The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-09-20
TWO KEYS; An IMPORTANT DATE

The key to the causes of the bad
conditions In the Philippine Islands
lies in the statement of one of the
natives given recently in this form:
"We know not how to tell the truth
for we have been compelled for over
three hundred years to conceal our
feelings" Progress and compression
are incompatible. The cause of the
success of "Billy Taft" Sec. OF War,
in his work for the Filipinos was re-
vealed at class banquet at Yale, by
this statementof his. Taft had been
advised by his physician on account
OF his health not to return to the
islands. Said one of his classmates
n the banquet: "Billy, why are you
going back9" Taft replied: "Fellows,
l regard my work in the Philippine
Islands as mission. / cannot leave
the islands for the people need me-"
A heart and task united for the up
lifting of humanity constitutes a
Emission" in life. Such is the spirit
OF those noble and self-sacrifcing
men and women who have given their
lives to the work of foreign missions.
They should have our loyal support
and sympathy in the work that has
the progress of the world as its aim.
1t is broader than mere local or ma
Etional ambitions, and it is the dawn
ing of the new era that is just coming
in. All men should be brothers.
Helping one is helping all, or neglect
ing one is injury to all.
There is something majestic and
appalling in the sight of a mighty
nation, after sleep of ages, bestiring
herself. On the Goth of August, 1901,
decree was passed in China, abolish
ing the old system of examinations in
the classics of Confucius as the test of
fitness for governmental positions,
and establishing as substitutes ex-
aminations in Western Arts and
Sciences. This means the death blow
to that old and time honored rank of
Litereti, and it means that 1 $50, 300 of
tie brightest young men of China who
were facing the dead past, have been
faced about toward tie living present.
The government in order to acoomp-
lish this, has decreed that schools be
established in all the provinces and
that there be college at each pro-
vi 1cial capital. The extent to which
this change is due to the work OF
the missionary is little appreciated.
Their schools were the schools that
took western learning to China,
attracted the attention of the educated
classes, won for themselves reputa-
ton, and today hold the highest places
in the art of teaching in that great
Empire.
The latest news from China in this
march of progress comes from Yuan
Shih-kai. The Viceroy of the Province
of Chih-li went to Pao-tang Flu and
ordered that several temples be turned
over to the police, and that the idols
should be gathered and thrown into
the river. Certain missionaries went
to see what the effect of such an act
would be. There they found large
crowd of men, women and children
gathered who were laughing and jest
ing over the sight and saying, "The
gods are getting bath.
With such indications as these we
may feel sure that the days of the
"Baby Cart'' are numbered. The
baby Cart" is still a custom in many
of the interior scities of sending men
through the streets early in the
morning with large cart to pick up
the little girl babies which have been
thrown out during the night; some OF
them newly born, some dead, some
sick and others we'll. All are at the
mercy of fierce dogs prowling in the
street. The cart-man picks them up
and takes them to place of burial
outside the city.
There are now signs of the breaking
of the storm clouds over this land and
the CLEAN of new day dawning. To
citicize is easy, for there is room in
every man toward progress and per-
lection; but our sympathy with the
statesmen or missionaries who have
given their hand to the task of up
lifting will be more help.
G. E. CLANCY.