The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-11-06
CHINA IS MAKING
FORWARD STRIDE
Absorbing Rapidly the Ideas
of Progressive
Nations.
OFFICIAL GIVES HIS VIEWS
RAILROADS AND NEWSPAPERS
AID IN WORK.

London, Nov. Sir Robert BredOn
acting inspector general of Chinese
customs, now in England on holiday, in
an interview speaks of the many psy-
geological, social anu Industrial changes
taking place within the celestial en-
pire. China" he says lis indeed
changing. but as 10 the future. who
knows !. for one, nave no prophecies
20 offer, but this much Is obvious 20
any recent student OF Chinese affairsi
that the world at large cannot con-
tinue 10 treat as a negligible quantity,
either politically or IndusIrlallyf a
homogeneous race of 4OOsUOu,OUU human
beings, large percentage OF whom are
now fully alive 10 the pOtentialities OF
their race and country
since j went out in 1897 practically
new Feking has arisen. Equally re-
markable have been some OF the
changes 10 the outlook and Ia bits OF
the people since the Boxer rising and
the RussO-Japanese war. consider
able portion OF the capital is now In
process OF rebuilding after the style
OF up-tO-date European models, and
the old. unpaved, mephitic thorough
fares are given way 10 spacious mac
adamiZed roads, lighted by electricity
in place of the 0ld-fashiOned and almost
useless oil lamps. An adequate ana
pure water supply on European lines
has replaced the old surface wells.
Again. the sedan chair IS being
superseded among the wealthy Chinese
by the use or brOughams drawn by
splendid horses OF Australian breed,
and several thousands OF riclLshaWs
have largely taken the place Of mule
and donkey traffic. This, OF course.
has necessitated the reorganization or
the police force.
Press Aids In Work.
''rhs native press. too. is more ac-
tive. and a larger public is reached
through the medium or several places
which may Dc described as a sort OF
public reading room, where the native
journals are on view. In many other
ways the Chinese are showing them
selves what may DO termed permeable
70 western ideas. There Is a new de-
mand for schools with a more extern
sive and liberal curriculum. Much IL
nteracy, OF course prevails among the
lower classes, but among the the upper
gence is, 10 my mind. unequaled, there
f. "A recognition Of tho value and the
power Il western knowledge.
"confucianism ana the classic are
sim read anc eXpounaed win an
bounded love. for the Chinese have
great respect for their great national
literature, but IL is 1elt that more
scientific and commercial education Is
needed
Equally significant is the move
ment against the use Of opium which
is now being conducted in most OF the
provinces Many classes of Chinese
now EttHE H4Lr the evil OF opium Sii4eh-
ing and would like 10 see the practice
Diminished and finally eXtinguished.
There Is not much opium exported TO
foreign countries. II is mostly an
interprOVincial trade. and from reports
which received before left i am OF
the opinion that all the provinces are
making an effort 20 deal with the
opium problem.
1T is quite remarkable TO see the
way ia which the Chinese have adapt
ed themselves 10 the more rapid
modes OF transit. and have come 10
see their Importance for commercial
purposes. Most OF the railways are in
Chinese hands. and they are doing
very we'll Everywhere markets are
being opened up for agricultural pro-
duce. AS an instance, on the northern
railways i am told that the collection
OF freight on the one item OF cab
ba ges alone was $40. 900. Not long ago
this vegetable rOtJed in large quaint I
ties simply because there were no
means OF finding a market for it, In
the same way the growth OF the fruit |
business in northern China has made |
great progress Trade al HankOW has |
been enormously increased since the |
town became a railway center. In
certain districts the Chinese show a /
tendency 10 make railways for them /
selves A great deal OF the iron usad 1
in the construction OF the railways is /
produced in China.