The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-09-17
CHINA LEADS THE
Continued from First Page.)

ter of Europe and America. But the
United States may lead the race AT
ter II Is out of school
Newspapers and Postoffices Increase.
Another sign of the times Is the in
crease of the postoffices and the multi
plication Of newspapers, especially
along the eastern side of the empire.
The post offices have increased from
about one hundred -four years ago to
some eighteen hundred today The
number is still pitifully small, but
the rate of increase is Just cause of
surprise and striking indication Of
progress. In Tientsin, four years ago
three newspapers We're published. To
day twenty-three newspapers are
published in that northern port II is
at least significant that the only news
| paper on earth published by a woman
and for women Is now published in
Pekin
| The Manchu court has always been
opposed to bound feet, and compare
| lively few women, who gain access to
| the court have submitted to this early
| torture. A few months ago, however
an imperial decree was issued exhort
| ing parents not to bind the feet of
! their daughters On the Dowager
Impress being informed the other day
that the decree relating 10 bound feet
was having no influence, among the
provincial authorities another decree
has been issued saying that in the
future no men will be taken into the
employment of the Chinese empire
whose wives or daughters have their
feet bound 1t is uncertain when this
latest order will go into effect, and
whether it will be strictly enforced |
or not Nevertheless the fact that sey.
hteps of the imperial decree. and that |
the authorities at Pekin are demand |
ing that the Others comply with the inn |
perial mandate, leads to the impress |
sion that this form of Oriental bar
barism may be approaching its end
Are Studying the Bible.
A more striking indication Of the
adoption of not only western civili2a-
ton but of Christianity is found In the
decree just issued by Chang Chin
Tung ordering the New Testament to
be introduced into all the schools OF
the Hupeh and Human provinces over
which he rules The decree hrates
that the permanence and high quality
If Chinese civilization is due to the
fact that the Confucian classics have
been taught in China for over two
thousand years. The yiceroy admits.
however, that western nations have
some power which The Chinese do not
possess. He is sure that this is not
due to any superiority of he western
ars over the Chinese, but to the fact |
that the Western Nations have in their
possession certain teachings which the
Chinese have not vet mastered. lie
thinks this Superiority is due to the
Bible, and in order to make the Chi.
nese not only equal but superior 70
heir western competitors he orders
he New Testament taught. alongside |
he Confucian classics, among the fifty
Ii7iAh ili4llADlI DtOllN hNtl With liF | z
-ues
Perhaps the most striking indication
Of the Chinese desire for western
progress Is found in the recent imper-
al decree attempting to establish the
Christian Sabbath. The decree makes
lot probable that the decree will be
argely followed throughout China. as
indeed it is not probable that Chang .
1hih lungs decree in regard 70 the
Iew Testament will be largely OBJ .
erved. These DEGREES. however show
he aspirations of the Chinese for
western civilization.
Some American and English offic-
ais and indeed some of the mission .
r.es here are convinced that unless :
Western Influences are swiftly and e
trongly reinforced the present move
nent may result in a reaction which
viii indefinitely delay the emergence
# the Chinese into modern ciyiliza.
ion. Indeed the recent radical de-
rec putting two native Cinnamon in
barge OF the Imperial customs is like
y TO lead 10 the retirement of Sir /
robert Hart, the ablest English offic o.
al In China and To me Generalization
# the customs service Only the 4
earyt struggles of the Chinese can
revent similar radical attempts at re-
orm by the natives followed by sim
lar reactions In a word China in to- Z
lay where Japan was thirty years ago;
nd if Americans and foreigners re-
pond to one Of the greatest oppor- !
unites which ever confronted the -
Western Nations and guide this crop =
lg empire into modern liberty. mod
IN education and modern inventions. Il
81 .0000 human beings will emerge
lto western civilization within gen
ration.