The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-31
THE MARKET AMONG CHINA'S
MILLIONS.

Col Mulberry Seiier's dream OF million
people In Asia afflicted with sore eyes
and so. possible customers for his great
eye wash, is more than matched In fact
by China's 400 COO 900 people who need,
or can 10 trained 10 need. the miscellane-
Gus products Of the great industrial na-
tions.
Such is the real explanation OF the re-
cent strokes of European enterprise in
Asiatic waters. 1t is asserted that for
nearly two years Great Britain. France
and Germany have had commissions IN
China travelling over the country and
studying the commercial and industrial
conditions. with view to increasing
the Chinese trade with those nations.
The French commission has returned
and reports Of progress have been re-
ceived from the other agents All seem
20 agree as to the chief cause of the slow
growth Of Chins's trade. They say that
the people are Industrious. love to make
money and are willing 10 buy large va.
riety of goods whenever they see the ad-
vantage OF possessing them. But the
mandarns and tie lettered classes gen.
orally are hostile to the Introduction OF
Westel n trade Their interests are bound
up with thUse Of the unprogressiye re-
| gime OF the Manchu rulers at Pesin. The
French commission says that France
must do two ,hings TO win success in the
Chinese trade She must send men to
| China TO introduce the goods she exports,
and her merchants must pe persistent and
patient for success cannot be won in
day In the Orient.
Just fancy an almost untouched outlet
of trade like that Four hundred mill
| lions of people as consumers 1t is cer-
tainly a glittering prospect iaviting the
| investment Of capital and statesmanshiD
to open it up Doubtless, too, it will be
a blessed day for the masses in China
when they wilt be at liberty 10 deal with
| the outside world after generations of
| what is practically trade slavery to tie
mandarins. China is much farther ad
vanced in civilization, much more abund-
antly endowed with purchasing power
than either Africa or India. and IL is no
wonder that the commercial Western
world is eager for the day TO come when
the great empire shall be opened from
end to end for its commerce.
The more the nations deal with China
the more fully are they convinced that
when once the Chinese try an innovation
from the Western part of the world and
find. by actual experiment. that the nov
city is really good thing, a convenience
and a blessing, there is little difficulty
about extending its use. This has been
the case with telegraphs which raised
storm when the poles began to be reared.
Today a network Ct telegraph lines is ex
tending into every part OF the empire
Pekin is now in instant touch with all
the provinces from Yunnan in the south
west to Manchuria in the northeast.
American and other engineers who are
building Chinese railroads say that while
the prejudice against them will only be
gradually rem owed, the way for the loco.
motive bids fair to open stendily, further
and wider. 1t is great point gained
that tthe rails have now been laid to
within eight miles of the walls of Pekin,
even though tbey have been stopped
there, because "the sacred precincts of
the imperial residence must be saved from
contamination by too close contact with
such Western improvements.
In the past fifteen years all countries
with a few exceptions suon as Spain.
nave increased their trade with China
The dealings OF her people with five
countries especially, Great Britain, In
dia, the United States, Japan and
Germany, have shown the most gratify-
ing progress. The powers are not getting
impatient because the trade relations
with China are not improving. for they
are: but it is tantalizing TO Europe
when it needs new markets so much, to
meet Sd many obstacles and find the
growth of trade comparatively slow In
the most populous land and one OF the
richest countries IN the world. This Is
the reason why strenuous efforts arc
making ana will be made to hasten the
day when the whole Of China will be
thrown open to the Western markets
The vote In the Senate on the Teller