The times., 1898-11-20

| and the author has this to say about 1t:
The tendency in railway building is every
where toward permanence, especially in the Unit
| ed States and India. The American pioneer
class of railway is quite unsuited to either In
| dia or China. II is only in new unpeoped coun,
tries, such Australia and America were, that
economy in first cost is a dominant considera-
: ton; in China it should be solidity.
b Under the American System, the railway COM
panies, uncontrolled and unassisted >by the STATE
have not proved success, even financially
Such system would be disastrous for China, for
ii leads to combination against the public in
terest Gailway corporations often controlling the
/ State.)
! In treating of the commercial develop
ment of China Mr.. Colquhoun finds op
/ portuaity for little sharp c. 1t cism of
/ his countrymen. pointing cut the short
sisl tedness and lack of bus ness energy
| which they sometimes display. On this
| point he says:
! A reputation for examining problems which do
not affect the immediate present seems to car
ry with il in business certain disadvantages The
man who does this is SIT down as wanting in
practical shrewdness, and in time acquires a name
for being thcorist, which means ruin.
once heard the whole question disposed OF thus
by a successful business man-necd | say he was
SoetchmanY-"My dear sir, ! am not working
for posierity."
added also OF push" of taking trouble and
enduring disagreeable experiences, the Britisher
compares unfavorably with the young German.
The trivial husine s. involving great detail,
is not congenial to the English merchant. 1t is
not in his line" But somehow as Brennan
well remarks: There always seems to be a
German in whose line it is.' To show
how anxious the Germans are to meet the wants
of tie Chimes, it may be mentioned that there
are certain firms in Hamburg which collect old
horseshoes all over Germany, then sort them
and ship them out in bulk. When a Chinaman
now gives order for old ron ii is always
set out in the beginning of the contract that
they are to be Hamburg horseshoes.
TIE British trader settles at the treaty
port, declines to learn the "beastly language -
and is content to lntrust his goods TO Chinese
agencies for disposal inland. The Rus
san Trader IS always stoTekeeper. He IS not
above serving in his own store and does not
leave that 10 the Chinese. Ii would be
TO the advantage of foreign merchants as a body
TO take trouble to examine patiently the ac-
tual conditions OF life among the Chinese in or
der 10 doduce tEerefiom some fresh ideas based
on something better than mere conjecture, as to
how to supply the wants of the people .
The Chinaman is clannish and conservative. but
he is remarkably free from prejudice, religious
or patriotic, especially in matters of tangible
interest. Unlike the japanese, he has a natural
objection TO alter his clothes, for they suit him
better than any other. But he has objection
TO purchasing the articles which he Judges to be
the cheapest and best. wherever it may come
from; and moreoyeT-an important point-he
has taste for luxuries ii he afford them.
China is not, and cannot become,
other industries. and above all, the communion
tions are properly developed.
/ All this has a bearing on our own East
! ern question and should therefore inter-
est the American public Our cap aims of
1 industry are just the men capable of
/ handling these Chinese industrial prcb-
| lens for We are quick, adaptable, rich,
! and experienced in such difficulties. The
| American has proved himself peculiarly y
! apt at the solution of novel questions,
and he should begin to study this ques-
! ton of the commercial development of
! China.
| The chapter on Government and Ad-
ministration" explains quite clearly the
reasons for the Incompetence of Chinese
| officials The term of office in one post
| is generally limited to three years; this
| to guard against local interests growif &
| up to compete with Imperial duty and
against territorial attachments which
might result in disoyalty to the throne.
Mr.. Coiquhoun adds:
The drawbacks to the system are obvious, for
il is the absence of local and territorial attach
ments which encourages some Of the worst Of
: fetal abuses. Rapacity makes hay while the
sun shines all the more ruthlessly, when there is
no tie of sentiment between the parties and no
forebodings of reprobation in old age or re-
tirement in the locality where the family of the
term OF Office is official likely to interest him
self in, still less to spend his own money on,
local improvements. roads, bridges, etc, in a
place which may know him more in his whole
official career. Some of the worst features of the
Indian ''Nabob' system are hereby perpetuatet.
In the Chinese administration the best
principles are lest to view in a rank growth of
false practice. Evasions have become legitmized
by universal recognition. Peremptory orders are
issued in the ''trembe and obey" style they
are received with the profoundest obeisance; but
they are not Obeyed; and he who issued them
forgets OF at least ignores them, and there is an
end The war operations with Japan were car.
ried on in the same fashion. Sham is the all
peryading element which reduces the finest pre-
cepts 10 nought, and they all do it" it seems
10 be considered that no one need feel aggrieved.
An interesting circumstance applying to the
whole administrative system is that the officials
! are intensely aborious, have hardly ever a holi.
/ day, except in cases of serious illness or the
/ time prescribed for mourning the death of n
parent-which is also liable to be abrogated
! when the exigencies of the service demand it
/ and there is no superannuation- They work like
a cab horse, till they drop. Amrsements also ar.
denied them. minister seen at a theater would
be promptly denounced by a censor >
! ihe Peking Gazette Is sometimes filled with the
tfagl-comc memorials of provincial mandarins
who enter into the minutest details of their path
illogical condition in order to obtain a brief holi
I day or to be excused from obeying the imperial
summons to the capital.
Another point in Chinese government
which is of particular interest at this
| time is the influence of woman OF this
Mr.. Colquhoun says that 1t is a potent
factor, but never In a worthy sense. He
expresses the following opinions as to the
rule of the Empress Dowager:
There seems TO be no doubt that every srrreud-
er made to foreigners since she held the reins
was dictated by her and her personal convenience
| Remembering her experience when, as the sec
! ondary consort of the Emperor Hienfung she
! followed him in his flight TO Jehol, she resolved
| rather to yield everything than to risk such an
| experience again. threat of the invasion of
Peking-if believed in-has always been sufF
| cient 10 bring her to terms. When the present
Emperor was prepared to abandon the capital
| during the japanese war and resist to the bit
| ter end, ii was that imperious lady who insisted
! on peace at any price; and it is chiefly on her
sensitive feelings that Russian threats take effect
| and deprive the sovereign OF the will and the
| power 10 resist their demands.
Another important point made in the
| chapter is this:
| The root OF the matter lies in the fact that
Chinese officials virtually unpaid their mere
| ly nominal salaries being insufficient for their
| necessary. expenses. Hence the official naturally
obtains as much gratuitous service as possible
| under the tacit understanding that his depend
| ants are TO take care of themselves WHILE at
| the same time, he must cast about for the
| wherewithal TO maintain his family and position
From this simple beginning the whole complex
| system of what We call peculation may be
traced: The younger officials begin life as
rule, in debt; they have frequently had to pay
| for their appointments, borrowing for the pur-
pose at usurious interest, and they have to go
| on paying their official superiors on pain Of be-
| ing reported on. The highest personages in the
empire receive large gratuities from officials ga.
zetted to the provinces. and become rich from
| that source.
The Chinese question in the Orient has
hitherto had only a casual interest for