The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1894-07-27


century observers, Sir George Staun-
ton, ventured to assert the existence
Of some very considerable moral and
political advantages peculiar to the
Chinese, which he attributed to the
custom Of early and universal mar
riage, to the sacred regard habitually
paid to the ties Of kindred, to the So
briefly, industry, ,and even intelligence
of the lower classes to the equitable
distribution of landed property ; TO
the natural incapacitY Of the govern
ment and people for indulgence in
ambitious projects and foreign con-
quests and, lastly, to a system Of
penal laws which. if not the most
just and equitable, is at least the
most comprehensive, uniform, and
suited to the genius OF the people for
whom it is designed, perhaps, Of any
that has ever existed.
In bis voluminous work on the Mid
die Kingdom an American mission
airy, s. Wells Williams, concludes a
summary of similar observations with
the remark that a salubrious climate,
semi-annual crops, unceasing indus
try, early marriages, and on equable
taxation involving reasonable securi-
ty Of life and property, tend to in
crease population and equalize the
consumption and use Of property
more, perhaps, than in any other
country. Ii is still true all over
China, as the Roman Catholic mis-
sionaries observed at the begin ming Of
the eighteenth century, that food is
abundant and cheap except when a
local harvest fails. So complete is
the agreement of all travellers on this
point that the verdict of one or two
Of them is as conclusive as would be
that of a score. "Food and lodging"
says Mr. Giles, fare cheap in China,
and it may be roundly stated that ey-
cry man, woman and child in the en-
pire has something in the way of
clothes, two full meals a day and a
shelter for the head at night"
In another passage the same writer
tells us, s'The normal state of the
people in China is one Of considera-
BILE prosperity and great national hap
piness. /" 81 doubt" says Fortune,
'sif there is happier race anywhere
than the Chinese farmers and peas
antry," and again, 81 fully believe
that in no country in the world is
there less real misery and want than
in China" "Riches," says Mr. Lit
tie, care fairly distributed, and the
scontrast Of grinding poverty with ar
rogant wealth which IS the rule IN
Europe is the exception here" nj
Simon generalizes as follows "The
most civilized country is that in
which, upon a given territory, the
largest possible number of persons
have succeeded in procuring and in
distributing as equally and cheaply
as possible the greatest amount OF
we'll being, liberty, justice, and Sc
curity." This distinction he does
not hesitate to claim for China, since
the food and furniture Of ordinary
villages arc as far superior to those
Of western peasants as is their air of
ease and good breeding and their
command Of civilized amusements.
Industry is all but universal, and a
comfortable share in the fruits Of in
dustry is all but universal also. La
Dor is too abundant to be dear, but,
as there are few or no highIy-paid Of
ficers in the industrial army, the real
wages Of the rank and file stand at a
higher level in proportion than in
countries esteemed to be Of much
greater wealth, as well as of more ad-
vanced industrial organizAtion.-M.
w. I'll. in N. x. Sun.