The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-03-12
The Mission Mail BAG.
GETTING RID OF OPIUM IN CHINA.

GETTING RID OF OPIUM IN CHINA
An American doctor touring in on,
of the Chinese provinces sends an in
teresting account of the way reforms
work there. showing that human natur,
ia pretty much the same on both sides
of the globe. Last July, in accordance
| with the viceroy's order, every opium
den was closed, but after few days
| thew were wide open again! This state
of affairs continued until short time
ago when AN inspector was sent from
| the capital to see how the order was
being obeyed. The local magistrate,
getting wind of the expected visit, had
everything in proper shape when the
inspector arrived. Not den was open
and they have remained closed ever
since. There is proof, however, that a
man who is bound to smoke can still
be accommodated, though with far more
difficulty than formerly. The sale of
crude opium is still allowed but it must
be cooked and smoked at home. This
puts man to some Inconvenience, and
while it will not stop one addicted to
its use it is diminishing the number
who form the habit.
In some parts of China the law is
strictly enforced and there is good
prospect that in ten years time the
evil will be greatly lessened. Unless it
is China cannot advance as nation.
In pushing this reform the government
finds the missionaries among its ablest
helpers. In addition to the moral
pressure which they bring to bear upon
the victims they give them the benefit
of treatment in their hospitals. Ed
ward L. Bliss, one OF the American
Board doctors at Shao-wu, who sends
us these facts, writes that he has re-
Gently discharged several men from
his hospital entirely cured of the opium
habit.
A MODEL INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL.
Americans are waking up to the fact
that our school system, to which we are
accustomed to point with PRIDE has
one radical defect in not training boys
and girls for the industrial pursuits
which most of them will follow upon
leaving school. A fine article in the
American Educator shows the folly Of
educating boy who is going into
machine shop, for example, in precise
lv the same way as one who expects to
enter the ministry. A few of our large
cities, following the example of Euro!
pean cities, are seeking to remedy this
defect by establishing technical High
schools. In other parts of the world,
notably wherever foreign missions have
gained foothold, right start is made
at the very beginning. A good Illus
tration is seen in Rhodesia where the
American Board began work about the
time when the country was thrown
open to settlement under the leader
ship of Cecil Rhodes. While he was
busy with schemes OF empire building
the pioneer missionaries took the raw
boys and girls from their native kraals
and taught them how to work. The
tail grass and brush had to be cleared
away before tents could be set up. II hts
followed as temporary dwellings,,
ground had to be cleared and dug up
for gardens, paths and roads made, and
orchards planted. At the same time
the missionary's wife was engaged i'll
initiating the girls into the mysteries
of homework.
The next step was to teach boys"
(the colonial term for all male Afrl-
cans to make bricks and roofing tiles
by hand, to lay stone and brick, to make
shoes, to select good seed for planting,
to plant corn and potatoes in straight
houses protected from the ravageS of
white ants. Five years ago machinery
was brought out from America, a saw
mill was set up and men were trained
to work in it; carpentry classes were
organized, and boys taught to use the
saw and plane to advantage. Then
fine workshop was built where boys are
now learning the use of machlne-shop
tools. In connection with these indus
trial features the usual educational
work has been carried on, so that this
mission school has secured the highest
grant made by the government to native
schools. Is there an educational plant
in the whole United States which can
show better record in so shorta time?
The principal of this school at Mt.
Siinda, Columbus G. Fuller, is a cap
tain Of industry" of whom Americans
may well be proud Fourteen years
ago he entered wilderness. To-day
one finds there a self-supportlng, midas
trious community. The earning AFFINITY
of the men has increased from an aver
age of II TO 20 cents per day, and eS-
pecially skilled Workmen earn Sl.23 or
more. School buildings have been
erected at less than half the cost of
contract construction. A large part of
the food is raised by the pupils, and a
printing press is ii source of revenue.
These achievements in character build
ing are necessary to keep pace with
Africa's material development, and
much credit is due to men like Mr..
Fuller who are laying such splendid
foundations in the education OF hand,
brain and heart.