The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-25
DR.. CREEGAN TALKS
F. ON CONDITIONS
T.. IN CHINA"
Does Not Believe Republic
Be Maintained Because
of Ignorance

The convocation speaker this norm
ing was DR.. Creegan. president of
Fargo college. who. spoke on Con
ditions in China" DR.. Creegan spent
several months travelling through that
country and consequently his adj
fore the address, Rev. G.. G.. Warner
gave the scripture reading. Tho unit
vcrsity quartet rendered special music
for the occasion.
China, said DIR. Crecgan, "is the
Oldest of living nations. How old it
is no one knows. 1t is as large as all
Europe excepting Russia. Its popu-
lation is a matter of mere conjecture
but government reports give 1t one-
fourth of the people Of the world.
Chinese society,"" he stated. "is
divided into five casts, which are we'll
recognized, although not as i%nflexible
as the castles of India. At the top are
the scholars who comprise the Of
are the farmers. These live in ham,
lets Of 200 to 800 Inhabitants. The
other classes in order r the me-
chanics, the merchants and the SOL
diers." DR.. Creegan said that the
fact that h soldiers were given the
lowest place was responsible for the
wretched conditions that had prevail
ed in the army. But he said that In
the last few "a the government
officials to reorganize and drill the
soldiers.
Peace Loving People
The Chinese. said DIR. Crecgan. are
a peace loving people. but the pres
ent revolution is not the first uprising
against misrule. One Of the greatest
was that Of 1852. which continued
nearly thirteen years. During that
time the country was losing d million
men every year. The speaker char
acterized it as the greatest a in
history. The rebellion was finally put
down by the imperialists lead by
The speaker traced briefly the
vents leading up to the present con-
test, beginning with the conquest of
China by the Manchus 800 years ago.
Since then only Manchus have been
given any of the official positions. The
thousands of students that are being
sent to this country to be educated are
Chinese and when they return they
find no opportunity to put into prac-
tice the knowledge they have receiv-
ed. To add to the discomfort there is
hardly any officials. said DR.. Cree
gan, who could not give lessons to
Tammany hall in graft.
Not Able to Support Republic
While the, revolutionists are led by
very capable men. the speaker did not
believe that China was able to sup
port a republic. To have to maintain
n popular government requires intel
ligence and only one of every hundred
Chinese is able to read his nanc
One solution of the problem sug,
gested by the speaker was that the
empire would separate. tho northern
part securing constitutional govern
lnent and the southern part attempt
ing a republic. DIR. Crecgan said that
the northern part would soon fall a
prey to Japan. which is eagerly watt
ing for an opportunity to secure an
outlet for Its population.
China. said. DR.. Creegan. regards
the United States as practically her
only friend. Is the only country that
is not waiting to share in her divi-
sion. But of all the nations, the most
feared is Japan. The speaker urged
the American colleges to do their ut
most to help the young generation Of
China. y.