Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-14
Much Progress Of Late
in the Empire.
Il Encourages Education and
Fights Opium and Pirates.
English Papers In China Question
British Policy There.

Pekin, Dec. 13.-The imperial customs
department, Of which Sir Rober. Hart
! IS director general setting aside pre-
vi"us objections, is now prepared TO
proceed with the policing of the West
FlVcr according to the plans of grca;
britain. II the face of much oppos:-
liohs from the officials of Kuan Tuny
Province the department is pressing
| forward in its purpose to end fftv wears
Of piracy. Great Britain is showing a
| determination in the present crisis to
rffec' 4 steadying influence on the
'hIn"s" Government, which is asking
time To manage the angry proyincials.
An unexpected element in the situation
IS me fact that the Chinese newspapers
nave sent out broadcast the Times cor
respondents London speech which is
Optimistic on chinese progress, en-
'"urages the control by China of its
"#" and foreign interests in its own
country and anticipates the withdrawal
Of fo!aign troops from China The Brit
ISL newspapers published itrc condemn
| inns optimism as uniustified Three Of
tn" most prominent Englishmen in
Pekin dcprecate it severely and appro-
bend an aggravation of the sinister in
tirencns which the Japan schooled Chi
nose are exercising over the people 1t
is the general opinion that the speech
will become Il weapon for anti-foreign
crusaders
The speech of Dr. Morrison, the
Times correspondent, to whom refer
ence is made above, was most sarcastic.
He said that there was much to con-
denim in China. We who know how
high We're the administrative ideals,
both in this country and in America,
he said, who remembered how unscath-
Ell we emerged from those ANA ing in
curing into the expenditure in con-
ccction with some Of our recent wars,
naturally condemned administrative
methods in China that We're not up to
our standard. 1t was natural that we,
VINO were the most superior of all Gods
people, whose mission is to pry into
the Internal affairs of other less favored
countries. should condemn procedure in
China that would never be tolerated
here. Let them think for 4 moment
how unjust they often We're. England
for the English and exclusion of foreign
manufactures: Australia for the Aus
tralians: Canada for the Canadians
these were loyal, laudable, and patiOtic
aspirations. But China for the Chinese,
China TO build her own railways, China
to develop her own mines, China to take
an interest in the administration Of her
own maritime customS-theSe were
manifestations OF an anti-foreign and
rcactionary spirit. This point Of view
could not he too severely reprObated
Their" was much to blame in China,
but there was far more to praise, and
the substantial progress that was being
made in many directions that went for
greater national efficiency was. he
thought. a point that could not be
disputed. The DEVELOPMENT Of the ma
tional spirit, or the awakening Of z COR
sciousncss of nationality; the spread Of
Western education; the growth In
power Of the native press; the stmula-
ton of military ardOr and growth in
efficiency and economy in the Chinese
army: the attempt. imperfect as it
naturally was. 10 bring reforms into
many departments Of the administra-
ton, were all features OF modern China
full Of promise for the future. No
feature of modern China was more re-
markable than the growth of the
native PRESS.
Continued on Page Fiftcen.)