The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-04-18
AROUND THE WORLD.
Chinese Progressiveness.

Chinese Progressiveness
The natives of Southern China are
much less progressive than their fell
low-countrymen in the North, espe
cially in the matter of railroad build
ing. This is exhibited in an editorial
appearing in the Hong Kong Tele-
graph, which at the same time shows
the true character of Chinese journal
ism. The editorial to which we refer
discloses a writer, "who yields an ed
itorfal hammer and in graceful terms
nails a few of the budding patriots and
Chinese railroad and empire builders
to the cross" as the editor of the Far
Eastern Review has been pleased to
say.
Canton-Hankow Railroad.
The object at which, in this instance,
the editorial hammer was directed is
the Canton Hankow railroad, an eX-
tension of the Peking- Hankow system.
We stated in this column short time
ago that the Picking Hankow railroad
is the only railroad in China except in
the north. The Canton Hankow is the
most important extension now under
contemplation. Great Britain, antici-
pating the completion of this branch,
is pushing forward a short line from
Canton to Kowloon. When these two
extensions are finished the north and
south Will be we'll linked together and,
probably, by that time other branches
will be we'll extended and new lines un-
der construction.
The Southern Chinese.
The Canton-Hankow and Canton
Kowloon extensions are in Southern
China, where 1.-The monuments, in the
way of public utilities, to Chinese en-
terprise, in the direction of Chinese
capital without foreign aid whatsoever,
are not so prominent that they mar or
blur the landscape"
The Hong Kong Telegraph has faith
in the capacity of the Chinese to sue
coed without the training so necessary
to Western races. Perhaps this conf
dence is not misplaced, yet we doubt
it, and the revelations of Southern Chi
nese incapacity, published by the Tele-
graph, nourish our skepticism. 1t
serves to tumefy our doubts, as the
Sun would be apt to put it, into hard
convictions.
Pirates at Canton.
The value of this railroad is accen-
tuated by the stress and worry that
are now felt and will be until the
question of control of the North and
West rivers is decided. The railroad
will help to settle the question in a
way that is not altogether apparent
A few years ago the natives were
excited up to the eyebrows at the
prospect of themselves owning and OPP
Grating the line in question and secur-
ing dividends which would be without
parallel because the administration
would be cheap, efficient and actuated
by the single idea of advancing the
interests of the shareholders" If. at
that time. a start had been made with
the line, most of the Objectionable prac-
tees which still exist in connection
with the shipping of the Canton River
delta would, to a great extent. have
disappeared. BY diversifying the trade
routes they would have starved the pi-
rates, robbers and fishing fleet de-
stroyers out of business. At least this
is the claim of the Telegraph
The genial old viceroy," Cheng Je- |
chun, agreed to the acquisition of a
fleet of four Cruisers" which would
protect the long reaches of West river
from piratical gangs. The fleet was
to cost 100000. While he was dilly-
dallying about it Great Britain flung a
dozen gunboats, cruisers and torpedo |
boat destroyers into the West river
with orders to search all suspicious
craft and take nothing for granted. OF |
course the Powers had been consulted |
and this was done with their consent |
1t would not have been necessary, how |
ever, if the Canton HankOw railway
had carried their work for
ward in the manner for which they |
claim the ability
Incapacity in the South.
There is no necessity resting upon .