The Washington herald., 1908-05-14
SMALL CHlNCg IN CHINA
Consul General Dissuades Young
Men from Going There.
Thinks Larger and Better oppOrtu-
mites Are Within the Grasp of
the American ni Home.

Consul General Amos P Wilder, OF
Hongkong, takes a gloomy view of the
advantages offered young Americans in
China He admits that many such men
hold good positions there. and declares
that American interests cannot be pushed
in the Orient without Americans 20 push
them, but he does not see that young
men there can do as well as they could
at home. and he is Of the opinion that II
many who are employed In tho Orient had
their passage money home they would
quit and come back 10 the United States.
On the general subject Mr.. Wilder says:
II IS true that American interests can
only be built Up in the Orient by having
Americans here TO push them, and 1t may
seem inCOngruous for a consul, whose
first business is the extension Of Ameri-
can trade. to chill the ardor Of young
Americans whose eyes are turned toward
these awakening districts of the globe;
yet a frank discussion Of the conditions
viii enable those who insist on coming
20 know IN advance something OF what
awaits them, while & may deter others
whose Oriental experience would only
spell disappointment and perhaps worse
There are not a few Americans holding
fair positions in the Orient who would
gladly quit Il they had the passage
money home and a position awaiting
them there, and others, who have no reg
ulaT employment. are steadily going down
hill. Making up purses to get nationals"
home is a part Of the days work for men
OF ali countries. II a man is at all un-
steady In his habits. or even II he is weak
and easily led. he should keep away from
the Orient Freedom from restraint and
from supervision. climate. the chit" syg-
TEN under which l. o. US are substi-
tuted for cash in all transactions, ex-
pensiye sports, gambling, and other dan
gers combine TO undermine young men
from other countries. Their number is
limited IN each community. and they are
deprived OF the social supervision and
uplift OF entertainment in good houses.
There are American firesides IN these
cities where the high standards OF cor
diality and kindly interest OF the home
land are conserved; they co what they
can for our young men, but the number
of such is so small tShanghei. TO an ex-
tent. excepted. the life so intense, and
the population so shifting, that young
men are thrown on their own resources.
IN the English colonies access 70 some
OF the professions Is difficult or impossi-
bic for men OF other nationallties. The
prestige OF long residence is OF great ad-
vantage. Shanghai is open TO American
! physicians as well as dentists. Swatow,
Annoy. Focchow, and the other coasts
and river ports are a field for any who
wish to try them, yet the field Is occupied
except as q newcomer may command q
| Chinese clientele. There are but few
foreigners in the best Of these cities One
is not 10 infer that these communities are
bereft Of skill in the professions Bright
Chinese and Eurasians are graduating
| from medical and dental schools, and
those from the latter are competing for
even the patronage Of the foreigner.
/ American engineers and railway experts
| occasionally get employment in China
The later idea among the Chinese is tC
employ only their own people in such
work, and an increasing number Of prop
erly trained young Chinese are present
! ing themselves. Some Of the cOnstruc-
tions are financed by English or French
capital, and the practice in these is tC
| employ only men Of their own nationali-
ties. Trained female nurses cen usually
find situations, but the lie Is so different
from that at home that even if they sue
ceed financially, they will not likely bt
happy Sir Robert Hart, one OF the mos
successful foreigners who ever came e
China. and who has spent his life in tht
| highest positions, dissuades Americans
with their home opportunities, from com
/ ing here, and says that had he his life t
! 1--we over again he would elect q career
/ in his native land