The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-16

had to abandon the task, owing to the
obstructiveness of the native officials
10 years ago. 1t is expected that
with the advent of the locomotive in
the near future, great activity will be
shown in exploiting gold, coal and
other minerals. Were this province
under any other rule, it would be one
of the greatest mining sections in the
world. 1t has population Of 29, ,000,-
O00-about the same as that of Spain.
This is one of the northeastern prov
inces Of China proper, and through it
runs the famous Hoang Ho, or Yellow
river. known as "China's Sorrow" by
reason Of the destruction of millions
Of people by its frequent overaows.
In this province China's two great
sages, CONTIGUOUS and Mencius, we're
born.
Outchtang, capital Of Houpe, the
"Chicago of China, will soon be con-
nected with Peking by rail, the road
being now under construction by a
Belgian syndicate. This city has
1900, 900 inhabitants, and is the CEN
trail market for about 70,000,O0O pee
plea population equal to that of the
entire United States. A point like
this merely illustrates the vastness Of
the possibilities of China as pur-
chaser Of American goods. The very
magnitude of the population of the
oriental empire ,vell-nigh exceeds the
scope OF the human mind to realize.
At least FIVE times that Of this coun-
try-there has never been census of
the central howery Ian" the wants
of its individual components will
grow rapidly with the development of
the civilization which is TO be fore ed
mpon these people who have stood
still for 30 centuries. How strange it
seems, by the way, that so much Of
the knowledge from which modern
civilization springs has been derived
from the Chinese.
During the last few years. however,
China has undergone wonderful chan
ges. On eve.y side in that country
one sees evidences of new born activi
ty and enterprise The old-fashioned,
conservative Chinaman, with his cry
of foreign DEVIL is being crowded
to the rear. One hears much talk Of
railways, and Of enterprises Of all
sorts. The natives have suddenly be-
come progressive; they want to learn
about modern inventions and scien-
ti6c discoveries. At Wei-hsien a
Chinaman is engaged in making bicy-
cles. This genius is able to turn out
a fair wheel, but cannot master pneu-
matte tires. he solves the problem
by covering rope with hides, coloring
the leather to the proper hue, and
fastening it to the rims of che wheels.
The missionary, always the pioneer Of
commerce and the merchants most
useful advance agent, can now travel
up and down the country on his
wheel. and the sight is so common
that it attracts nc remark.
Just at present there is reaction
ary movement in China, but the en-
press dowager has no more power to
stem the tide of progress in the mid
die kingdom than had pig-headed
Ring Canute to pause the progress Of
the tidal breakers. She is a mere
pebble on the beach, Notwithstanding
any impression Of her own to the con-
trary. Foreign influence is too much
for her. Take a figure or two for IL
lustration. In 1890 there was only
one mill in China using foreign ma
chinery. In Shanghai alone to-day
there are over 100 such mills, and,
scattered all over the empire, tall
chimney stacks loom or the horizon.
Iron mills, paper mills, cotton mills,
all sorts of mills, are bel g erected.
In 1890not steam vessel Of any de-
scription was allowed to run in any
waters except at the treaty ports; now
the rivers are covered with small
steamers and steam launches. Tele-
graph lines run through the anti-for-
eign provinces. In 1890 a high native
official. who had tried to establish a
telegraph in Human province, was
obliged to flee for his life, all of the
apparatus and machinery being de-
stroyed. To-day this province is
eagerly pushing forward enterprises Of
all sorts; schools for teaching English
are found l 1000 miles from the coast
the electric light is used, bicycles are
common, and the foreigneris no longe1
stoned or reviled.
1t is urged that commercial mu