The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-15
MODERN CHINESE IDEAS
NATION IS IMPROVING
Boxers Now Using Grapha- phones, Automobiles and
 Dress Suits.

months ago, I have travelled about g. 900 miles in the three provinces of Chihli, .Shausi and Shantung, contain- ing together nearly 7o,OOO.OOO souls. These provinces include the present as well as the ancient capital of the em- pire Nearly 1000 miles of my journey ings In these three important pro- vinces has been by mule cart, in vari- ous kinds of filters, on horseback and that the mode of travel was slow
 on foot and in jinrikshas. This shows enough for observation and that it took me we'll off the lines of railroad and Into the interior of the country I have always been accompanied by missionaries who knew the language of the people and who were abundantly able to interpret to me all that we met along the way. There is probably no country of any size in the world where the English language is of so little value as in the interior pro- vlnces of China. Seldom does one meet a Chinese who knows anything about English, and ones own name even has to be made over, so that the mother who bore him would not recog- nize 1t, before he can be introduced.
 When one comes to this country and before he becomes at all established he must rechristen himself and take on a Chinese name. As for instance, Dr. Ament's Chinese name is MT. May; Dr, Goodrich's. Mir Foo; Dr. Williams, MT. Ma; and pr. Arthur Smiths, Mir. Ming. I am known as MT. Ba.
 The provinces in which I have ex- tensively travelled were those most af- feeted by the boxer uprising in 1900 The movement originated in Shantung and wrought its fury in Chihli and Shansi. It is here that we might ex- pect to find great hatred of foreigners and things foreign, and also open op- position to missionary operations. The boxer uprising was supposed, by many to indicate that China would have mo- thing more to do with foreigners eith- Ter as dispensers of merchandise, ideas or religion. The fact is that this country will hereafter date the be- ginning of its advances along modern and western methods from 1900. Rail- roads and telegraph lines were the first things attacked by the boxers. AL ready thousands of miles of railroad have been constructed in the country and are now in operation, while other and new lines are under construction. The old and conservative boxer pro- vince of shansl has a line already partly in operation connecting the cap ital of the province with Pekin. It Is expected that this will be completed in a year.
 Another line, entirely in the hands of the Chinese is under construction con- meeting Kalgan on the great wall at the north and Pekin, with the expecta- tio that the line will later be extended across Mongolia to Lake Baikal, where it will join the siberial railroad China is building railroads, operating telegraph and telephone lines, putting in electric lights, and introducing
  many other western inventions, thus showing that she is now not the enemy of progress that she seemed to be sev- en years ago. At a temple in Pekin upon special festival day recently, I counted not less than six tables upon which rested graphophone managed by a Chinaman, while about the table in every instance sat a group of Chin ese with the tubes in their ears list ening at so much per head. Evident ly this most modern western invention was proving itself profitable to the proprietor of the instruments, and that was a sufficient argument for him.
 In shansi it was my privilege to share in a Chinese feast given in room where motorcycle was stored and which, with some graphophones, kerosene oil cooking stoves and other modern things, the giver of the feast ! kept for sale. It Is reported that sev- eral of the viceroys have recently made the empress dowager presents of auto- mobiles of the most approved pattern. She has not yet developed courage suf- ficent to venture out in one of these modern engines of terror and destruc- ( ton
 It is true that China is yet full of the old conservatism which might be lash ed into fury in case of a general dis aster attributable to these foreign devip' ideas and innovations. Daily however, the power of such mob to any extended area for any length of time is rapidly diminishing. Too many Chinese are becoming finan- cially interested in these enterprises to permit the wantom destruction of good that possesses the promise of future wealth. The Chinese have learned that there is considerable fin- anoial gain in removing, for few good dollars the graves of their rev. cred ancestors when they chance to lie in the line of a projected railroad. They have tried both methods and know now that this way Is far better han fighting the railroad, and their do not complain.
 By the way, it is interesting that Ionfucianism and Buddhism are be- ieved in and practiced by the same people. In one respect, at least, hese two beliefs oppose each other. The Confueianist must worship his an- estors. The Chinaman seeks a son Irst of all that there may be some one o bury him and then worship at his rave. The most religious act of the ,onfucianist is that of ancestor wor- hip. Confuclanism pervades all be- Iefs and religions in China and infu- noes all classes. It is hard for the