The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29

Among themselves they are cheerful and In
dustrious. although hostile to strangers
Even the vices are national, gambling, the
use Of opium and larceny existing in nearly
all parts OF the country to the same extent
1t IS in this similarity of habits among so
many millions OF persons which is un-
;oubtedly one OF tho strongest points OF
the nation, each Individual possessing the
same Intense hatred OF foreigners and en-
PERTAINING the same views toward the re-
lation of the country with outside Powers
The habits Of the people are. as Is we'll
known, directly opposed to our own I'm many
ways These contrasts can best be empha-
sized BY mentioning q number OF Instances
" here their habits are the exact opposite OF
ours In China, for instance, boots are
wEitened instead Of blackened II is con-
eidered there a high compliment to ask a
PERSONS age especially II the person II ad-
yanced in life; dinner is begun with sweet
meats and ended with soup and fish: the IT,
tie of 4 book is printed upon the front In
stead OF the back: II is considered an In
suit to touch ones hat to a friend upon
meeting: fictitious names are used in busi-
ness instead Of the proper ones; two
, watches are worn' and are carried outside
the clothes; no pockets are placed IN the
clothes the stockings being used as recep-
tacies instead: swords are worn on the right
side instead OF tho left: vessels are launched
sideways instead of lengthwise, and the
spoken language or the country Is never
written.
Should q Chinaman be asked how many
children he had he would not think OF In
Guiding his daughters in the number. The
birth of q boy In the family IS considered
reason for rejoicing. but the birth OF a girl
is held 10 be misfortune rather than
otherwise. Intanticide prevails to a great
extent IN some Provinces on account OF this
objection TO girls and II is said that In the
Province OF Amony almost third Of the
girl babies are strangled or drowned.
In connection with the girls, the we'll
known habit Of binding the feet comes up.
This habit prevails only among the better
classes. "a the women Of the cody class
have to work and this would he impossible
with stunted feet. The binding of the feet
IL a regular profession among the Chinese,
the practice supporting a large class. The
process extends through seven years the
toes being first bound IN such a manner
that they are pressed under the foot and
the heel and instep being then wound with
tight bandages which force them together
and reduce the length Of the foot some
times to as little as two and half Inches
Naturally The bone of the foot is twisted
and deformed and the circulation entirely
stopped. the suffering which the girls have
to endure Ia the process being intense and
constant. as the bandages are constantly
frightened.
Opium smoking prevails to such an extent
that it may be called the chief vice OF the
people. 1t is the great solace OF millions OF
the poorer class of Chinese. who find in 1t
their only relief from the life of hardship
which is their portion. Although the habit
of smoking has now spread all over the
Empire, it IL only since the opium war with
England and the tremendous Importation
of the drug which resulted therefrom that
the habit has become national. The cult
walton of the poppy is now rapidly increas-
ing in all parts of the Empire and in many
districts whole sections have been planted
with the poppy, agriculture being entirely
superseded in those regionA