The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-03-07
wv TING FANG, WITH LARGE RE-
TINUE, ARRIVES At GAN
FRANCISCO.
Rev Minister Says China 10 Prepar-
ina for Government by constitution
Steadily Moving for determination
HAS No instructions Relating to
Modification Of Exclusion Law
Deprecates War Talk.

tang, for the second time appointed
;hinese minister to this country, ar
rived yesterday on the Pacific Mall
iner Siberia, with large retinue OF
ecretaries and legation and consulate
ttaches numbering seventy persons.
He brought with him new consuls for
Mexico, Havana, New York and San
francisco, besides three nephews and
hree secretaries and five other at
aches for the Chinese legation at
washington and twenty-four young stu
ents, who will enter various schools
land colleges in this country.
Discussing conditions in China. WI
Ting Fang said:
China is now in a state Of transit
ion-between the conservatism OF the
Id and the progress of the new era
and that condition may continue for
some time to come; yes, it may even
become more marked and acute.
China has made wonderful progress
in the past few years. In it's army, its
chools, in railroad development, man.
luafctures and other industries, every
where it is not only noticeable but
marked. China will become modern
nation, but it must go slow.
Education Necessary.
First, the people must be educated
and modern ideas and improvements
cannot be adopted any faster than the
people are taught and can assimilate
hem and adapt themselves to the new
onditions utterly strange to them and
O their mode of life and thought. This
lis being done as rapidly as possible.
For this reason I am encouraging the
coming of more students to this coun-
try, that they may here acquire mod
ern knowledge and which they can i'm
part to their people at home when they
return as teachers. I have brought
wenty-four young students with me
| nd hope to see others follow.
"The people are educated and pre-
pared for constitutional government.
When will a constitution be granted?
| cannot say. At least not until the
eople are educated to know what 1t is
and what it means. That will take
| ONE time" i.
| Asked if he thought Japan was pre-
lparing for war, WI Ting Fang de-
Jared most emphatically that it was
not.
| Il do not believe there will be war
between Japan and this country or
with any other country" he said. II
am positive that Japan is not seeking
war, but wishes to maintain peace. l
cannot believe otherwise or see what
t would gain by war;"
Minister WI denied the report that
he was the bearer of an appeal to
Washington, asking this country to as
list in preserving the interests of Chi
in Manchuria and protesting against
the aggrandizement of Japan in that
| rovince, but admitted there was some
| ocal friction"
Asked whether he would endeavor to
secure some modification of the exclus-
on law, Minister WI said that he had
no particular instructions from his gov
| rnment with reference to that.
He said that according to represen-
tations made to him at Honolulu from
the highest to the lowest of the white
population there, the sentiment in Ha-
waii was unanimous for modification
OF the exclusion laws which would per-
NIT more Chinese to come to that ter
ritory. He declared himself in favor
of more Chinese students of the higher
classes coming to this country.