The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-08

the audience and sung several selec- ! tons. Practically every number of the long program was encored and the artists responded readily. The Aida quartet is musical organization of far more than the usual ability and made hundreds of friends in this city who hope to have the pleasure of ture.
 Closing Session.
 The closing session of the Chautau- qua last night brought out 8 very large audience attracted by the an- nouncement that Dr. R. Stuart Mac Arthur of New York was to be the speaker. Dr. Macarthur is very we'll known in this city having spoken here many times. His topic last night was "A New Era in Old China," one which proved exceptionally interest," ing this time when all eyes are turned toward the awakening of the Orient. Few men are more qualified to speak of conditions there than Dr. Mac Arthur.
 pr. Macarthur spoke as follows:
 "We are living in a marvellous era We are making enduring history with astonishing rapidity. It is better millennium in the time of Methu- selah. We think of even the days of our forefathers with mingled surprise and pity. Perhaps our descendants will cherish similar opinions of us and the times in which we live.
 ''These remarks have special appli- cation to the Orient. Its progress Is the wonder of history. The transfor- nation of Japan almost surpasses be- lief; it challenges our imagination. Until recently, she was bound hand and foot by the traditions of the past; like a mummy she was wrapt with L. Tk death for a native to leave her soil; it was death, also, for a foreigner to in- wade her territory. She had so many unfortunate experiences with one type of Christianity, that she decreed that if the Christians God should come to Japan, he would pay with his head for his temerity. Now Japan is throb- century ago. she was more exclusive than China. Who at that time would have dared predict that at the close of the nineteenth century Japan would have been received with honor into the sisterhood of the great nations The transformation of Japan was a prophecy of the metamorphosis now in progress in Corea and in China. Corea is now astounding the world.
 Until a few years ago she was a hermit nation; now she Is standing on tiptoe with the blended light of civil ization and Christianity falling on her upturned face. By the side of Japan has dawned in old China. Soon she will take her place beside Germany, Great Britain and the United States, as one of the foremost nations of the world. China's progress leaves all statesmen, pubiicfsts, and prophets far in the rear. She has outstripped the most optimistic dreamers regarding of ho nrfo world, both in the Occident and the Orient has been born within the last 20 years. The political maxims of men 10 years ago are now entirely out of date. The work of the Christian missionary is now receiving the honor which too long had been denied it by men who claimed to be great states men and president publiscists. The missionaries are now seen to be lead- CTS in discovery, commerce, and civil ization. A triple crown is thus placed on the brow of the great missionaries of the Christian church.
 China's Territorial Greatness.
 China is of enormous size when compared with European countries, and even with the United States. Of course she is not large when com pared with Russia, and especially with the vast empire of Great Britain. China's territory is about 4,2S0, 1000 square miles. She is thus about half the size of European and Asiatic Russia; and a little more than one- third the size of Great Britain. If the United States were laid on the Chinese Empire, about three-quarters of a million square miles would be uncov- cred. Her population is about one quarter of the population of the entire human race. It has long been diffi- cult to get even a fair estimate of the population; but after the war with Japan, the population of the various provinces was taken for the purpose of levy1ng taxes to pay the indemnity to Japan. There was every induce ment to keep the population as low as possible; but even so, it was then re- ported to be 427,00O,000. Another census has been taken since, and not withstanding the enormous death rate by plaques and constant unsanitary conditions, the population to-day is probably at least 450,0o0.ooo. It is larger than that of the British Empire whose territory is nearly three times greater than that of China; and it is about five times larger than the popu- lation of the United States.
 'It is to be noted that China proper forms only about one-third of the en- tire Empire. China proper is only valley. The wonder of this situation is that this one-third contains more than s5 per cent. of the total popula- tion. Large sections of China are very sparsely populated. Those thin ly settled provinces, such as Shansi, Shensi, Kansu, and Kwangsi are the parts of China which are richest in natural resources. It would seem as i if Providence had reserved these rich provinces for the coming expansion of the wonderful Chinese people. These rich provinces for centuries to come will be the source of supply for the incoming population of China. All students of China should keep these instructive facts in mind. What a marvellous country this will be when its vast millions are fully awake and when its enormous resources are fully utilized! How unspeakable is the folly of the hoodlums of America who would antagoniZe so great a nation, and rob the American people of the fullest advantages of a growing com merce with this mighty people of the Orient
 China's Ancient Civilization.
 Tt is difficult for us to realize that when our forefathers were naked sav- ages, roaming dense forests, China had an ancient and advanced civfliza> ton. It humiliates many Americans to remember this fact. They are ac- customed to think of the Chinese as heather and as utterly unprogressive in all the higher forms of civilization. In some respects the civilization of China in that ancient day was more advanced than 1t is in our day. In the year 551 B. C., the famous Chinese philosopher, whose Latin name was Kung-fu-tZe and which we receive in