The Indianapolis journal., 1902-02-28
WAGES MAKE MARKETS.

Last Sunday in an excellent sermon Rev.
]. Cumming Smith asserted that mission
aries make markets by giving the natives
of a country like China a glimpse of the
necessaries and comforts of life which are
a part of modern civilization. There may
be something i'm this, but the extent to
which missionaries can make markets in
country like China is limited The capacity
to purchase is the first essential 10 mar
be a great trade If all those who desire the
products of industry had the means with
which to purchase. Much is said of the
great value of the trade of China, but it
must be elsewhere than in the statistics
The value of the trade of this country with
China is not so much as that of far-away
Australia, and it may be safely predicted
that China's trade will not extend beyond
cotton cloths and few of the simplest
necessaries of life until conditions are pres
ent by which the Chinese masses will pos
sess more money with which to purchase
In densely populated country, where the
utmost efforts must be made to obtain suffi-
cient food of the poorest quality TO sustain
life there is nothing in the situation that
such an industrial revolution can take place
as will give the Chinese masses the means
necessary to make China great consumer
of the products of modern civilization Coal
and iron and other natural resources China
has in abundance, but at present there
seems disposition to develop them.
The slowness with which the Chinese who
come 10 this country broaden into the ways
of modern civilization does not encourage
the hope that they can be taught to make a
market for the worlds merchandise or for
its methods. They adhere to the customs
of their country. TO which they hope to re-
turn when they shall have accumulated a
few dollars They wear queues even If
twisted up. They wear nearly the same
clothing as do the people al home Their
food is the cheapest they can find. If they
native country ii has been the least possi-
BILE. In fact. they are the product OF a
narrow civilization centuries old. Their
physical being is adapted to the cheapest
human existence, and when they yield they
arc breaking away from hundreds of gem
erations who lived because they survived
the narrowness of their living BY far the
greater part of the money which China
men earn is sent home to be enjoyed when
they have earned sufficient to enable them
TO live. The missionary may arouse a few
Chinese 20 break away from their in
herited customs and beliefs. but Judging
from those seen in this country, his prog
ress must be slow Those who come here.
as a rule. reject all overtures that would
make them moderns.
/ 1t should be emphasized that any social
or political economy which does not base
it's hope for generous markets upon the
liberal compensation OF its masses for la
/ Dor is defective. Those nations are most
/ prosperous in which the people can earn
\ the most money. since when they have IL
/ they will spend il. II there is any secret
/ 10 the present prosperity Of the country il
/ is that all the people who exchange labor
/ or service for money are paid better than
H similar workers elsewhere and that all are
employed who are willing 20 work Peo-
/ pie who have twice as much money 10
| spend will buy twice the values i'm mer-
chandise. and OF a broader variety. What
are Iuxuries beyond the reach OF others
| have become necessaries 10 American