The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-03
AN ERA OF PROGRESS IN THE Or
TENT.
BY EDWARD BOURNE.
CHICAGO. Sc.

physics and politics to show that the
worlds progress has been greatly ad-
vanced by war. Without attempts
in this place either to refute or to
confirm his argument it may be said
that the war between China and Jap
an offers at least one instance in
favor of his proposition. Before the
war which humiliated the great en-
pire of the East, China could scarcely
as yet be said to have awakened from
the long sleep and lethargy of the
ages. The Chinese, as some one has
said, have not been marching, they
have simply been marking time.
Now, however, under the sting of
national humiliation and with the in
stinct of self-preservation aroused by
the rising power Of Japan, the evil
dences accumulate on all sides that
China is at last awakening. She has
sent her foremost statesman and gen.
eral on a tour to the advanced coun-
tries of Western civilization and the
fact that Ii Hung Chang converted
himself into an Interrogation rather
than into an exclamation point has
afforded no small amusement to West
ern wits and paragraphers. Wherever
the keen-eyed old Celestial went he
was eternally asking questions, some
of them so simple, forcible and di-
rect, and apparently so honest, that
they embarrassed his hosts, accus-
toned to the indirectness Of Western
ways and manners. But Chang had
a mission to perform and he could
not perform it without questioning.
1t was his business to find out in
what lay the power of Western civili-
zation through whose lessons small
island empire on the coast of China
had been enabled to conquer and
humiliate even the "Son of heaven"
and dictate terms of peace at the
gates of Pekin. What use he will
make of the lessons he has learned on
his return will be of great interest.
not only in the future of China and
the East, but possibly also as to the
West.
What China's hundreds of millions
might be able to accomplish in war
or trade once the great Empire is
thoroughly wakened and modernized
is thought sufficient to make even
Europe and America thoughtful. AL
ready the spirit of progress is at
work in this most ancient of existing
empires and upon the return of the fa-
nous Viceroy we may expect to see
the systematic revolution of ancient
methods and institutions begun under
his supervision.
Korea also, the occasion of the war,
gives evidence that it is about to take
its place among modern nations.
Within a few months the first rail-
road ever built at Korea will be be-
gun. 1t is to connect Seoul, the
capital, with its seaport Chemulpo
by an easy route, and, significant of
all, the eroad is to be built with Ameri-
can capital and under the supervis-
ion of American engineers. The
road is to be built and operated
by an American citizen, Mr.. James
Morse, and is the first grant ever made
to foreigner Mr.. Morse recently
put in an electric light plant at the
palace of the King and in addition
to the railroad concession has OBJ
tanned rights in working several of
the gold mines of the interior. By
the terms of the concession the road
must be begun before March 20 of
next year and must be completed
within two years from that time.
But, as has been said, Mr.. Morse will
begin the work Immediately and will
probably add to his fame as pro-
gressive and wonder working Ameri-
can by completing the road long be-
fore the time specified, as the length
of the road is only twenty-five miles
and the route an admirable one.
The terms upon which the Ameri-
can engineer has secured his conces-
sion are eminently favorable to Korea.
The Korean government reserves the
right to purchase the road at an APP
praised valuation after fifteen years,
and if it fails to do so then, to have
the same privilege at the end of each
succeeding decade. There are also
special provisions about the employ
ment of Korean labor and the impor-
tation of whatever American labor
may be necessary in order to the best
construction of the road.
This road is but the first of a series