Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-08-09


LOO miles over mountain
and valley. is doomed Il is
said that under the rule of the
Hew regent, Prince Chun, a progress
siveness will be carried TO a point
where not only will the old order of
| government see Its downfall. but all
that physically recalls the past will
also be destroyed
Tradition is the yoke that binds
! China. 1t is the obstacle that has kept
that country of marvellous resources
back Prince Chun knows this. and
It is said that in his desire to effect
/ reform he will not content himself
| with merely establishing new methods
| In hts systems of government but will
| actually wipe out the physical relics
which keep the face Of China turned
| 10 the past rather than to the future
! OF all these survivals. the Chinese
| wall is the most famous and the most
! wonderful. The countries of power In
| the world today were unknown when
! this structure was built to keep out
| the invader. In cataloRuing the won
! ders of the world. II has never been
| possible to make classification that
/ omitted the Chinese wall II was 200
years old when Chris, came to earth.
but even then 1t was L1t the work Of
young nation, for China has a his
tory that can be traced back for 5000
years.
The project for tearing down the
Chinese wall originated some years
ago, and 1t is said that the late en-
press and her son, whose deaths com
Ing to close together so suddenly
changed the whole aspect Of the fu.
ture for China, had consented to abol-
Ish the wall, and had even signed the
contracts for its removal when super
stitious fear seized them and the order
was revoked.
Descended as they both were from
the Tsin dynasty that built the great
barrier, and having that worship of
ancestry that is deeply ingrained in
| the beliefs of the Monaghan, they
| feared at the last moment to commit
this sacrilege on the masterwork of
the dead
But Prince Chun, who as regent for
the two-year-old baby emperor. is pos
sessed of full authority. has no such
scruples. He is not the offspring of
emperors and there is nothing to hold
him in check. He is known to have
strongly advanced ideas and to be es-
pecially independent and scornful
where the old ideas of the past are
concerned. Therefore, 1t is probable
that he will carry the work of demoli-
ton to filish.
The interest in whether he does so
goes farther than the mere question
Of the wall. 1t has to do indirectly
with the future OF the immense hordes
who people the country. The wall is
the symbol of the ancient that holds
the country in check. II he be brought
down the modernists will take it as a
sign that the new ruler will during
his stay as regent enforce the new
ideals. II in spite Of his impulses he
is wont to let the great wall stay.
China VIII settle back laZily and COM
fortably and decide that nothing rad
leal Will occur under the present
regime.
This is the situation that now gives
such an extraordinary interest to the
old line of Notifications. Modern ar
tillery would speedily reduce the last
vestige OF the ancient barrier. but II
was not built to Withstand this kind
of attack, and IN the days when It
reared its head over the landscape, II
no ESQ ~ efr
Mans Great Piece Of Work.
The visitor who gazes at this stu
pendous construction is made to feel
very modest as to the skill OF the mod
ern engineer Experts of all nations
have named It as the most astounding
piece of work ever performed by man
Even over the pyramids and the
sphinx it is given the credit.
In Imagination the spectator is
moved back 20 centuries to the times
hat Shi-Hoangti, the greatest Of Chi
nese heroes, reigned. China then led
the world in wealth and culture and
the nation had great literature
Rich rewards Of conquest constantly
inspired the Mongols. wild tribes who
lived in the country now called Mon
golia. to make forays. They had In
vaded the country on the northern
part, and were eucroaching further
toward Pekin and the provinces of
the south II was IN this crisis that
s. Hoangti performed the feats Of
yalJr that made mis- name forever
famous IA Chinese song and poem AS,
sembling a mighty army, he threw
himself on the Mongolian hordes,
fought them, defeated them, and sent /
mem flying back from Chinese terri
tory.
But It was not enough 20 have /
downed the enemy The Mongols al
ways came back. They had per /
tinacity that made them the most dan /
gerous Of foes. Therefore. II became /
necessary 20 corstruct a barrier that /
would unfailingly perform IT'S duty.
Everything had 70 be done by hand /
for the great engineering devices thar (
today accomplish the work q 500 /
men had not then been invented But /
fortunately labor was plenty 10 this J