The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-16

their work. II would help them a good
deal IL they were able to understand
something of the language OF the
people. 1t is not right that American
consuls be compelled to employ
Chinese interpreters. as is now the
case. They ought to have their own
men, people of their own nation. IT
would he to their interest. The Ameri-
can consular services now does not hold
out sufficient inducements for the right
kind of men in China. Americans ought
to be encouraged to enter the service
and, having entered, to remain there,
1t requires a peculiar kind of men to
succeed. Young men ought to be sent
to China who would like to learn the
language. and who could look forward
to long period Of service after they
had once fitted themselves for 1t. In
England, at oxford and at Cambridge,
they have Chinese professors to give
elementary training. Young men go out
from there into the consular. diplo-
matte or merchant service, and what
they have learned at the universities
they supplement in the service. They
have enthusiasm because they realize
that If they do good work they can find
for themselves a career. | appreciate
the fact that this is a democratic form
OF government, and that 1t may not be
easy to bring about the change which
l suggest. 1t is difficult to secure the
necessary legislation, but I am sure
that in view of the constantly increas.
ing importance of the American COM
mercial and political position in
China, it would be Of inestmable ad-
vantage IL the consular service there
could be marked by permanency OF
tenure and adequacy of training. Merit
should be rewarded by promotion, as
is the rule now with most of the
European governments which send
young men to the East to learn the
language and study the customs of the
country.
THE English-speaking people have =
great advantage in China now because
their language is popular in Asia, and
because it is more commonly used than
anv other foreign tongue. 1t is a pity
that this advantage cannot be followed
up by making the language still more
adaptable to the needs of the natives
of the country. The present popularity
is due to circumstances. The English
controlled India. Their language was
spoken there and in all the British
colonies, and when the English found
their way into China ahead of other
European nations they brought their
language with them. But it is not an
easy tongue to learn. The Chinese
people are not slow in learning. but it
does not seem right that unnecessary
obstacles should be placed in their
path. l am not partial to the English
| language but it has evidently come
| to stay, and it may already be called
the commercial language of the Orient
In all the treaty ports and important
| centers of the East it holds a place in
the school and the contingencies
which no other language can claim.
1t is spoken in the streets of Shanghai,
it is taught in the schools of Yoko-
| hama, and 1t has obtained such a
vogue that merchants of all other ma
| tions resident in the East make use of
| 1t in their business and in their FAM.
lies. If there is to be an international
| language it will be English, and there
| fore | say ii ought to be improved upon
so as to facilitate the learning of it and
make it easier for those who are not
| English born.
"A whole language cannot be sud-
denly reformed. Changes must be a
matter of slow growth. But there is
one respect in which improvement can
be made without doing violence to the
! idiom or the construction. This is in
spelling. If phonetic spelling were to
| be adopted it would ne blessing To
| those of us with whom English has
not become a habit and who find our
selves continually tripping and stumh-
ling over the words which do not sound
as they appear to the eye. and it would
| be worth a little trouble for the people
of the United States to make the
| change. Americans, | find, accomplish
many results by meeting together and
discussing questions. Why would it not
be possible to hold a great convention,
| the object of which should be to bring
the spelling of the English language
more closely in conformity with It's
| sound?"