The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-22

| neT monetary system, III HcI tTdnSpOT
tation system, in her mining system
and her judicial system. In fact, it ha.
long been clear that if China wished tC
hold her own she must be completely
overhauled and reformed.
Seeing how Japan succeeded after
sending its young men abroad to study
in all denartments that would help t.
build up their country, China decided tC
do likewise There are several reasons
why the bulk of Chinese students flocl
to Japan instead of going to Europe ol
America. Japan is an Eastern nation
whose written language resembles theil
own, so that within a few months or q
year they can learn enough to attend
classes in the Japanese language. II
they have not time to learn Japanese
complete courses are offered in law and
commerce in their own tongue. Besides
this. the expense was a great factor in
determining Toxic as their destination
They can study here for a year on
what the transportation to either Eng
: land or America would cost.
: In the early stages of the migration
] fully half of the students were sent to
Japan by the various provincial and
local governments of China, but it is
said that of those now studying in
Toxic probably not more than one
third are supported by government
funds. All such are given $40 month,
which they must make cover their en-
tire expenses. Others have been sent
by wealthy families, by groups of poor
families, by guilds, and by various
other organizations and societies. The
motives actuating these young men
are various. Some have come out of
mere curiosity, others have been in
fluenced by the thought that study in
Japan would be a sure path to politi-
cal preferment. Then, too, there is the
great body of young men of radical
political views who have come here to
escape the restrictions and conventions
which hedge them about in China. In
Chinese inns and tea houses there is
a sign Don't talk politics" Young
men who have come to Toxic to be free
have regaled themselves with the liter
ature of socialism, have drunk deep
with Tolstoi, and ended by banding to-
gether in radical, revolutionary socie-
ties
While a certain number may spend
their time in idling, in political agita-
ton and dissipation, it may be said
that, generally speaking, this great
body of students is dominated by seri-
Gus purposes. They have been drawn
largely from the highest and best
classes of China. Many of them have
had good training in the Chinese lit
erature and not few of them are de-
gree men. A census taken under the
direction of the Chinese government
shows that the average age of the stu
dents is twepty-three years. AS rule
they cut off their cues and adopt
European dress. That the percentage
of female students is small is shown by
the fact that there are less than hun
dred girls in all.
The Chinese students in Toxic go in
for club life. The representatives of
each of the eighteen provinces have
club of their own convenient to the
schools which they attend. Each of
these provincial clubs chooses a direc-
tor and the eighteen men thus selected
are the board of managers of the gen
eral Chinese Students club. This club
is quartered in a handsome building
and is equipped and appointed in a
style which seems luxurious to the
average Oriental who knows little of
creature comforts. For their amuse-
ment these students have organized a
Thespian club and leased a theater
which will seat 1000 persons. Most of
the plays produced are borrowed from
the American stage.
Japan was not prepared for any such
influx of Celestial students, nor were
the Chinese sufficiently well advanced
in western educational methods to
make the best use of the advantages
afforded by the Japanese system. Only
a comparatively small number have
been found eligible to enter the higher
Japanese institutions of learning. 1t
became necessary either to establish
schools expressly for the Chinese, or to
add Chinese departments to existing
institutions. Probably half of all the
Chinese students in Toxic are now at
tached to less than a dozen schools.
The others are scattered through some
forty other institutions or are studying
privately. SO much dissatisfaction re-
suited from the presence of the so-call-
ed rapid finish students that both the
Chinese and Japanese authorities have
taken action to discourage their COM
ing here in future.
The Y. NJ. C, A. workers report that
the moral and religious conditions sur
rounding the Chinese students in Toxic
are most alarming. They are in the
midst of influences tending to extreme
radicalism and gross immortality. They
are removed from parental oversight
and are freed from all their old re-
staints. Although most of them are
married, their wives have been left
behind. They are constantly exposed
to obscene story-tellers, dancing girls,
low theaters and houses where vice is
cheap and popular. Many of their
boarding places are little better than
houses of i'll repute. Until very re-
Gently they were besieged by Chinese
political agitators who industriously
tried to fill their minds with poisoned
ideas.
In order to improve this grave situa-
tion the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation of China has inaugurated a
comprehensive campaign in behalf of
the students. At the present time it
has six experienced workers in Toxic,
and upwards of $4,000 will be spent
this year. Educational and entertain
ment inducements are provided by
means of night classes, course of lee
lures, reading rooms, special scientific
demonstrat tions, social functions, ath