The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-19
WI and His Awakening Country.

The departure Of WI Ting fang from
Washington, yesterday, for his native
China, after five years diplomatic service,
is regrettable. because he has been the
most efficient representative of his coun-
try within the period of our diplomatic
relat lions with China. He served through
the most critical and trying period Of
Chinese history in modern times. when
his country narrowly escaped disintegra-
ton through the activities of the ia
natical element and the land grabbing
proclivities Of several European powers.
At his post while our government was
assisting in the restoration Of order in
Picking and vicinity and crushing the
murderous Boxer horde, = when the
treacherous empress dowager, with the
emperor, had fled to western China,
Minister WI behaved with admirable
judgment. Returning to China sincere
adnirer of our country and it's institu-
lions and facts accomplished, he will be
an important factor Of the reform move
ment which Is at work In China, looking
to the adoption Of the methods Of the
western nations as Japan has done to
her large advantage.
Our territorial propinquity to China,
through our occuption Of the Philippines,
makes the trade of that vast population,
present and future, of greater Importance
to US. The two important bodies, the
SILK Association of America and the
American Asiatic association conspicuous
ly indicate our business interest in China,
while much American capital is" already
invested in the country and millions await
the effectuation of commercial treaties
and tina confirmation Of railway and other
concessions to uplift people long stolid-
ly Indifferent to their own interests, to
realization Of their opportunities and to
such self-assertion as will enable them
with the help Of our government, Great
Britain and Japan, to arrest for all time
the d1sintegrating movement by which
Russia occupies Manchur1a, Germany oc-
cupies the province of Shantung, and
France hold the territory she had f1lched
from China on the south. Germany and
France have declared for equality Of
trade In the great Yangste valley. Our
government will certainly continue to de-
mand equality Of trade in Manchuria and
Shantung. Not only the Yangste valley
must be the arena Of trading equality with
It's mighty river, navigable by the largest
craft several hundred miles inland, and
it's great, populous cities, but every por-
ton of Chinese territory must be Access
sible by the open door of trade,-a door
which China herself is showing great will
Just her tariff so as to derive a larger in
come from customs, a condition which the
powers, who have controlled China 8
tariff-malking for many years, should be
willing to promote. as whatever benefits
China, and betters conditions there, is
beneficial to themselves.
A most important evidence of changing
Chinese conditions is the educational re-
form movement under imperial DEGREES.
which requires the introduction of the
learning of the western nations in the
courses Of study in the Chinese universe
ties. and the establishments of progress
sive universities in each province. 1t is
proposed to drop the present and ancient
tuition in elegant rhetorical forms cover
ing meaningless phrases, the prerequisite
to the office, getting, and to educate Chi
nese youth in the branches of service to
them In practical life. It isreported that
unoer the new regime, schools areEopen-
ing everywhere and the desire to acquire
the English language IS widely prevalent
Rev. James Jackson of the Boone school,
founded by the Episcopal church in WI,
chang, in a letter to the Spirit of Mis-
sions, states that the reform movement