The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-04-03

provinces there are fractional silver
coins. But the Mexican dollar is -
often counterfeited that ID II custo-
mary 70 test each coin a. it passes
from hand Il hand. | secured one
Of the three piece dollars" as they
are called. These are made 10y saving
a thin disc from each side of the
dolla-; the silver is hen removed
from tho center and the cavity filed
with lead and the two faces soidered
on. The work is done 50 skillfully
that the counterfeit can only be de-
tected by the ring Several Of the
banks issue paper notes payable IN
Mexican dollars. but these are dis
counted in the various cities so that a
travellers currency is always under
going a shave. The has
decided to establish a uniform system
Of currency, consisting of gold. silver
and copper the silver tael to remain
the unit.
Patent laws and trade mark laws
are nov being prepared: in fact. China
is being ~quickened in many ways By
the increasing knowledge which she is
acquiring Of the ways of western civ
ilization. They are even considering
a change in the alphabet and charac-
tors in order that the language may be
more easily learned.
1 nave dlItdd REFERRED To the Idcl
that China has until recently been
practically without newspapers. There
is no better evidence of the progress
which China is making than is to be
found in the increase in the numbe
of her newspapers. While the circU.la-
ton o. these papers is small as COM
pared with the circulation of similar
papers in the United States and Japan,
still the growth is constant and the
colloquial dialect sometimes employed
brings the news and editorial ges
within the comprehension of those
who cannot read books. Many of these
newspapers are published in the in
terest of reforms. One of the papers
started at Hong Kong opposes the ex-
animation system by which civil Off
Gals were selected. the foot-binding
custom and the habit Of wearing the
Gueuc The editor cut off his own
queue as an example and is now en-
couraged by the fact that the soldiers
are gradually adopting a like course.
He is also able to note progress in the
matter of foot-binding. An imperial
cdict has beer issued eXhortinS the
people to abandon the practice, and
numerous societies are engaged III
spreading literature upon his sub
ject.
But more important still is the re-
cent abolition of the examinations.
This is q revolution that has shaken
the ancient empire to its foundation.
for the examination system not only
the government, but nodded
the educational system as Well. In the
larger cities elaborate provisions were
made for these examinations; in some
places from 10000 to $1,000 stalls be-
ing constructed. These stalls were
three feet wide by six deep and
high enough to permit the student To.
= 4 jl3 nraef Tho only t1rJ9ifiIrc wax
Il board for a seat and another for Il
desk. At q given hour the students
entered these stalls, We're given their
themes INC kept i'll their stalls with
out communication until their tasks
were finished. o tho stalls stand
idle and the officials are chosen from
the graduates of the newly established
schools.
We visited the examination stalls at
Picking and found them in ruins. They
had been occupied by tho Boxers in
1900, and the %rafters were torn out
used for fuel. After the roofs
had fallen in. the unprotected walls
crumblcd.
The conservatives have been very
much inccnsed by the abandonment Of
examinations, but the reformcrS
regard it as q long step in the right
On every hand one sees signs of in
-elIectuaI development. As stated in
article. the private school was
for centuries the only source from
which instruction in looks could be
Now Il complete system of
schools is being established, consisting
Of primary. middle and high schools,
colleges III the larger cities. Vice
10y Yuan Shin Kai, who presides over
he district IN which Picking is situated,
whom, through the courtesy of
49,. r. IL ! ls1 ~. /
ty to meet, informed me that he had
established 5000 schools within his
Jurisdiction within the past four years
The VicerOE is the successor OF Ii
Hung Chang and is considered the
most influential man in the empire.
is about is years old and i'm
presses II IS a man of great mental
igor and alertness. He seems to take
!, deep interest in the reforms now be-
ne worked out and is cordial in his
of Americans.
Consul Genera Rodgers of Shanghai
to be in Nangking during
visit there. and we paid our re-
;pects to Nicceoy Chou Flu. This vice
'oy is quite ole and feeble, but he is
graphing with the new problems
is a patron Of education. He has I
established 1000 schools during the
asst few years and estimated the num-
)nr of Chinese students in Japan at
his time at 5000.
At Shanghai there is a government
university. the buildings of which
S210,Oo0. We learned that IL
.ome places Buddhist temples were be
ng converted into schools: thai girls
schools are already being provided
This is even Il escdtcr evidence
# progress than the opening Of schools
boys. because of the interior posi-
ion which woman has occupied in the
empire.
Besides the government schools,
here are numerous missionary schools
Ii which instruction is given to both
and girls. We visited some Of
hesc schoolS at Peking, Marking ana
shanghai, and found the instructors
.ncouragcd by the attendance and tn
interest taken. \ Number Of An1eri-
ans, and q still larger umbe OF L
Japanese. are teaching in the govern
nCnt schools.
But enough has been said to Iadl