The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-05-04
CHINA AWAk ENlNG.
Signs Of Impending Activity in Her
Vast Population.

Signs OF Impending Activity in Her
Vast Population.
Out of over eleven hundred new
works in Chinese that have been is
sued up to date by native publishing
houses, one hundred and twenty, or
more than 10 per cent, are on the art
of war. Those on other subjects
wholly foreign to Confucianism and
Chinese methods in the past are num-
erous, such as works on education,
political economy, government, law,
and the mutual relations of nations.
To these and collateral subjects no
fewer than three hundred and sixty
publications are devoted, while a hun
dred and thirty take up the subjects
of mathematics and mechanics.
Some thirty have been published on
the science of agriculture, and twice
as many on electricity, chemistry,
and science generally; some forty
on philosophy and seventy on hy-
giene. Works on literature, Ian
guages, astronomy and higher sub
jects go to complete the list of books
with which the native publishing
houses at Shanghai and elsewhere are
described by correspondent as lit
orally flooding the country.
In connection with this subject it
may also be mentioned that whereas
few years ago there were only sew
en- newspapers in all China, there are
now 157 dailies. weeklies and month
lies discussing public questions and
publishing news of the outside world.
1t is even said that there is probably
hardly Chinese family of any con-
sequence in any of the treaty ports
or Pekin that does not take in one or
more native papers. What this signi-
fies can only be understood when it is
remembered that less than fifty years
ago no one in China, except the
Mandarins, whose business was pol
itics and money making took the
slightest interest in public af-
fairs. A good deal Of this
progressive movement is undoubted-
edly due to Japanese influence,
but much more. as is now being seen,
to Chinese initiative, forced on by
Western pressure and aggression.
The virtual director of the Chinese
Board of Commerce during the past
year was its Japanese adviser. and
Japanese explorers have visited all
the outlying provinces Of the empire
from the frontier of Siberia to Tibet,
and as far west as Kashgar. They
have been active in studying the re-
sources Of this immense territory.
into which Chinese are pressing
steadily from the overpopulated prov
inces Of Western China, displacing
the nomads and occupying the soil;
and one Japanese traveller has made
complete report on the Central
Asian trade routes after an explora-
tion extending over two years.
An English writer, reviewing the
situation generally. says that the
mental attitude of China today Is one
OF critical importance. It's people in
thought are breaking away from their
old moorings. whether to cut out
path for themselves or to fall under
the influence of others cannot yet be
determined, but the tendency is dis
tinctly toward the Japanese in quar-
ters where foreign influence is well
coined. The British opium wars and
opium trade and the exclusion laws
of Australia the atrocities and degas-
tation that marked the advance Of 'ho
European troops 10 Pekin ii 1910.
and the latest reports received ",
China from the South African e-ll
mines of the treatment OF the coolies
working there, are described as hay
ing almost completely alienGtcd the
Chinese from European influences.
As the London Spectator has been
forced to say. There never was a civ
ilized people who have suffered such
series of appalling insults as China"
Here, then, is an opportunity for
American craftsmanship that if al
lowed to pass may never be recov-
cred. 1t is one transcending almost
every other question connected with
our foreign relations, for a sympa-
thetic attitude on our part toward
China at moment when it is under
going transformation amounting al
most to a new birth, can win for us
all and more than aggression ana
cannon have lost to Europe. A recent
dispatch announces the formation of
a Chinese deliberative assembly to
assist the Government is being roore
important even than that regarding
the decision said to have been arrived
at ~ the Car to summon the old Rus
siG1 Zemski sobor.-New York SUI.
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