man a chance to advance
equal to that Of his neighbors. There is
no nobility, only the autocracy of sci
ence. The last examination comprised
the competition Of &c. 1000 studentsof ma
ture age of whom only thirty succeeded
! The learning relates to Chinese history
and jurisprudence and the philosophy of
| Confucius, but has nothing to do with
modern sciences. There Is o college in
| China presided over by an American,
DR.. w. A. p. Martin. but the govern
ment is very slow to admit new ideas. 1t
only lately began to investigate electric
ity. II is not best for the native China
man to know too much of modern sci
ence.
Gen. Wilson spoke of the successive
destruction of Chinese dynasties as
inseparable from the Chinese sys-
TEN. As far as it is practicable,
wherever there is Cinnamon in
office, there is Tartar to watch him.
The operation of the censorship is inquis-
itorial and offensive. The whole empire
is held in subsection by the army and the
censor. The present emperor is only III
years old. He is the nephew Of tho late
emperor; for the first time in many
years the direct male issue failed. For
some years the practical sway was held
by two women, the wife and sister of
the late emperor. But recently one of
them died, and the empress dowager was
left in practical supremacy.
She Is never seen by foreigners. She
is remarkable woman. She selects the
emperor's wives, and has begun by
choosing as his first wife her favoritc
niece. The imperial clan occupies d
place about mile square, walled in, in
the middle of the city of Pekin.
The high officials will not hold inter
course with foreigners. No diplomat
has ever seen the empress dowager or the
emperor. Not even the great men oil
China can approach the throne without
permission, and then they must be pros.
trate There is no such thing as popular
education. The people have nothing tG
do with the government. The govern
ment is absolutely isolated, and holds nc
communication with the people. Ideas
never reach the throne from the people
The foreigners are confined to q very
small part of the seaboard, except that
missionaries are allowed to go to the in
terror. The foreign merchant does moi
deal with the Chinese merchant directly
but through servants. Improvementsg e.
on slowly. Yet in the interior may b
found kerosene, cotton cloth, needles ant
matches.
The Tapping rebellion had its origin
with disappointed student. The an
tipathy Of the rebels to foreigners led tt
the establishment of the fever victo
rious" army, under the celebrated Capt
Ward, and the development Of the hail
Drained Burgevins, whose ambition even
scared TO first shipping the rebels ant
then taking possession of the empire
The result was that after he had deserted
to both sides several times the Chimes
lost him one night while crossing river
Gen. Wilson quoted one Of the me
MORALS recently sent to the emperor b.
high Chinese official, written, accord
ing to Chinese customs, on his deathbed
advocating the building of railroads
mining, the construction of ships, coas
defenses and other progressive things
That this and other similar memorial
have reached the eyes of the emperor /
) known by the fact that many such me
MORALS have been printed in the Chimes
official paper, which has been publishes
\ about COO years. not daily, but ever,
now end then. But the ideas ef th
government progress slowly. Ths cen
eors are conservative l.ld slow to nov
|, and suspicious of foreigners, although
they have admitted that the foreigner
I are not necessarily enemies.
American watches and clocks a.o ,aai
ing rapid progress in China. Tie cnI
|. drawback is the fact that America
trade marks arc cOunterTeited.
Tho Chinese students who began thei
!. course Of study here, but who were Il
called by the censors, complain bitterl
Of their treatment, and despair OF th
progress Of China while The psesen
regime lasts.
q China has no floating capital III
legal rate OF interest is 81 per cent. Tn
q lowest rate on tho most Favorable iaan
y is % per cent. Every man il ii.ble {
n spoliation. The imperial treasury is i
8 q constant state Of collapse. The en-
!, press follows her own Judgment, an
!, she Is now engaged In d vain effort {
d turn the bed Of o great river, end th
Q treasury Is not equal to the task. Their