The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-22
CHINESE YOUTH
ARE AWAKENING
advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic j. Haskin)

advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic J. Haskin.)
TOXIC, April 26.-The most extraor-
binary student migration in history is
the influx of Chinese pupils to the capi-
ital of Japan. As these young men
come from every province of China,
their exodus may well be called ma
tional movement. Among them are
| hundreds from the westernmost prov
ince, Szechwan, which stands before the
gates of Thibet. To journey from the
interior of this province to Toxic is a
greater undertaking, in point of time,
than to travel around the world. A
more striking fact that illustrates the
extent to which China is waking up, is
that the largest number of students
! from any one province have come from
Human, which was the last part of China
| to admit missionaries, and which less
than ten years ago was resisting the in
PRODUCTION of the telegraph.
The surprising thing about this move
ment is the rapidity with which it has
come about. The first officially COM
missioned students from China to Japan
were two boys sent here ten years ago.
Six years ago the number was less than
a score. The movement continued to in
crease for few years until the end of
the Russo-Japanese war, when it devel-
oped into a rush. 1t is said that more
than thousand students came to Japan
on a single vessel. The height of the
movement was reached last year, when
the number was about 10000. From
that time until now there has been a
rapid decline, and the total is now less
than 1000.
There are two reasons which have
been advanced in explanation of this
great decrease. One is that the Chi
nese have become suspicious of Japan
intentions regarding their country, and
are inclined to shun their neighbors on
this account. The other cause assigned
is the general misunderstanding among
the Chinese about the length of time re-
quired to secure an education and the
expense attached thereto. In two of
the central provinces of China the re-
port was started that learning was en-
tirely free in Toxic, and that graduates
were turned out of the universities in
six months. AS a consequence of this alb
surd story over 2e00 ambitious Celes-
tials hastened to the land of promise,
with the result that most of them had
to be sent home at government expense.
Among the short-term students, father
and son would often be found in the
same class. No matter how poorly
equipped these disappointed seekers
after learning might be, they invariably
tried to pose as hnlshed educators after
returning home. This was shown by a
sign which appeared in village street
in one Chinese city English taught
from A to p.
The underlying cause of this great
mass of Chinese students in Toxic is
that the sleepy old Flowery Kingdom
has at last begun to stir under the in
fuence of Western civilization. Her
friends have long seen that this would
be necessary if she was to preserve her
% 80 80
cleaned some machines, it would be
better for the mill. But everywhere in
Japan one sees evidences of a certain
Inability to coordinate theories and
practise.
The crowning glory of this particular
mill is its theater. A great structure
built after the American order with a
high stage for drop curtains, two curv-
ed galleries and an inclined floor, is
fitted with 1000 American opera chairs.
Contrasted TO the japanese theater
with level floors and no chairs at all
this theater is an Aiaddin's Palace. The
electric lighting features provide for
all the stage effects of the ordinary
Occidental playhouse, and there is
regular orchestra of ten pieces which
plays Occidental music. In this theater
three performances a week are given,
free of charge, to the mill hands.
On Sunday the theater is converted
into a Presbyterian church. There is
an early morning Sunday school, a
morning preaching service, and an
evening service. AS the large majority
of the operatives are not Christians,
at Sunday services is vol
untary. Usually there are over thou
sand at the morning service. Sunday
afternoon some missionary gives pop
ular lecture in the theater, often illus
trated with magic-lantern pictures, and
generally aimed at giving the japanese
mill hands a peep into the outside
world.
The entire manufacturing output of
Japan is now worth about $780, 900
a year, and of this more than half
comes from the households where the
handicraft Industries are carried or as
they have been for centuries. But the
machine is slowly and surely forging
its way upward and the hand workers
are drifting into the mills. That the
factories are already taking steps to
ameliorate the condition of these peo-
pie when transplanted from rural free
dom to system discipline, is a fact
which will cause rejoicing among hu-
manitarians of other lands.
Ten years ago there were $4,000
weaving houses in Japan in which over
million persons wrought on hand
looms. Now there are only 100000
weaving houses and 10000 hand weav-
ers. During the same period the weav-
ing mills have increased from so to $50
and they now employ $4,000 people.
However the principal mills in Japan
limit themselves to spinning cotton or
to winding silk, and the greater por-
ton of Japan's exports is made UP of
the half-wrought cotton yarns and raw
silk
The government, which once went