Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-12
RAIL WAYS IN BURMA
About s26,OOO,ooo Invested
by the Government.
TO CHINESE BORDER
GREAT DIscoNTENT OVER cEssA-
TON OF WORK.
.-[-
Few Wealthy Persons in the Country.
Natives Lazy-Progress Due Almost
Entirely to the outlanders.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

| Social CORRESPONDENCE Of The Evening Star ant
| Chicago Record-Herald.
RANGOON, April TO- 1904.
The government of Burma has invested
about $26,OO0,OO0 in narrow gauge railways,
reaching the most important cities and COM
mercial sections of the country. They have
been made also with reference to military
purposes, although Burma is the least like
" spot for an internal disturbance or for
eign invasion. The principal railway line
will be extended to the Chinese border, and
in 1S96-1900 surveys were made from Myi-
tyna, the terminus on the frontier through
Chung king, the head of navigation on the
Yangtse river, the greatest thoroughfare in
the Chinese empire. Chung-king, the cap
ital of Yunan, one of the most fertile and
productive provinces of China, with popu-
lation of 6,0OO 600 and unlimited resources, Is
a city of 100000 population and one of the
most prosperous in China. The surveyors
report that the construction from the Bur-
mese boundary to Chung-king will be diff
cult and expensive. but geographical ana
political considerations ought to justify al
most any expenditure for such a purpose
Such railway would give England &C
cess to the very heart of China, and would
furnish the interior provinces an outlet for
their produce through British territory,
saving at least 6000 miles OF transportation
by land and sea upon every pound of COM
merce with Europe. Ii would give China 8
goods four days instead Of four weeks to
reach tide water, and divert the trade OF q
vast area and many millions OF people from
Shanghai to Rangoon.
No one knows why, but construction was
practically stopped upon this road about
year aga and nothing has been done since
There 49, of course, great disappointment
and bitter complaint on the part OF Bur
mese business men, who attribute the stop
page to Lord curzon's orders, and offer va
r:ous plausible conjectures as to the reasons
which prompted a change Of policy. some
of them must be pretty near the truth, and
the most reasonable is that the government
at London stopped the work because II was
considered in violation of treaty stipulations
with other European powers. although IT
takes good deal Of argument to sustain
such a proposition.
In 1900 Great Britain made a treaty with
Germany under which she agreed to Keep
the Yangtse river free and open to the
trade of all nations, but that need not IN
terfere with the construction OF a rail-
road to Chungxing. Crest Britain also has
rights and privileges to all nations In south
western China, but France IS building
railway from Tonquin, her Asiatic colony,
across the Chinese border into the province
of Kwang-si and IL would seem that Great
Britain should have quite as good right
to lay rails in the adjoining province of
Yunan. The world is waiting for the dis
solution of China, and at Its dfsintegratfon
inert mass of human beings are already
allotted among the different European ma
lions. France Is to have Kwang-si ana
Great Britain is to have Yunan. France, as
l have already suggested Is anticipating
the event by providing transportation Ia
cilities for her prospective territory, and
the people here think that England ought
to do the same. but the government at Lon
don, whatever may be It's reasons. Is hold
ing the railway builders back
There are no means of transportation
across the China border beyond the rail
way terminus at Myftyna. but q good deal
trails In hampers OF bamboo slung over the
backs of pack mules and bullocks. It 10
all done by the Chinese, for the Burmese
lack enterprise and are Indifferent to COM
merce. From Yunan they bring hides. horns,
india rubber, raw silks, gold bullion. jade.
amber and other raw materials and take
back manufactured goods of all kinds, cot
ton and wooden fabrics, wearing apparel.
hardware. drugs and the many little things
which enter into the needs OF primitive
people. In 1902 this overland trade amount
ed to more than $2,000O0O
Worlds Largest Viaduct.
The Pennsylvania Steel Company Of
Pittsbur8 has been constructing what ID
said to be the largest viaduct In the world
across what is known as the Gowteck gorge
near the northern boundary Of Burma 1t
Is described as q triumph Of engineering.
and the contract was obtained by the
American company In competition with
German and English bridge builders. The
viaduct is $500 feet long and 800 feet high.
and Is considered a wonder. Photographs
are onered for sale at all the picture
stores in Burma It looks like g. steel
cobweb standing In the sky.
There are few rich men in Burma. Sew
eral European. Parsees and Chinese living
IN Rangoon are worth from $1OO,O00 to
$25O.0O0 in lands, buildings and business in
vestments, but have been assured by the
hca n Ant fr0 49, l. - 49,
efgn colony there Is not man in the couu-
try worth more than 500 600 and that $40
600 or $4,000 Is considered big fortune
by the natives When Burmese gets ST.
COO or 10000 ahead he viii not work any
more. He considers himself well provided
for. No people were ever less avaricious.
Few enjoy money more, but 1t Is the spend
ing OF rather than the boarding that
gives them satisfaction.
They are the most generous people In ex-
fstence. Every time a man makes little
profit or gets little ahead he gives a
"pwe" Ca native party and spends It all re-
Jofcing with HIS friends. They make merry
as long as the money lasts. It may be
few hours or few days. ana next week
somebody else is lucky and takes his turn
at entertainment, so that life Is a success
sion of ''pwes." and few people accumulate
anything. Perhaps the reason why the ma
tives spend their money as fast as they
get 1t. and why there are no rich men IN
Burma. may be traced back to the despotic
days when It fmperfIed life and happiness
for man to get little ahead Of his needs.
Under the king 1t was dangerous to have
property. IT was the habit Of the officials
to punish prosperity. Whenever they dis
covered that native had laid by little
store for rainy dayitasey bounced upon
him, and not only conf1scated everything
he had, but tortured him with the hope Of
securing more. Until ther British occupa-
tion. therefore, wealth wasta curse instead
OF a blessing, and there was no incentive
to econonize IL ms
Lack Of Thrift Explained.
These circumstances. scofnbined with the
pleasure-loving Dispositions of the people,
explains their lack of atbsjft The women
are much more economicab than the men.
They are not SO lazy or 80 generous. They
keep the shops, pay the bills, do the pur-
chasing for the family sfand are always
consulted by their husbands In matters OF
business. Indeed the Burmese woman 10
very much the head of fhe family, and Of
fers singular contrastgt0 the women OF
India. who are slaves and piaythings. either
one or the other.
An Agricultural Country.
Burma is an agricultural country Rice
is the chief staple Ninety per cent OF the
population depend upon the cultivation OF
the soil for q. living. and the farming land
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