The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-15
Advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
bv 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 capt
ital of Japan. AS these young men
come from every province of China,
| their exodus may well be called a 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
score. The movement continued to in
crease for a few years until the end of
the Russo-Japanese war, when it devel-
Oped into a rush. 1t Is said that more
than a thousand students came to Japan
on 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 8
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 consequence of this a b.
surd story over 2000 ambitious Celes-
tials fastened 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 rnlshed educators after
returning home. This was shown by a
sign which appeared in a 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 F1owery Kingdom
has at last begun TO stir under the in
fluence of Western civilization. Her
friends have long seen that this would
be necessary if she was to preserve her
national existence For years it has
been evident that she must make
changes in here educational system, IN
her monetary system. in her transpor-
tation system. in her mining system.
and her judicial system. In fact, il has
long been clear that if China wished TO
hold her own she must be completely
overhauled and reformed.
Seeing how Japan succeeded after