Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-11-22
IMPORTANCE OF CHINA.
F. x. Schoemaker, of New Jersey. Talks
to Tacoma Chamber Of Commerce.


r. x. Schoemaker, Of New Jersey, Talks
to Tacoma Chamber Of Commerce.
1.-THE Importance OF China," he
said, "has always been underesti-
mated. We have little idea OF the
lmmensIty OF the population and It's
power. III man were large enough
to regard the world as We do an or
ange, the only object on its surface
made by human hands which he could
see would be a Chinese wall, yet that
was not a great undertaking to the
people who made IL. 1t was built In
ten years and while the country was
Ia war with powerful enemy. Even
while the greatest armies were
drawing on the population, a single
contractor had 800 900 men at work
and there were several Others.
"lu 1892 there was population Of
$50, ,000, 900 and a calculation prepared
by Ii Hung Chang shows that in 1902
II will exceed 750,OO00O0. These re-
searches made by the government are
of wonderful extent and are made for
profound purpose.
The speaker illustrated the sagacity
and paternalism Of the Chinese gov
ernment, saying that no nation IN the
world is as strong ln protecting its
subjects. IL is untirihg, he said, Ia
the study OF social and economic
questions aud administers them with
great wisdom
"The problem OF devising means Of
subsistence for such an immense pop.
uiation has been such stupendous
one for the number is constantly
increasing while the ability Of the
soil to produce food remains station
airy. The policy by which the crisis
has been averted has been the re-
ductiOn OF the standard Of living,
This system has been persued for gen.
eratlons and the people have been
cOntented TO live on rice because they
know OF nothing else. The hostility
To foreign missionaries Is not fear Of
their religious teaching, but fear they
Will teach the native TO yearn after
strange meats aud create Untold
misery.
But at last the crisis has approach.
ed. Ii Hung Chang, one OF the most
remarkable statesmen the world has
ever known, seeing that the time has
come when the people can no longer
live on the rice which Is raised In Uhat
part Of the world, has set himself TO
ind remedy.
"lle has made thorough inYestiga
tlon OF the great wheat districts OF
Argentine, Siberia, and America, and
decided that the latter was the one
whose soil aud climate could make 10
safe TO depend upon. This inSesti-
gatlon was one OF the most scientific
and accurate ever made on such vast
subject by any nation. lie found
that with wheat worth sl.25 "A bushel
at Chicago, and transported to the
interior OF Chlua,an a dollars worth
OF flour was worth two days more
labor than dollars worth Of rice.
That flour Will In time totally sup
plant rice follows as sure as water
runs down hill.
"Now let US get at the amount OF
flour II will take 60 feed these peo.
pie. According To the census OF
1892, II all the people in the world
were standing in llhe, every
third and every fifth man would
be Chinaman. Allowing only two
and a half pounds day u
an average family, this remark,
able country would consume !, 1915, 900,
600 bushels Of wheat year. II
they had all they wanted they would
use 2,O00,0O0,0OO bushels. IL the
United States sowed every acre OF
tilllble land TO wheat aud con-
tinued TO increase the average al
J at the rate we haYe, 10 would take
ten years before we could feed those
people,
"ln those ten years, according Ia
Ii Hung Chang's figures, II the pop
ulatlon OF the world stood up In line
again every other man would be a
Chlnaman aud just think how much
wheat they are going TO need then,
Did any such problem ever come be-
fore u nationY.
"rhe rate OF increase Of population
In China is indicated by the fact that
during the Teeping rebellion. which
was put down by aid OF the allied
power few years ago, 50,0O0,O00 lives
were lest, yet now the loss has been
long made up aud the increase re-
sumed It's normal rate"
The speaker paid glowing tribute
60 the knowledge and acumen OF Ii
Hung Chang and told several incl
denUs OF his great craftsmanship.
Having risen In spite OF opposition,
from the throne, which was OF Tartar
sympathies, while he is a pure chinese
90 the higest position in the land, he
has showed himself the greatest man
out of 50,OO0,OOO, Every public
position In China is filled by civil
service examinations, and rank is
only obtained by merit and industry.
Chang showed In his tour OF the
world few years ago q thorough
grasp OF all the problems and condit.
ions OF every nation, lie has read
5000 volumes OF English literature