Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-04-24

religion is Buddhism, but sanction was
given to the worship in the old faith,
Sin Fin, or Faith in Gods.
The Chinese have historical legends
that antedate the flood mentioned In
the Bible, and have history that
reaches back farther than any other ma
ton now in existence.
The wonders of the Empire caused
the discovery of this continent, for
Columbus had in his mind as much the
discovery of a short route to Cathay,
as he had the desire to prove the cor
tsctness of his theory that the world
was round.
If 1t had not been for his vivid and
glowing descriptions of the riches and
marvels of this country, Isabella and
Ferdinand probably never would have
listened to his pleadings, and have sup
piled him with vessels, and men, and
money to make the trial.
Later famous traveller. Sir John
De Vaudeville. returned home with
glowing accounts of the country, and
with strange tales of the queer people
inhabiting it.
Their first porcelain furnace was set
up in the seventh century in the prov
ince of Kiangsi, but the celebrated
furnaces of Knit Chin were not es-
tablished until almost two hundred
years later.
They how have over five hundred
porcelain furnaces in operation, which
supply nearly the whole world in porce-
lain ware. In the matter Of baking the
porcelain, no other country has ever
excelled them, one single piece passing
through forty hands before 1t is deemed
finished.
The date or the origin Of the manu-
facture Of silk in China is lost in the
mists of remote antiquity. From the
Chinese the Persians acquired the art;
from the Persians the Greeks learned
it, while it is not known whether the
Romans had it from the Greeks or
through some intercourse their sea cap
tains had with the Chinese themselves.
They excel in the manufacture Of
damasks and Powered satins and in
their simple hand looms can reproduce
the most intricate of French and Eng
fish patterns. China Crepe has never
been initiated successfully.
In the tenth century they had in
vented printing rIachines and were
proficient in the manufacture of the
finest paper.
Their most elaborate works are the
Imperial Canal and the Great Wall.
The latter was built about 200 B. C.
and extends west from Pekin along the
entire northern frontier for distance
Of over $500 miles, over rivers and
across mountains and plains. 1t was
from Is to 30 feet In height, and 25
feet at the base, while the top was Is
feet in breadth. or wide enough for
six men to ride horse back abreast.
The Imperial Canal is one of the
greatest works of its kind in the world
and flows from Fekin to Canton.
distance of 1900 miles. This great
work was constructed in the thirteenth
century and runs through a most fer
tile country, where every variety of
vegetable life may be grown on account
of the diversified climate.
Thus, centuries before we became a
nation, China had progressed in art
and manufacture, and although they
have been isolated to a great extent
from the rest of the world. thereby
being unable to profit by the develop
ments of civilization, with the Japa-
nese to teach and aid them, they will
be able soon to mako anything that can
be manufactured in any other place in
the world.
They produce the raw material in
their own land and sell the manufact-
ured article for gold in gold standard
country.