Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-02-02
The Chinese Plan.

In a late number Of the Paris Illustration
there ia pictorial sud literary description
of the competitive examinations last autumn
for the civil service in Tonquin, and, as the
device known here as civil service reform
was borrowed from the Chinese, the account
is of much interest for US. In accordance
with very ancient Chinese custom, these
examinations take place every three years,
and no one can hold any Government Office
unless he has passed ct least the first of
them, they being three in number. They
are the gate which bars the entrance to the
only high road to honor ard emolument and
to aristocratic distinction. Therefore the
examinations Of last autumn brought to-
eether great crowd Of aspirants Of oil
classes and ages AMI from every part Of The
country. Before their beginning, confusion
and excitement prevailed, but the utmost
quiet succeeded when once the high manGa
rns and doctors composing the examining
Jury had opened the session with Imposing
solempity. Each OF the candidates, CT whom
there were 1900 in all. entered small. mar
row, and solitary booth. il which he was prac-
ticaly imprisoned for an entire month, the
examiners Themselves not being per
mitted TO leave the enclosure. No aid what
ever to the memory is allowed, the cniy
implements tolerated being paper and a
bamboo pencil, for the examinations con-
sist wholly In written tests ofthe candidates
success in cramng Chinese literature and
philosophy. Soldiers, armed with lances,
keep watch over the booths 10 see thst there
are no communications with them and that
the rules are strictly observed. The exami
nations continue from in the morning to 6
In the evening, with an interval OF ten days
between each Of the threa tests. When the
Franchmen went to observe their progress
it was after O heavy rain storm, and many
of the booths had been flooded with water !;
but the poor victims Of the barbarous sys-
tenn were careless of discomfort. "Squatting
upon the ground and bent over, with bam-
boo peHci in hand, client and attentive, they
were working away" Each composition
is read over and passed upon as soon as ii is
finished, and II it does not come up to the
mark, the candidate Is not allowed to under.
20 tho succeeding tests. The marks are
''eood," "pretty good" ''passable," AMI
"bad," and they ere made with such
severity that of the 1900 examined
last autumn only Sc we're received. Even
after the third teat, the received candidates
are put through final examination to de-
termine whether by any possibility they
bave obtained other aid than that Of their
own preliminary crammlng. Then, as the
concluding acS of the session, the results OF
the competition are proclaimed with great
solemnity to the assembled multitude. The
prize winners take their places by them
selves, and there ere distributed among
them the little felt soled sandals and the
caps that are the distinctive emblems of the
caste to which they are admitted.
That is the Chinese plan, and it will be
seen that it differs from the plan of our civil
service reformers in particulars only. Cram
ming and competition in written ezami.
nations are the distinguishing features of
both. In Eugland, where the service has
been fully adopted as 3 part of the Govern
ment system, and in China, from which it
was borrowed, it produces the same effects.
All education is arranged with the sole oo'
jeot of cramming boys so that they may
staud the mechanical test. In China it has
dwarfod intellect, and in England, accord.
ing to Prof. Freeman, it is poisoning the
best blood Of the country.-N. Y. San.