The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-06

discouraged by the difficulties and ob-
 struction in the way. By one stroke
 of vermilion pencil, the old style pro-
 gram and method of examination were
 abolished. striking dismay into the
 hearts of thousands of the scholar
 class, who were thus deprived of their
 principal road to official appointments
 and livelihood. The imperial decree
 embodyIng this measure recognized
 that the great wealth and power en-
 loved by Western nations are derived
 from the widespread of education, and
 that the need of forming statesmen of
 talent and ability and of giving the
 people substantial and practical knowl-
 edge and preparing them for con
 stitutionsI form of government could
 best be satisfied by adopting the mod
 ern system of education. The same
 degree. that ordered the establishment
 of the Ministry of E A cation also
 enunciated the fundamental principles
 which must be instilled Into the minds
 of the students. and which are. loyalty
 10 the Emperor, devotion to the public
 welfare, the cherishing of the martial
 spirit, reverence for Confucius. and the
 promotion of industries. From reports
 presented by the viceroys and govern
 ors, 1t is satisfactory to learn that
 there is not a province without its nor
 mal schools with students ranging from 800 to 1000. In this manner the Imperial government hopes to have an adequate supply of properly trained teachers for the primary schools with in. a reasonable period. Another great obstacle in the way of the new educa- tlon Is the absence of suitable text books Through the enterprise and far -sightedness of publishing houses and the public spirit and energy of private individuals. this deficiency is being rapidly supplied. Tn this con nectIon. I venture to suggest that American publishing houses undertake the preparation of a series of school books In English for the Chinese mar ket. There is hardly school of any size or importance in China in which English is not taught, but 1t is unfor- tunate that the excellent books im- ported were not written with the Chi nese peculiarities In view, nor is the
 subject matter appropriate to Chinese youths and girls. A few figures from the sales report of the leading Chi
 nese publishing company in Shanghai will give you some notion of the pop
 ularity of the new" text books. Ae- | cording to the report 2s0, 900 copies oi It's national readers, 10000 copies Of it's ethical readers, 7S,000 copies of its geoEraphical readers, and S3,00O copies | of its historical readers were disposed | of in the space of one year, and the
 sales are advancing by leaps and bounds. The same firm has never de-
 ciarsd dividend of less than 30 pel | cent.
 Program of Reform.
 The program of reform initiated by | the government also includes the ex- tension of the postal system. the im- l provement of the telegraph service. the l fostering of domestic and foreign | trade. the education and protection Of | its subjects abroad, the simplihcation | of social ceremonies and hundred and one other items which will tend to
 strengthen and enrich our country.
 | "Thts unprecedented activity on the | part Of the government Is only equalled ! by the enthusiasm of the people with | which they welcome and support the | reform measures, which if they did not receive the support and cooperation l of the gentry and scholars. would be l doomed to failure. The promise of the government to promulgate a eonstitu- | ton, the sincerity of which was at | tested by the appointment of high l commissioners. who included a duke | to proceed to foreign countries and 1 study the system of their government | was received with exclamation by the | people. In the more important cities | societies have been organized in which | the members meet to listen to lectures | on politics and prepare literature on | local government and kindred subjects | for diffusion throughout the empire | When say that a manual on the sub l ject of general politics published by
 one of these associations has reach ed
 its sixth edition within the space oi
 few months, you will agree with