Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
PROGRESS IN CHINA
CHANGE OF SENTIMENT COMING
OVER PEOPLE.
Taking New View of Education and
Commerce-TheG Government
Waking Up.
From the Shanghai Mercury.

From the Shanghai Mercury.
Students of nature tell us that as time
changes new forces make their appear.
ances. though never at once. The old
schools that devoted themselves to studies
with eyes shut must of necessity, give
, place to the new schools that search for
the truth with the light Of reason. Prac-
teal men must come to the fore The
theory-makers must work out their theories
for practical use and not merely be con-
tented with the discovery OF a new idea.
China, with all the recent changes forced
upon her. is at last awakened. and quite a
different. kind of feeling toward other ma
items prevails among the majority of her
people The changes have been mainly
political and educational and another
change Is being made in the direction of
her commerce, for a new board of COM
Rierce has Just been organized. OF the real
object OF this board we know but very uttls
as yet. Whether IL will ever stand as a dis
tfnct board by itself will come under the
control OF the board OF foreign affairs re-
mains to be seen. We take II, however az
Indicative of the strong desire of the Chi
hese government to improve the commercial
interests of her people.
These changes. as every one will admit.
are sufficiently important to any country
the stepping stones to progress. In China,
rot many years ago, when change took
place. 1t affected only comparatively
small number of people; the rest paid vs:y
little attention to 1t as long as IL did not
directly concern their interests This spirit
OIL Winding their own business, and of OBJ
serving the laws peaceful subjects; w5s
clearly evidenced In the China-JaDaa war
during which there was very little alarm,
and In many parts of the empire. ira lie Was
carried on as usual When news came OF
the defeat of the Chinese army 1t was re-
sarded as a sort of made-up news. AMI the
general feeling was that spies employed by
the Japanese were creating wild rumors.
A well-informed Chinese who gave out ID
formation of the first defeat sustained by
China to his friends stigmatized as q
traitor. Even when peace negotiations
were concluded many people expressed a
feellng OF disgust against the great Ii
Hung-chang. for they still maintained that
CHINA was on the winning side.
The Hope of China.
But truth is mighty. 1t may be in dark
place. yet it will shine as a burning light.
Notwithstanding the disastrous war which
brought disgrace and debt upon the nation.
the warning that something worse might
have happened was UNDECIDED. Western
learning was still held back. and foreigners
were looked upon more or less as able and
mishty only in warfare. From that time
forward people ceased to have faith in the
strength of the sleeping giant. He has been
bound hands and feet. The affairs of the
nation have become more compiled ted,
threatened with internal CONFUSION.
The hope that China might be taught n
useful lesson by her painful and humiliat-
ing experience of the war found room in
the hearts of many. The history of some
countries has been one of rise and fall.
With her enormous natural resources
would 1t be strange to see China become
strong again? Such has been the idea OF
many. But no, China was too angry with
her experience of the war and its results as
evidenced by the Boxer outbreak of 1900.
which was instigated by few people and
- q fne. Of
Then came sweeping changes over the
country. Foreign arms and influence reign
ed supreme in the north. People fed from
one end of the empire to the other The
protection of lives was threatened Many
were turned out homeless and pennless.
There was fear of international partition.
Things were at a crisis; not moment
could be lost In the midst of all confusion
and fears. men sought how to save the en-
pfre. Those who were partakers in the
Boxer movement on account of sheer igno-
rance now turned their backs against the in
stigators and cursed them They had been
led to do that which they knew not, and
were well nigh destruction.
Slow Recovery. ....
Thus the plan to drive the foreigners into
the sea utterly failed. China's weakness
was put before the world. While the out
break was almost like a deathbiow to
China. 1t must also be remembered that it
has been productive of some good It ID
true that 1t will take long time before
China will have fully recovered from the
shock, and for years she viii be paying the
heavy indemnity. But what could wash
out those forces of evil were it not for he
outbreak? There is a better under
standing and closer relation between China
and foreign countries: there is now more
liberation and liberty of religion among
people. Everywhere she is opened to for
eign trade. Foreign prestige has not been
lowered in the least degree. In short, she
Is submitting to all that could be expected.
for fear of untoward troubles. But she has
to be guided with a strong hand.
Before the China-Japan war more than
one Chinese high official strongly advo-
Gated Russo-China alliance and the gem
cral feeling of the people was that Russia
could be relied Chinas best friend.
At the close of the war Russia acted on
behalf of China in the settlement of peace
negotiations at Cheefoo, and as the Rus
sian general laid his sword the table
once more friendly relations were estab-
ished between the conqueror and conquesed.
Liao-tung would have been coded to Japan
We're 1t not for the interference of Russia
backed up by France and Germany. Rus
Sia'S great kindness must have been ac-
knowledged In one way or the other.
Thencefo-ward the feeling toward Russia
became stronger In intensity and volume
until the eruption of the Manchurian af-
fairs.