Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-14
AWAKENING OF CHINA.
Rapid Development Of the Ma
tons Latent Powers.
ODD PLAN TO PAY WAR INDEMNITY

TAX OF Five Cents a Year ON Eacl
Rafter of All Houses - Large.
Dockyard In the World to BE Bail
at Hongkong.
The rapidity with which the Chimes,
are awakening from the somnolence O,
centuries and developing their extraor
binary latent powers is a source OF
emazement to those who have watched
Cnlna closely, says Washington dis
patch to the New York Tribune. The
empire was brought face to face with
1ts denclenc1es in the conflict with
japan and compelled to realize the SUI.
perlorlty OF American and European
clvlilzat1on during the Invasion which
followed the Boxer instruction. and
II Is today being forced to subordinate
It's natural oriental inertia to the grim
necessity of raising an indemnity fund
Of such magnitude as would bankrupt
most civilized nations.
While testimony to this effect comes
from many sources, seldom has it been
30 well brought out as in a recent let
Ter addressed to the secretary of agri-
culture by David G. Fairchild, the
United States official agricultural ex
! piorer, man of wide experience.
writing from Taku, he says:
The accounts of the Chnaman's
wonderful ability to initiate have not
been exaggerated. but his reputed want
OF inventive ability does not stand the
test. These conceptions are falsely
colored, either by the blind prejudice
Of the transient visitor to China or the
disappointment Of the old white resi-
dent, who forgets how moderately the
average workman Of any old civiliza-
ton Is equipped with inventive powers.
"One among many examples of their
ingenuity will serve to illustrate how
false this idea is. In Taku, during the
construction recently of some very
large iron fiatboats or lighters with
which to unload or coal the incoming
steamers, the problem of lowering,
these heavy vessels, which had been
constructed on high framework. be- |
came 7puzzling one. Large derricks !
and expensive steam cranes were dis
cussed. Finally one of the sChinese
master workmen suggested placing I'M
der the lighters large number of col |
umns-close woven wicker baskets
packed with sand. He explained that
Dy knocking out the stays the lighter
would be left resting on the baskets
and by the successive puncturing of
the baskets, allowing the sand to run
out gradually, the heavy boat could be
made to settle to the desired level.
This inexpensive suggestion Of the Chi
nese workman was followed by the
European constructors, proved COM
plete success and saved both time and
money"
Mr.. Fairchild cites several instances
Illustrative of the same point. Refer
ing to the Chinaman's ability to save
money, he notes the recent death, Of
comparatively humble Chinaman ,
whose estate was valued at $4,000, 900.
Illustrative of the development Of the
Ihinese shipping trade he states that :
n 1893 scarcely single steam launch
vas owned in Canton. while today :.
here are between 300 and 400 mostly
wned and in large part built by Chi
ese," over eighty having been turned :.
ut in single Chinese shipyard last
ear. THE Hongkong and Wampoo .
Dock company" he continues, pays
0 well that It's stock is quoted at $3.50, y
nd all Of the laborers are Chinese, "
My the managers and draftsmen y
eing Europeans. Plans are now in " "
rogress to build in Hongkong the lar y :,
est dockyard in the world, one slip Of u
'hich is to be 900 feet long, or 100 feet p
niger than the largest slip in the new
.rupp yard at KEEL" kpropos Of Chi u
ese manufacture Of arms and ammu- "
tion he says: 'r 0fs'& y,
IAN officer in the British army as o.
,res me that the Chinese arsenal at ~
ientsin is manufacturing cannon and 70
nall arms which fall very little short o.
being az good as those of European al
and this without even the a
lpervision Of Europeans. ~
1.-THE effect Of the Boxer troubles win M
, farreaching, for the Chinese govern OF
emit, in order to pay the war indem- "a
ty, has levied a tax of the equiva- A.
ut Of 3 American cents year on each 10
fter on every house in the country. ~
ready the viceroy In Canton 10 hay %
3 great difficulty in collecting taxes, on
d, while people living there say that no
ID tax is arousing = great deal Of ami 20
,sity toward foreigners, one Of the 81
suits Of the war will be to change the Sal
,as Of the upper class Chinaman re- -
riding western methods and make sa'
n more willing to accept them. For sn'
ners come in for share in the war
( and already pay about s per cent ~
valorem duty on practically every Wi
ing imported.
The precision of movement, the con-
,tration, the earnestness Of applica-
n and the continual activity which
now exerted on the pettiest trifies
mot fail when employed in the man.
<,+,,vn ~ a rf1o1o0 which tho wh1fQ ] -