The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-21

CHICAGO, April 2O.-M R. Jefferds,
a civil engineer widely known through
his connection with railway construc-
ton and equipment in this and other
countries, recently returned from a
prolonged absence in the Orient. He
has been visited by many merchants
and manufacturers anxious to gain
Information respecting the possibilities
Of opening UP trade with China. To a
reporter he said:
THE result Of my visit in Chicago on
my trip from China to New York has
been the formation of a syndicate for
the purpose of establishing an Ameri-
can-Chinese. chamber of commerce for
the introduction of American goods
and wares at Shanghai
RECIPROCAL RELATIONS
can thus be established to the benefit
Of both nations. George S. Bowen, an
old citizen of Chicago, well and favor
ably known to merchants and manu-
facturers of the western states, as also
of the middle and eastern states, has
been chosen president of the organiza-
ton. j. Ensign Fuller, well known
among eastern manufacturers, has
been chosen as the manager in the
United States. W. R. Townsend of
San Francisco. who is thoroughly in
touch with the manufacturers of the
Pacific slope and Fung How Wong,
who has been for the past six years
an attache of the Chinese legation in
England, and who was here with me
last summer, a~e 70 be the managers
In China. James Deitrick, formerly
superintendent Of the Southern Pa
cific railroad, is to be the superinten-
dent of construction and exhibits.
My time is very limited here, as I
June, but 1 think we have made
good start upon a sound foundation
during the time l have been here.
Il am favorably impressed with
China and with her people. They
ARE FAR DIFFERENT
from what I had pictured them by
what I had read and heard. They are
not inventive, and have had little in
ducement to become accustomed to
western ways. They learn, are hard
workers, sober, and among them
selves seem to be happy, hospitable
and generous
Il do not believe that China would
naturally become a great or even
moderate manufacturing country, be-
cause their tastes do not run that
way. They may be forced into manu-
featuring and producing things that
they have heretofore bought from Eu-
rope and America, on account of the
great difference that now exists in ex-
change under the present monetary
laws of the United States.
The industry of the Chinese, like
that of the savage, is simple, while
ours is varied and complicated. Var
led industry is product and result of
high modern civilization. 1t has been
truly said that no country can profit
so much by diversified industry as the
United States, and no other country
has such varied advantages and
NATURAL RESOURCES.
There is a vast field of commercial
enterprise for US in China and the
Orient, which is now being opened and
practically unimpeded.
United States Consul Jernigan, one
of the brightest representatives in
China, recently wrote me: One fact
should ever be kept in mind by our
countrymen: China is on the eve of a
great change. 1t may be retarded by
conflicting claims of national rivals,
but 1t will come up sooner or later and
the only way to reap our share of the
ourselves; and this point should be
pressed upon the consideration of our
countrymen, who ought to consider it
most carefully in all its bearings and
far-re 2ching consequences.
"China is about entering into the
construction of system of railways
that win open up her vast resources
and act favoraIbly upon the
PROSPERITY OF THE PEOPLE,
directly and indirectly On the first
land, by giving the poor of the over
populated districts easy and cheap
means of getting to busy cities where
a livelihood can be earned; on the
other to lessen the chances of out
breaks by rebellion, facilitate the col
lection of taxes and create trade and
between remote sections.
Mr. Jefferds leaves for the east to-
day to conclude arrangements for the
of the Pekin & Hankow
railway, a line $50 miles long. He is
booked to sail from San Francisco 10
China on June next