Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-11
CHINESE GOGGLES

/
II is a curious fact that the truth
OF descriptions Of peoples and countries
depends mostly on the point Of view
from which the described objects are
| seen By those who undertake 20 en-
tighten their fellowmen II they are
seen through reversed telescope they
win appear small and insignificant, and
far OF, II they are seen through a
colored glass, they VIII appear IN what
ever shade that happens to be- Even
the camera can distort reproductions
OF objects most fearfully
Peoples among whom Christian mis-
sionarIcs are tailoring" are very often
the victims OF distorted aud discolored
descriptions, for the reason that a sem
sational story is found to be a potent
Sesame Ia the purse OF benevolent
people with little power OF discernment.
Pagan customs and pagan morals are
held up to view In a most ridiculous
form to excite missionary zeal The
"Mormona' have very often been carl
catured for the satisfaction of the cray-
ings OF moral weddings for something
sensational, something stimulating.
remarkable instance Of this kind
OF description is found In boook re-
Gently published by the Appletons and
entitled, "As Chinaman Saw U.s." 1t
purports TO be letters written by a
Chlnoman to his relatives at home con-
corning America and Americans
Speaking Of our fashions, for instance,
this critic says.
AT the present time tablets or plates
OF fashion Insist upon an outline which
shows the form completely the anti
podes OF Chinese woman; this is in
tensihed by some OF the women who,
when IN the street. grasp the skirt and
IN an ingenious way wrap It about 80
that the outline Of the American diyini-
~ Is sufficiently well defined to startle
one. A later order was given
10 wear a camel.like hump at the base
OF the vertebrate column. which was
called the bustle--a cOntriyance calcu-
lated to unnerve the wearer, not to
speak Of the looker-on, At
one time the hump went oil around
later appeared only behind, like an ex-
crescence on bilboltree. At the pres
ont time the designer has drawn his pic
turc showing II as a pendant bag from
the shirtwalst, like the pouch OF the
bird pelican. A few years ago the de-
signer IN a delrum placed the humps
on the tops OF the sleeves, then snatched
them away and tipped them upside
down.
The American doctor comes IN for
his share OF the fun. The alleged
Chlnaman first tells a story Of a sur
geon who operated upon man ana
removed cyst" which he displayed
with pride to n doctor OF another school,
why man" said the latter. that isn't
a cyst It's the mans kidney" Then
he tells his friends In China OF Chris
tian Science, faith cures, musical cures,
pamIsts and magnetic healers. II
heard OF one cure" he says. "in which
the guileless American is made to lie
IN an open grave; this Is called the re-
turn TO nature, Again, patients are
cured by being buried In hot mud |
lave seen a saltwater cure. The plain
water cure has thousands Of followers,
with hospitals where the patient is
bathed, soaked, filled, washed and
plunged In water and charged a high
amount
Another subject he deals with IL our
education We are proud Of its univer-
salty, but this philosopher has come
to the conclusion that It is 'cruel," and
that It is responsible for much unhap-
pness His observation Isl
"The overeducation Of the poor Is a
heartless thing In power, strength and
progress the American nation stands
first In the world, and all this may be
due to splendid educational facilities.
Hut this Is not everything There re-
suit strife, unhapplness, envy and
craze for riches"
The author concludes that the China
men are happier than the Americans, a
proposition which would be hard TO
contrayert. The only value Of the pub
lcaton ls that he has placed before US
the American picture as seen through
the slaating Oriental eyes It may help
us TO understand better the Chinese
mode Of thinking. even II It does not
result In reform here.