Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-02

terested in the extension Of the present
system. Recently the policy Of internal
control has been adopted. Such roads as
were in the hands Of foreigners have
been purchased by the government, and
In future franchises for railroad building
and for other public utilities-will be
granted only to citizens. More than thar,
the Chinese are determined to run their
own lines, and foreigners are rapidly being
displaced from all positions on the roads.
In the construction of new mileage, the
civil engineers and all subordinates are
Cinnamon Perhaps the greater number
Of observers believe that the Chinese will
not be able to carry out this program
successfully. Personally believe that
they will. There will be errors of judg-
ment, defective construction and partial
failures, but the experience will be worth
all that It costs. and in the end the Chi
nese will prove themselves quite inde-
pendent of outside aid In the making and
manning of their railroads. There are at
present 1900 miles of Chinese railroad
in operation or In course Of construction,
and In both respects the natives are ac-
quitting themselves creditably. Long sec
white man connected with them in any
capacity. A Chinese graduate of the Shelf
field Scientific School of Yale built a
bridge $500 feet in length on the Impe-
rial Railway. 1t was a difficult feat In en-
cheering, and experts have pronounced
1t a perfect success.
Today in the principal cities Of China
visible evidences Of the reform movement
are present on every hand, and are the
more striking because Chinese towns have
been notorious for their filth and disor-
derliness. Peking at the time Of the
Boxer rebellion was one of the worst In
these respects. Today its broad thorough
fares are macadamized and laid with
paved sidewalks, along which have been
planted shade trees. The streets are
drained and the city severed. Neatly uni
formed police preserve order. A tramway
is in operation and telephone service, elec-
trio lights and other conveniences give
the place the status of modern urban cen
ters. In the city OF Tiensin, which grew
into Importance as a result of its occu-
pancy as base by the allied forces dur
Ing the late trouble, has undergone an
even greater transformation than the capi-
CHl. a DTOdu DOulGfdTu cAlcn0AhB uAOh6
the water front, paved and improved by
trees, has replaced the ancient wall. This
thoroughfare Is lined with attractive shops
and traversed throughout its length by
tramway line. Almost all the old shack
like houses have disappeared. and in their
places are houses of European patterns,
many Of them two stories in height. In
fact, the entire city has been torn down
and reconstructed, and In the process the
streets have been widened and relaid with
paving and drainage, and good supply
of drinking water has been secured. The
improvement in the health Of the popula-
ton is already very marked.
The new spirit Of China is evinced to
the satisfaction of the traveller wherever
he may go. Even in the districts that
were formerly noted for the hostility Of
their people to foreigners he experiences
friendly treatment. He notices a marked
desire for information and marked de-
crease In the evidence Of superstition.
The conviction is forced upon him that
the reform movement has penetrated to
the remotest corner OF China and to the
core of the social fabric. He realizes
that nothing can stop its course, and that
fltful government reaction and the machi-
nations of the priests are able at most
only to accomplish temporary checks.