New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-17

mental superstructure. In all Chlnesc Ieglsialon
the family is recognized az the source OF author
ity. Only in extreme cases can the State inter-
fere between the head OF a household and his
family The family as It still exists antedates
the remotest records In the most ancient books
It Is declared 10 be the foundation OF society.
Even in the earliest times a fixed allotment Of
land was made for each family and 1t was al
ways associated with others In a group Of eight.
Eight families constituted Ching or Lin. three
Of these groups made a Peng. three Pong consi-
tuted a Ii or village five villages VI or town,
ten towns a Tu or city and ten cities Shih or
large city and ten Of these district or Chow.
The roads across the lands Of a neighborhood
were always exactly the same In number and IN
relation TO the family holdings BY ntermarriage
and otherwise the eight families became one fam
ily or were often displaced bv one family.
Thus villages and sometimes much larger plots
or districts come to be inhabited by people who
have to each other tribal relationship The
lIncal descendant Of Confucus holds practically
by hereditary tenure city the Inhabitants or
which are with the exception Of a small percent
age his relatives a village fallen into the pos
session Of a single family becomes n thorough
going oligarchCal tyranny. The seniors OF the
clan form a council from whose decree appeal IL
practically impossible. and they look after the
less vigilance. This has been shown in recent
years with particular reference to Christianity.
ON the provinces of Human and Hupeh they
iealouslv guard their ranks from the impu;ation
of heresy. Any member who Is suspected or
having Joined the foreign religion is hailed before
the clan tribunal and is logged or otherwise tor
turel in proportion to his obduracy." 1t Is easy
10 see that by such processes all individuality OF
thought or conduct must sooner or later be de-
stroyed 1t becomes the exclusive aim Of village
administration 10 evade official oversight. DIS
putes about money, divorces even capital crimes
are adtudicated by the local tribunal. while the
mandarin. who should be magistrate. carefully
shuts his eyes to what is going on around him
until some atrocious act Of tyranny Is forced
upon his attention.
A case Of this nature was lately reported to
the throne by the Viceroy Of funnan. lnat
officer stated that native Of prefecture withm
his jurisdiction named P6ng. when on his way
10 watch his own patch OF ground passed
through a field OF corn farmed by neighb'r
and in an idle moment plucked some ears OF
corn on the Waterman employed on the farm
giving the alarm. Ptng fed. but not before ne
was recognized The farmer On hearing 81 ,ls
with him that Peng should be MADE 10 suner
the usual penalty Of his crime and he burned
TO death According to custom a meeting OF the
village elders was summoned and the case was
laid before them. After considerable discussion
1t was determined that The supreme punishment
should be inflicted ana Pcng was ther'i'Tr,
bound and placed upon the funeral pyre IN
order 10 prevent hts mother. who had peal"'
I'm vain for his life. from reporting the matter
10 the mandar rms she was coTpellcI nr''l
threats Of instant death both - sign par"r
consentlng 10 the decd and - set ne t"I'A
10 the wood which was - consun" heT N'n-
In an agony Of horror az the part she haH p+.I
ma de 70 play the wretched woman went straight
from the execution ground To the lamun' WHere
she presented a petition against me ,l'u' >.
lit he is q .
and his landlord. and finding that by Jaw en-
acted In 100 the prnclpa! oUenl'rs III - en-
cered murder Of such k'nd sho"iu sn,l,T vi.
capital penalty. passed sen'enec accoraihE''
The landlord. however. having died IN prison. Il
remained only 10 proceed against the FARMER
who was behoaded in due course
Blu, If the agr!cul,u.ist shares the national
turn for cruelty, ne also has his full proportion
Of the national virtues. thrift and INDUSTRY Az
q class farmers stand in the popular estimation
second only to the l!terati Wi;S primitive IN
ADEQUATE tools but with endless labor and fk.H.
,hov "wrcst from the so the utmost that It Is
canoble Of producing" The Emperor and the
,,o,o-ror ~ every province are obliged by I'M
memorial custom to turn a furrow at Inc De
ginning Of the planting season. How little change
,bere has been In the tiage Of China for ihpu-
sands Of years is shown by the fact. TO wm'h
Mr. Douglas calls attention. that the Implements
are the counterpart Of those depicted IN inc
sculptures Of ancient Assyria The p'ue" -
hardly better than spade fastened 70 S'"b'
handle A ho8 and rake and bilIhooK VINO"
| serves by turn as pruning knife scy'he d"'
a sickle complete the farmers list OF tools hu'
Chinese literature is rich in books on agriculture
| Probably two Of the best known OF thcse D,uhS
illustrate the two leading branches OF the Iani,i,
| ar's art the cultivation Of rice and the grown
| 60 ,ha mulberry for the food OF silkworms
T,very process in both Industries Is minutely
| described and illustrated. The ghrnpses VIII VIII
| tbese nictures give us Of a country ne III Nn"n
| su0eest a domes,icity and brightness "hlOn
! form a strong contrast 70 the rate OF tne poorer
classes whose lots are cast IN .le A. ST., cid
| end streets Of the cities Madame nc SUI SH'u
| In ono Of her books that she had traVelled All
| over Europe and had met with nothing puI IT."
and We may extend me r"ust ,h w. sho,ie
and NAV see IN the pictures drawn IN tnc aDDre-
| mentioned work Of the farmyards. the d"eihhss
| the kitchens and the storerooms Oh me FIN p.o
ducers Of China pleasing paraies ,1 '"e
| asnects OF English agricultural Ire; Inc tn-
| niovment of women in arranging ana MANAGING
the silkworm industry gives an lnleres' 10 mn n
| Ives and is a sure preventive against lhht en-
't witch 80 often overtakes the unemplpyed
| women Of the cities.
FOR the Literally class Mr. Douglas has little out
condemnation He Is a willing disciple Of mat
ancient Chinese Emperor. the builder OF the Great
Wall VINO behcaded every man OF learning ne
| co,,d lay his hands He looks upon the men
~ classical training the most bigotei persons
! t., .he en,n,re They are the implacable foes OF
| ,oreigners 'To them" he says, I'VE owe the
| sn,4t Of opposition which formerly shown
20 orr landing on the shores Of China. and which
&c now finding vent in determined effort to
drive us out Of the country They have leisure
Tor research but are restrained by inexorable
| conservatism from INDUCING any originality OF
thought. The saying OF Confucius that The
studv OF strange doctrines is injurious inspires
| their minds The respect in which they are
held makes 1t possible for them to NEEDLE IN all
affairs. and they do this 10 an extent which pro-
vokes Mr.. Douglas TO describe them as "A race
| NJ scholars who for ignorance. bgotry violence
j t..i,I,. .,r,s,l M eenI n. obi u