The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26

try
 ''wiII China ever have national bank ing system, such as. Japan or the United StatesY'
 Yes, think so, although it will prob ably be some time before 1t can be es- tablished. It is one of the crying needs of the empire. and would be of enormous good, not only to tho government, but to all industries"
 ''v Il you ever have postal savings banks?"
 Not soon. But would like to see them established, and they are bound to come. They are invaluable In the teach ing of thrift and in making a place for the small savings of tho people. With a stable government such institutions will be very popular. and they would enormously increase our national wealth. They would make us the righest people of the world, for our savings deposltors would be millions in number. l should like to see industrial banks such as the Japanese have, established in China. and we shall probably have agricultural banks"
 The New Mnts and Bank Notes.
 How about your new coinageY"
 "There is a movement on foot to stand ardize it. We are sadly in need of a uniform coinage. and 1t is bound to come''
 "win the unit be the silver dollar or the tael?"
 Most probably the dollar Many of our people have come to know that com fairly well, and we like the decimal sys- tenn upon which it is based. l think It is besle. than the tael.
 ..Wfll China ever be on gold basis !'
 Tn time, yes; but not soon. should like to see all of our finances managed on the gold standard
 How about the new bank notes which are being isssued in so many parts of the empire? Are they properly secured?'
 T think they are all right now" re- plied the Chinese financier. Such notes as are already in use are safe enough, and have no doubt but that they will be safe for some time to come. l consider them a dangerous medium of exchange. however, and l can easily imagine condi- lions which might arise in connection with them which would create great financial disturbance and possible loss"
 The New Education.
 Your excellency was among the origi- nators of the new education? You es- tablished the Nan Yang college at Shang- hai. and the Chinese university at Tlen- tsfn Has modern education come to stay?"
 undoubtedly so The Chinese classics are of great value in training the mind and soul; but as far as business matters are concerned they are ethical rather than practical. I want the classics kept in our schools, but think the modern sciences should supplement them
 How arc you training your own chil- dren?''
 ''I have two boys who are learning English. They are now going to the col lege here and shall send them abroad. to Europe or the United States, as soon as they are prepared to enter the univer- sties of those countries"
 whom do you think is of the most value to China, the man trained at home along the old lines or the one educated abroad.
 .I think both kinds of training are nec- essary They are both needed to make an all around man. the man of business and the man of morals, s-0l, in fact, the best man for us'
 Opium and Footbinding.
 At this moment the champagne was brought in, and with 1t came the red wis., ting cards of some Chinese officials. In high society here the entrance of the wine always means the close of an inter- w. drink you know that the time has come for you to depart. For this reason my last questions were rapidly put:
 What does your excellency think of the new constitution? Are the Chinese prepared for it?"
 Not now. perhaps. but they will be by the time 1t goes into effect. We are to have eight years of education. and at the end of we shall have a new China
 Twill you be able to wipe out the opium evil?''
 .Yes but It's abolition must be grad ual The confirmed smoker cannot give up the habit at the wink of an eye. Some may be able to stop. but others will hold on till their death. It is only from the young that we can expect much as to the abolition of opium. The custom Is already considered disgraceful. and if we can keept 1t so, we can get rid of the evil"
 How about foot-bindingr'
 sThat will go, too. The Better class of women have stopped binding the feet of their children. The custom begins to be unpopular. have no bound feet in my household, and I am glad to say that the day has come for the bound foot to go."
 At this point we had already taken three sips of champagne There was . crowd of Chinese callers waiting outside, and I knew 1t was high time to leave. Az arose. his excellency again gave mo his hand. saying he regretted he had not had a chance to ask some questions of me, and that our whole conversation had been taken up with his answers to queries of mine.