The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26

Of great cities In not relatively to the whole popu
lation. anything like 80 largo in China as 1t is
in Europe and the United States Mr. Smith
Is inclined to believe that in China, as in India,
the rural clement constitutes three fourths Of
the whole population. That Is why he would
describe the Chinese village as the Celestial En-
pirc in miniature, and submits that 1t must bo
thoroughly studied IL we are TO comprehend the
actual condition and capabilities Of the Chinese
people. In a closely printed volume Of some
three hundred and fifty pages, ho has under
taken TO tell us what the incompatible millions
Of human beings who inhabit Chinese villages
are thinking about. and what kind Of life they
lead. In work which may DO fairly described
as an Incompatible Magazine OF information
nowhere else accessible wo must necessarily.
leave unnoticod a multitude Of interesting topics,
but perhaps, we can excmplfy tho value Of the
authors services by marking frst the extent
TO which the principle Of cooperation In applied
in Chinese villages, and then glancing al some
chapters which depict life and character oil vii
lage boys and girls.
I.
Tho aptitude Of the Chinese for combination
Is conspicuously exhibited in societies which
have a religious object. Widely az these may
differ In the purposes To which they arc devoted,
almost all Of them have certain features In com
mon, 10 wit: the contribution Of small sums at
definite intervals by many persons; the superin
tondcncc of the finances by very small number
OF tho contributors; tho loan Of the contributions
at high rate Of interest which. when paid, is
itself loaned. so as to accumulate compound in
terest az rapidly as possible; lastly, the employ
ment Of tho accumulation in the religious obser
vance for which the society was instituted. &C.
companied by q certain amount OF icasting in
which the contributors participate, The count.
lcss secret sccts Of China are examples OF the
Chinese tnleat for cooperation within the field
Of the alleged practice Of virtue" The general
plan Of procedure does not differ externally from
that OF religious denomination in any Western
land except that there In an element OF cloudi-
ness about the basis upon which the whole super
structure rests while great secrecy Ia observed
in tho actual assembling at night AS reg ards
the existence Of masters and pupils, each in a
graduated series, Of manuscript books tain
ing doctrines Of hymns recited, OF even composed
To order and Of prayers, offerings and ascetic
observanccs, these Chinese societies recall tho
religious associations OF Western countries
According to Mr.. Smith, the Chinese markets
exhibit higher degree Of cooperation than do
any similar institutions in Europe. The CO.
operation Ii cxemplhod in the selection both
Of the places and the times at which the markets
shall be held The density Of the population
varies greatly in different places but there are
vast tracts in which villages are to be met at dis
tances varying from quarter Of mile to two
or thrcc miles, and many Of these villages con-
tain hundreds and some OF them thousands. OF
families Al intervals OF varying frequency,
ono hears OF towns OF still larger size called chen
ten. or market towns. in which there Is sure 10
be regular fair. Fairs, however, are not con-
fined 10 tho rhsn-ften otherwise. the needs OF
the people would be by means met Many
OF the inferior villages, also. have regular mar
ket. frequented by the neghboring population,
dwelling within a circle Of greater or smaller
radius. Tho times at which village markets
are held vary greatly. In large cities there il a
marltet every day, but in country places this
would involve q waste oi time. Sometimes the
marke, takes place on alternate days. and, some
times. on every day the numeral Of which Ia a
multiple OF three. The Chinese make nothing
OF walking TO a market three. eight or even ten
miles away, for IL Is not market only, but a
kind OF general exchange In addition TO the
ordinary markets, there are fairs which are held
in towns OF every grade, down even TO small ham
lets, and these fairs are ofton attended by from
ten to twenty thousand people. The applica-
ton OF the cooperative principle TO fairs MAJ DO
recognized in the arrangement Of them so as to
dorctail into ono another and to impose the least
loss pf time upon the travelling merchants
Other examples Of the Chinese capacity for
combination arc tho loan societies. which abound
everywhere. Every Chinaman has occasion To
use money in sums which II Is very difficul,
for him TO command. The rate Of interest is so
high that man. compelled to borrow con.
siderable amount upon which he must pay interest
AT from ga 10 per cent a month. will be- not
improbably. swamped by the cndcayor 10 make
good his promise TO his creditors. BY eliminating
interest altogether, distributing the payments
over long period and introducing an element
of friendship into a commercial transaction. tho
Chinaman is able 10 achieve tho happy result
OF uniting business with pleasure. The simplest
OF the many plans by which mutual loans are
effected Ii tho contribution Of definite sum BY
each member OF the society 10 some other ono
in rotation. Tho man who is in need of money
invites certain OF his friends TO cooperate with
him. and to invite some Of their friends To d the
same When the requisite number is secured
the members assemble and fix the order in which
each shall have the use OF the common fund The
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