The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-11-02

SLOW. worship or ancestors had III
| III recently. at least. become so mucl
rart OF the lives of both rich AM
poor that they had not deemed it nee
essary to look beyond their owl
teachings and customs for thei
knowledge To them it was the for
eigner, not themselves, who was ig
norant So rooted was this belle
thar the Chinese would follow theii
lcbstoms regardless of the feelings oil
desires OF the foreigners who might
be their guests. The theory upon
which they seemed to act was.
= cannot help it if you know no
better That is your own ignorance,
You should correct it,
Derive Name From Temples
In each village is a temple dedicat-
&C IL some famous ancestor. From it
/ the gtaae often derives its name.
+ But he Worship is more form Than
reality.
l The characters ics OF the Chinese
are discussed at length in two books
by DR. Arthur II. Smith, a medical
missionary, who spent many years in
.hc country. The following extracts
are taken from the books. "ViIfage
Life in China, and Chinese Charac-
teristics
The Chinese are perhaps the
most economical people OF the world
some OF the extremes OF their econ
oinic tendencies appear in the Gus
tom in many parts of the country OF
allowing their children to go without
clothing. They allow their wheel
barrows to squeak because it is cheap
er 10 listen TO the squeaks than to
buy oil. Lights are placed in a hole
in the wall dividing two apartments
to give light to both. Old women
have been known to hobble to the
homes OF relatives TO die, because the
place is convenient 10 a graveyard
and the expense OF coffin is lessened
The average Chinese needs little
to support himself. the average cost
of his food being about two cents a
day. II consists OF vegetables mostly
and rice, beans, millet and fish On
special occasions meat is eaten. In
Northern China horses. mules, don
keys, oven, camels are part Of the
food supply and are eaten regardless
OF the cause of death
Education in High Regard
"Eiucation is reyerenced Nearly
every village has at least one school
Travelling teachers are common. The |
teachers barely subsist on the wages /
they receive. The sons cannot be /
taught by the fathers, hence instruct
ors or tutors are Necessary Al
though children are seldom punished
Al home. at school they are frequent
y punished severely Each scholar
S in class by himself The chi-
lren all read aloud at the same time,
otherwise the master might not know I
nat they are studying
The mother is the slave OF her
Though little respect is
hown to girls boys have almost ;
.nything they choose. They have !
ew toys, however, few house games
md practically no games involving {
Exercises. They learn to work early,
generally in the occupation which
he father has followed
The women, because Of their rela
lively seryile position in the family, .
row old early. In many parts w0m-
II and children are sold A woman [
annOt return TO the home of her par
nts after an unhappy marriage But
Notwithstanding the fact that women {
ave a low position, there are hen I
ecked husbands in many cases,
woman has tendency !
D show spirit and her husband hap /
ems 10 be more meek than common {
"A dealer in matches knows exact
the number OF matches in a box I
/ each OF the various kinds and
nows to a fraction the profit on each \
OK
Chinese are eternally cheerful no S
latter what happens. They are also
cklng in sympathy. These charac J
.ristics are the result probably OF y
leir long generations Of customs" i
Articles Of a relative may be bor- a
,wed without notice, and are gen y
ally Immediately pawned Ii the n
vner wants them again he must pay
get them out Of pawn
THE need of urgency is never ap-
rent to the Chinese. Sentinels in
e army almost invariably seek the
.elter Of the guardhouse in case OF
in, giving the rain as an excuse y
r DONG so
ever Hurry And Never Idle
They are never in hurry, ana u
yer Idle. When they are not busy q
their regular occupations they DO .,
savin2 or plating In winter the o.
atmen use ice sleds on tae rivers. ?,
lev rise sometimes shortly after "
3night and work till long after sun e.
Children are not taught to obey -
.ir parents. The belief is that the
ldren wiz grow up TO do the
ngs that they ought to do.
AN women marry and marry n
ing They are absolutely under n
control of their mothers-in-law. a
s3and can XIII his wife and escape
lisament by entering the plea t1at
wife has been und7ial to her par
s. Suicides OF the wives are ire E
mt. The husbands neglect their 81
.es and often their children. Inc
~ have no time to become sick