The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-10
AWAKENING OF CHINESE.
Reform Movement Stirs the Celestial
 Empire.

Reform Movement SUITS the CeiesuaA
 pr. T, W. Ayers, who Is in charge of the Warren Memorial hospital at Hwanghein, China, has written the fol lowing letter to a relative in this city. It Is very interesting. because of the fact that pr. Ayers formerly resided here, and because of the light 1t sheds on history-making influences now at work in the Middle Kingdom. Dr. Ayers says:
 While all the others have gone over to the hospital to the baptizing this afternoon l am here alone, and have just been thinking of what privilege 1t is to be in China at this time, while this people, with all that has character ized them for centuries for their con servatism, are at last beginning to make history.
 It is indeed interesting to be here and see this great Flowery Kingdom in a state of transition. She is indeed in a state of warfare. A war which Is being waged by the old timers, the men who are in authority, and who for years have had all that is good in the way of money and influence in their hands, as against the progressive element, who demand a new and fairer deal for China.
 The struggle amounts to not less than a revolution, and cannot go back ward. The reformers have already gained great victories, and their fight has only started.
 They have forced the authorities to do away with the old plan of con ducting examination, and the candi- dates for degrees no longer must know only the Chinese classics, but he must have liberal knowledge of the West ern sciences. This means much for China, for it means the opening up of a new world of knowledge to a people who have been taught that outside ot China there is nothing worth knowing. hold office in China; no other nation in the world placing so high a premium on education as do the Chinese.
 Another reform ia against the opi- um habit. The officials have been forced at last to make an effort to do away with this great curse to theso poor people.
 They nave also been forced to see the necessity of railroads, and a num- Der of new roads promise to be built within the next few years. And on and on the reform move ment will go until 1t will culmInate in g constitutional form of government for these four hundTed million peo-
 Tt is indeed interesting to see how the sale of foreign goods Is increasing. They are rapidly coming into use, but to my mind the Japanese trade in China is increasing more rapidly than the trade of any other country. The little Japs are pushing their wares in- to China with all their power. and they seem to have little respect for trade marks. Take as an example their cotton goods, such as sheeting, bleaching, etc; they frequently have nothing to show that they were made in Japan. but they bear marks similar to the same line of goods from other countries.
 "The Japs are not overscrupulous as traders, and if America and other coun- tries increase the.r trade in China they must demand Hot only an open door, but fair play.
 "The foreign t.aae in China at pres. ent is comparatively nothing as 10 what 1t will be n the next few years. While China Is progressing along other lines. he people by the thousands are turning from te temples and the wor- ship of idols, and many of them are being brought into the Kingdom of Christ