The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-19
AT THE HOTELS.

The greatest change that has ever hap
pened In the customs OF people is now
going on in China The ancient and
honorable pigta!is are being cut from The
heads OF government officials. high and
low. The merchants and professional
men are cutting them of likewise, and
even those in the highest positions are
now bereft OF the sublime appendage
which the Cinnamon were wont 70 ven
crate
The authority for this statement T. Dr..
Kwang Hue Yuen, Of Pekin, China, who
Is at the New Willard. The eminent
Chinaman. who bears every earmark OF
western civilization and speaks English
nuentiy and correctly. said
Az present the whole Chinese people
are undergoing what perhaps is 20 be
the greatest social and political reform
IN history All the better classes OF
chinese are determined on the accom-
phshment OF these reforms,
Schools have been established all over
the country. and while it may take &
generation 10 educate Tho people TO that
point when they will see the folly Of
superstitions that have ruled the masses
IN China for thousands OF years, we are
determined 10 do H. One Of the most
Significant features Of the present move
rnent Is the cutting of OF pigtaiIs. which
nave always been worn in our country.
Officials OF the government havA
taken the initiative in this movement.
Merchants and business men are follow
ing the example. and within a few wears
expect that the masses Of the peopIe.
the Chinese farmers and coolies. will cut
their pigtails of. too.
IN the army and navy many reforms
have already been inaugurated. We al
ready have 10000 men In our army, who
have been thoroughly drilled in modern
| tactics under the new army regulations
Henry Macleod Locke. OF Grimsbv.
England. who is affiliated with the labor
movement in the British Isles and Parlla-
ment. is at the Arlington. Speaking OF
political trends in England, Mr.. Locke
said
In the language OF the man OF the
street. the bishops OF the Church OF
England are catching It hot AS men,
oers OF the house Of lords. they are re-
! ceiving q full measure OF the hostile
criticism which Is being heaped upon
the occupants OF the 'gilded chamber
for their determined opposition TO most
all democratic measures which receive
the support OF the laboring class
History is repeating itself" said Mr..
Locke AS in the past, so now, the
lords spiritual are found siding with the
lords temporal against the bulk OF the
nations elected representatives. Under
the leadership OF the Lord Archbishop OF
Canterbury. they range themselves with
the peers against the people. In conse-
quence. democracy has been irreverentIy
taking stock OF them. overhauIing their
legislative and Episcopal records fgur-
Ing on what they cost, and questioning
whether they are worth II. There is no
doubt that il the matter were left 10 the
decision OF a plebiscite. the Episcopal
/ prelates would be deprived OF their legis-
lative functions along with the heredi-
( tary peers. II is probable that the popu-
lar verdict would go much farther by
cutting down their salaries and deprlv-
ing them OF their places, and thereby
making less glazing the contrast be-
tween the opulence OF the shepherds and
the poverty OF their fiocks
There are two archbishops and thirty
three bishops IN the Established Church.
and every one OF them draws z princely
salary, and yet they complain about pow
erty.
There is little popular sympathy felt
with their plant The masses OF the peo-
1 pie feel that they owe them nothing. As
legislators. they have done their best 70
oppose social and political reforms. In the
/ long struggle OF Roman Catholics. Jews.
/ and Nonconformists for civil and relig-
! ious liberty; IN the crusade for amending
criminal laws and reducing the death pen
atty: In the efforts TO extend the suffrage.
and in the slow building up OF a sys-
/ TEN Of national elementary education, the
bishops have always stood with the peers
| against the people The lords spiritual
are misnOmer; they have always been
among the last 10 yield 10 the demands
OF outraged public opinion. They should
| be made harmless by abol!shing them"
| The political situation in the United
States has never in all lis history been
as complicated as IL IS at present. accord
ing 10 B. N. Tharpe, OF Cincinnati. who
was seen at the Raleigh. Mr.. Tharpe is
a manufacturer and takes keen interest
in the political drift OF the day.
| Whatever the result OF this political
upheaval and chaos is to Ue az the polls
In November IL is pretty difficult 10 say
al this time. There are, however. some
/ indications as 20 which way the wind is
/ likely 10 blow. There is no gaiusaying
/ the fact that the Republican party al
most everywhere is badly disorganized
snd split up. and that this condition was
| brought about by themselves IN various
ways. The Payue-Aldrich tariff IS one OF
the factors which created dissatisfaction
among Republicans everywhere; the Can
non feud IN the House. which produced
| the insurgency that to-day IS giving Taft
the nightmare and is threatening to de-
throne the regulars: the BalIinger con-
troversy: the activity OF Postmaster Cen
eraI Hitchcock in trying 10 deprive Con-
gressmen OF their patronage; the ap-
parent decision Of President Taft not 10
! take definite sides in the various state
! fights and his apparent wish 20 be on
good terms with everybody There are
many other such features which are dts
rupting the Republican party.
1T is a great question, however" con-
tinued Mr. Tharpe. whether the Dem
ocratic party will be sufficiently strong
II.
take full advantage OF this discontinue