The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-10-06
THE GREAT WALL is DOOMED
C,RINA'S MARVELLOUS BARRIER
FACES DESTRUCTION.
Most Wonderful of the Relics Which
Bind That Country to the Past.
An hnnaSSable Stronghold.

The Chinese wall, marvellous bar
rier extending more than 100 miles
over mountain and valley, is doomed.
1t is said that under the rule of the
new regent, Prince Chun, progress
iveness will be carried to a point
where not only will the old order
of government see it's downfall, but
all that physically recalls the past
viii also be destroyed.
Tradition is the yoke that binds
China 1t is the obstacle that has
Kept that country of marvellous re-
sources back. Prince Chun knows
this, and it is said that in his desire
to effect reform he will not content
himself with merely establishing new
methods, but will actually wipe out
the physical relics which keep the
face of China turned to the past
rather than to the future.
Of all these survivaIs the Chinese
wall is the most famous and the
most wonderful. The countries of
power in the world today were I'M
known when this structure was built
to keep out the invader In cata-
l0guing the wonders of the world it
has never been possible to make a
classification that omitted the Chi
nese wall 1t was 200 years old
when Christ came to earth, but even
then it was not the work of a young
nation, for China has history that
can be traced back for 5000 years.
The project for tearing down the
Chinese wall originated some years
ago, and it is said that the late En-
press and her son, whose deaths COM
ing so close together so suddenly
changed the whole aspect OF the flu
ture for China, had consented to
abolish the wall, and had even signed
The contracts for its removal when
superstitious fear seized them and
the order was revoked.
Descended as they both were from
tAe Tsin dynasty that built the great
barrier. and having that worship of
ancestry that is deeply ingrained in
the beliefs of the Monaghan, they
feared at the last moment to commit
this sacrilege on the masterwork of
the dead.
But Prince Chun, who as regent
FOR the two-year-old baby Emperor,
is possessed of full authority, has
40 such scruples. He is not the off
spring of emperors, and there is
aothing to hold him in check He
IS known to have strongly advanced
IDEAS and to be especially independ-
ent and scornful where the old ideas
Of the past are concerned There
fore, it is probable that he will carry
the work of demolition to a finish
The interest in whether he does so
gOes farther than the mere question
Of the wall 1t has to do indirectly
with the future of the immense
hordes who people the country. The
~all is the symbol of the ancient
that holds the country in check If
it be brought down the modernists
will take it as a sign that the new
ruler will during his stay as regent
enforce the new ideals. If in spite
Of his impulses he is wont to let the
great wall stay China will settle
back lazily and comfortably and de-
hide that nothing radical will occur
under the present regime.
This is the situation that now
gives such an extraordinary interest
10 the old line of Notifications.
Modern artillery would speedily re-
luce the last vestige of the ancient
barrier, but it was not built to with
stand this kind of attack, and in the
days when it reared it's head over
the landscape it was an impossible
stronghold
Mans Great Piece of Work.
Inc visitor who gazes at this stu
Dendous construction is made to feel
very modest as to the skill of the
modern engineer. Experts of all ma
tons have named it as the most as
founding piece of work ever per-
formed by man. Even over the pyra-
mids and the sphinx it is given the
credit.
In imagination the spectator is
moved back 20 centuries to the
times that Shi-Hoangti, the great
est of Chinese heroes, reigned. Chi
ma then Ind tho mnrId In rrnn14l, -. 4