The times., 1898-09-26
FOR A MODERNIZED China
Minister WI Ting Fang Says
Her Awakening Is Near.
FREE SCHOOLS ARE OPENED
The Nation Has Become Convinced,
He Says, That Western Civilization
Ii Essential to Its Standing Among
the Powers-Americnn Text Books
Will he Translated and the Laws
Revised.

Revised.
| The Chinese minister to the United
States, Mr. Wu Ting Fang, in an inter-
view, says that China Is getting on her
| feet and preparing for glorious future
! as modern nation. i-a
| "Chinas awakening is a fact" he
| said. Free schools have been opened
in Pekin, her laws are to be codified and
revised and everything win be done to
fit her to take her proper place among
the family Of nations
China has become convinced that in
order to maintain the integrity of her
territory she should accept Western civ
ilization and make herself strong to re-
sist aggression. Therefore everything is
being done possible for her advancement.
and her minister in Washington is play
ing a valuable part in aiding in this work.
The minister has been directed by the
emperor TO codify and revise the laws
of his country. 1t is his intention 10
make the laws as simple as possible, and
10 arrange them in such a manner as to
permit of their amendment and extension
whenever experience of the future may
justify such action.
II have also been directed" the minis
ter said, "to select the most valuable of
the text books of the schools of the
United States. translate them into Chin
ese, and forward them to Pekin for the
use of my government 1t is recognized
at home that the way TO modernize China
is to educate the youth of the country.
The emperor therefore has directed the
establishment of university, a high
school, and an elementary school in
Pekin. and officials and others have been
invited to send their sons as students. In
connection with the university a museum
has been established which contains the
products of China and other nations.
translating department is connected with
the university, and the professors attach
ed to this department are required to
translate into Chinese various works of
foreign writer's which it is believed will
be of advantage in teaching the youth
of my country.
"a recent decree issued by the emperor
has changed the methods of awarding
honors to students. For the last 200 years
1t had been customary TO examine them
on ancient subjects, but in the future ex-
aminat.ons will be conducted upon mod
ern subjects. and the honors will be
awarded to the students discussing them
most satisfactorily.
Minister WI did not put much credit in
the report that Marquis Ito has gone to
Pekin for the purpose of comforting with
Ii Hung Chang regarding the methods
TO be pursued in the modernization OF
China. He said that several years ago
Marquis Ito informed him of his intention
10 travel after his resignation from the
japanese Cabinet Marquis Ito and Ii
Hung Chang are very warm friends
and, while he may visit Pekfh, the minis
ter does not believe that he will take
any part in the work of developing
China's civilization. "J
Minister Wu is doing everything posi-
Bile to protect the interests of the en-
peror's subjects in the sUniteh States and
Hawaii He has repeatedly impressed
upon the State Department the desirabili-
ty of so modifying or interpreting the
Chinese exclusion act az TO permit of the
admission of intelligent Chinese into the
United States. He recognizes that when
the law was first enacted that there was
the evil character of many of the persons
who emigrated TO this country but he
says that his government is willing to
cooperate with the United States to pre-
vent the emigration of criminals and of
persons likely TO become such. On the
other hand, he thinks that all merchants.
students and professional men should be
admitted without question.
He recited the case of a student edu-
Gated in the United States who returned
TO CHINA and subsequently, took steps to
come back to this country His certif-
cate was properly drafted and vised by
the American consular officer at Hong
Kong, but when he applied for admission
he was excluded on the ground that his
certificate set forth that he was on his
way TO Boston to take charge of store
In that city as manager" The matter
was brought to Washington on appeal
but the Treasury Department in accord
ance with an opinion of the Attorney
General, approved the action of the col
lector of customs in excluding the young
Chinaman. Had the certificate stated that
the applicant was a merchant, he would
have been admitted without trouble.
Minister WI stated that if the treaty
upon which the exclusion of Chinese la
borers is based were literally interpreted
the intelligent classes of Cinnamon would
be admitted into this country
So far as the Chinese in Hawaii are
concerned, the minister said that their
status would depend upon the action of
the commission now at Honolulu He
does not think that the Chinese exclusion
act should be extended TO the Hawaiian
Islands. for the reason that there is no
competition there with any kind of Amer
lean labor, and besides, their services are
required in many capacities the require
ments of which are not possessed by
Americans or laborers of other countries