New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-11

information concerning the non-Chlnese
populations of Western China, thelr Gus
toms and religions. The Lolos' MI
Brooke's murderers. appear to be re-
lated 70 the far-distant Coreans, but this
assumption, based on similarity IN tneir
ancient writings and antique terra-cotta
artifacts. as vet lacks scientific confirma-
ton. Their women hold an important
Mace in their social organization and po-
litical affairs. and have far greater power
than the men in stopping quarreis:
Should there be a quarrel between two
parties i'm a clan, and one OF the eIlS
wish 10 stop IT, she takes off her skirt anu
walking backward, trails it after her on on
the ground between the two parties ana II
thew have any honor or chlvalry IN mem
not another blow will be struck AT IeaSV
on this occasion.
Mr.. Hedley pictures the Mongols as a
race that is vanishing under the in
Auence of conditions imposed upon It,
hut also in consequence Of certain quail
tiles or lack Of qualities, that make
them the easy prey of the shrewder'
more energetic Chinese. OF the Monsol
martial spirit nothing remains. Ihey
are gentle childlke and indolent. Land
that in Mongol hands lies fallow and UNI
productive is made to yield abundant
haryests by the industrious Chinaman.
who also overreaches the natives IN all
matters Of trade Lamaism is the curse
Of the country. according to Mr.. Finley.
The religion has degenerated into me-
cbanical performance of external for
malities the lamas make no efforts TO
educate or guide the faithful, ana
morally il is AN open and filthy sore.
This author asserts furthermore, that
Mongol hospitality. which other trav-
ellers have praised, is delusion. 1t is
grudging, an ungracious obedience to an
unwritten law of the land. even though
1t expects payment that makes the
transaction a purely business one and
leaves no sense Of obligation"
AS for the future of Mongolia, that
will remain dark so long as there is no
real efficient reform in the central gov
eminent at Picking. The soil is fertile
and adapted to cattle raising; it contains
gold and coal: but, not TO speak of trans
port facilities, the government does not
even provide protection against the
Chunchuses, who steal women as well
as cattle and everything else upon which
they can lay their hands. The mod
ern" Chinese troops are no match for
these bold robbers. and often are sus-
pected of being in league with them.
Mr.. Finley, who. like Mr.. Ferguson, is
an agent of the Bible Society. throws
considerable light on the continued stag
nation in China especially in its outlying
provinces. notwithstanding attempted re-
forms that lag for lack of properly
trained men. The "shortsghted policy
Of insane eXclusiveness' still rules. The
book is notable. also for its excellent de-
scriptions Of the ancient Chinese towns
of the regions dealt with.
Mrs Kemps new book suffers some
what from comparison with her delight
full earlier The Face Of China 1t, is
far sketchier, covering in its compare
lively few pages a territory that
stretches from COrea TO the Caucasus.
via the Trans-Siberian Railroad AS be-
fore. she kept in constant touch with the
missionaries, to whom she again returns
thanks for their hospitality and helpful
ness In the course of her narrative she
draws many an amusing picture and
makes many a shrewd observation, as
where she says that. while the japanese
may be doing a great work in Corea.
they do it in such a manner as to make
themselves bitterly obnoxious to the ma
tivcs, whose pride they humble ruth
lcssly and necdessly In the train from
Moukden she found a Japanese who
might have stepped out Of the pages of
Sarah Jeanette Duncan:
Tie was an interesting specimen Of the
indeterminate Jap so common In Man
chura: his clothes. the first day OF the
journey. were a mixture Of European. Chi
nese and japanese. but the next day he
appeared in sort of European clerical
Black suit and white shirt a costume
which was by 40 means adapted TO his
mode Of sitting. lie took off his elastic
sided boots, climbed on to the narrow seat
gathered his clothing carefully together
ana sat down crOss-leggcd.
The authors description Of the com
forts on the Trans-Siberian Railroad
will be helpful to those contemplating
the trip. she praises the Russian gov
ernments liberality in carrying free over
all its lines the colporteurs of the Brit
/ ish and Foreign Bible society and all
their books, and oxempting them, more
over, from the trade and industrial tax
but fails 10 see any trace of civiising
influences under Russian rule in Tur-
kestan. Her statement that the famous
! slab on Tamerlane's grave is not jade,