San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-06-21
CHINA AWAKENED.
Signs of Educational and CONNER
cial Progress
Beneficial Results of the Recent War
with Observation-Disclosures Flock
ing In and Trade on the
Increase.

Nearly every day brings some new
item showing the genuine awakening
of China and the profound influence on
the people Of the lessons of the war with
Japan. If anyone five years ago had
predicted that in Shanghai, Canton and
Hong Kong schools for instruction in
the English language would be opened
and patronized literally he would have
been regarded as visionary. Yet in
Canton, within the last two months,
more than 20 schools for teaching Eng
lish have been established A,few of
these are under the control OF native
Christian missionaries, but the greater
part have been started by Chinese who
are quick to see the general feeling
among rich and influential literati Off
Gals and merchants that their sons
must acquire English if they are to
make any showing in the public service.
The attitude of the common people
toward foreigners in the large treaty
ports has also changed materially dur
ing the last few months. There is a
marked absence of the insulting terms
which used to be muttered on all sides
when foreigner ventured into the ma
tive quarters, and no open insults or at
tacks have been reported for some time.
This is due largely to the warnings
from mandarins that rights of for
eigners must be respected and to the
swift and heavy punishment of all
offenders against this edict.
Another remarkable proof of the
growing influence of foreign customs
on the Chinese is the English inscrip-
ton on the new Chinese dollars coined
at the Pei-yang mint. 1t has been de-
signed for general circulation through
out the empire and not merely for the
treaty ports. 1t is well minted, and on
one side in English is the inscription:
"Twenty-second Year of Kwang-shu
Pei-yang Arsenal" Within is pic
ture of the imperial dragon and the
pearl, and surrounding the whole is a
Chinese version of the English words.
On the other side are Chinese and
Manchu characters. To popularize
this coin among the people of the in
terror the government has decided to
pay salaries and expenses of all officials
with it, instead of the old taels, as soon
as local minis can be established. In a
short time this will supplant the old
method of reckoning by taels.
The formal announcement of the
opening of the West river was made
lately. The date is set for June 4. This
is one of the important trade water
routes of South China, and the decree
opens it for the commerce of the world
as far as Wuchow, in Kwang-si, which
is the head of navigation for all deep
draft vessels. Three treaty ports are
designated and four places of call for
goods and passengers. The opening of
the river will add much to the trade of
both Hong Kong and Canton, as the
Portuguese port of Macao is virtually
out of competition owing to the heavy
duties imposed on all tonnage. There
is a strong feeling in Kwang-si and
Kwang-tung for the encouragement of
foreign trade. Both these provinces
used to be bitterly hostile to the for
eigner, and every attempt to open the
interior, and trade was resented, butnow
there is a complete revulsion of feeling,
and several cities little off the regular
trade routes are clamoring for the same
privileges as their more fortunate
neighbors. Into Wuchu foreigners are
focking. Inconsistencies have already
bought much land for buildings. Trade
in foreign goods is very lively, the peo-
pie seeming to have great partially
for, muslins, as they bought up the
whole stock of this goods brought into
the city.-Chicago Tribune.