Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-09-22
Chinese PROGRESS
las FIVE YEARS has SEEN THEN
MAKE GREAT ADVANCEMENT.
Has Made Profound Change for the
Better Toward Western Civiliza-
tion-New Laws Put in Force
thousands of Schools Established
TO Teach New Government Ideas

A competent authority on the fal
east declares that the Chinese have
made more progress during the last
FIVE years than any other nation or
earth, not excepting Japan. He ad
mits that China has not made such
advance in iron and coal production as
has the United States, but he contends
that China has made a wider and more
profound change in her whole attitude
toward western civilization than has
any other nation.
The latest proof that China's face
/. is set toward progress is found in the
imperial decree issued last Sunday
promising a change of laws. While
this decree does not promise a con
S s%titution, as careless readers have in
) ferred, nevertheless it points in that
5 direction.
: A more vital indication of progress
: is found in the recent imperial de
cree making some mastery of western
learning a condition of future employ
. ment in the government service. This
y decree does not affect existing office
holders, and does not apply to candi.
n dates for office who have already Con
d fucian learning and have received the
first and second degrees. But the sig
~nifcance of the decree is found in the
IS fact that it prescribes the identical
condition for future candidates for
r. office which the young emperor pre-
n. scribed eight years ago, and which led
O. to the Boxer uprising. 1t is significant
is that the dowager empress, who then
retired the young emperor for his rad
icalism, now issues in his name the
identical decree which produced the
revolution.
A still more striking sign than this
paper decree is found in the fact that
~ Yuan Shih Kai, the leading yicerOy OF
u the empire, has already established
" more than 5000 primary and second
airy schools in the Chill province, in
- order to prepare the young people OF
S his province for the new government
courses. He is attempting to intro
I duce western learning, and, indeed, the
a. English language into these schools
as rapidly as possible. This creates
lstrong demand for American teach
~ as, but the pay is too low to justify
young people coming from the United
= States to accept these minor positions
III licu Oh AllcIlCdn dIlu EIlSll6n IGdCu
4, ers, the Japanese are being employed
ID to teach western learning, and in some
ut cases the English language.
be An indication pointing to the grow
he ing influence of Japan in China is
ar found in the fact that II, 900 of Chinese
en- students are now in Toxic striving tt
Nv secure from the government institu
Us tons and private schools the western
learning. The Young Mems Christian
aa association in Shanghai has seen The
o" significance of this movement and has
sent two American and three of oul
young Chinese Christians to Toxic t
-, keep in touch with this group o.
Chinese students.
~. Another sign of the times is the in
10 crease of the postofices and the mul
sIy tiplication of newspapers, especially
along the eastern side of the empire
1t is at least significant that the only
newspaper on earth published by &
woman and for women, is published IL
Pekin.
The Manchu court has always beer
II opposed to bound feet, and compara
lively few woman, who gain access
to the court nave submitted to this
re. early torture. A few months ago, how
,day ever, an imperial decree was ISSUED
e~xhorting parents not to bind the fee
in OF their daughters. On the dawagel
empress being informed the other day
w. that the decrae reloting m hound fee
W. was having no influence among the
provincial authorities, another decree
mas been issued saying hat in the fu
lure no men will be taken into the EN-
~ Payment of the Chinese empire whose
son. wives or daughters have their fee
bound.
ina. A more striking indication of thu
" T. adoption of not only western civiliza
,pted uoh' but of Christianity, is found il
me decree just issued by Chang Chill
Iung, ordering the New Testament II
z. Ne introduced into all the schools o
me Hupeh and Human provinces, owe
u" "nlch he rules. The decree state
mat the permanence and high qualit,
w@ VI Chinese civilization is due to tn
i"D idct that the Confucian classes hay'
oeen taught in china for over 200
vars. The viceroy admits, however
no hat western nations have some powe
~ "a which the Chinese do not possess.
strict Feels ar+hon.ke - Sea
ry W san Francisco Col Cant 17-Th