The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-03-05
A CHINESE VIEW OF
MIR. POE'S NEW BOOK

Ey WANG.

t4G writer tI lilt L L - ~ At-@'
Mr.. Linsoh Wang. is Il native OF
Picking. china, and IT the present
time. a member OF the enlor class
at the University Of North Carolina.
Mr.. Wang Is one Of the select students
sent out by the Chinese government,
under the direction u His ENcellency
Eiccroy Chang Chih-tung. to pursue
their education in American unlycr-
sites. lie spent the year 1so5-0I at
Cornell, I9oT-0S at the University Of
Colorado. returning to China in 1908.
on his coming back to America last
fall. he entered the University. He is
pursuing studies intended primarily to
III him for government service III tn"
opening OF Thibet to Chinese immi-
grafton. Fos this reason and Oh ar-
count OF his recent visit u his native
country, he IS Well qualified To write
Of Mr.. poe's recent book on Eastern
cOnditiOnS.-Editor.
Many books haze appeared recently
that deal with present conditions and
problems of the Orient. Among these,
Mr.. Poe's Where Half the World Is
Waking Cp' seems to me one or the
best. The author has undoubtedly
MAD. a comprehensive study Of the
important questions political, social.
and economic-of the leading Coun-
tries Of Asia, and has presented his
impressions OF conditions with clear
ness and fairness.
III the first part Of the book the
author makes the interesting state
ment that in the Orient ~"eytrything
is reversed. aud the SureSt way to go
right is to take pains to go dead
wrong From the point Of view Of
al Orienta this statement Is also true
IN regard TO the manners and customs
of the Occidental peoples. Take, for
instances. the word "obey.' It Is in
the Occident that the bride promises
to obey at the marriage
while. rs q matter Of fact, the man
practices obeying Yer afterwards.
Particularly interesting is Mr.. Poe'a
prediction that 'iu eighteen month
China will have d parliament or a
reyolutfon,' especially in the face Of
Mr.. Golfers comment on this predic-
ton. in "The West III the East" that
China never does anything in so
short a time as eighteen months, and
they are, moreover. profoundly
suspicious Of those who do The
overthrow of the Manchu dynasty
speaks loudly IN Nj. Foes favor as a
prophet.
Since the author dwells at some
length on the dcgenerated conditions
OF BramInism IND buddhism, | should
think that q mention OF the hig ethi-
cal doctrines of Confucius, at least
would help to present sons idea Of
the beliefs OF the more educated
classes Of Oriental peoples. Briefly.
Mould say that COnfucius was a great
teacher Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS fol-
ancestors, reverence for great mer
and Tor high Ideals. He was a teache,
OF practical life. OF moral living. Of
right conduct. c~onfucianism aims al
peace, order. virtue. wisdom.s anc
prosperity. Honesty and faithful
ness are the highest virtues" and "Df
not do TO others what YOU do no wish
others to do to you" are some -
his farnou lna2ins.
Among the many valuable com.
ments of the author upon Orienta
: problems none TX more Instructive anr
! timely than those pertaining +,
T japanese RESPONSIVENESS in Korea anf
Manchuria; the great achievements =,
: the br1tlsh IN India, and those Of thu
Americans IN the Philippines: ant
w nat the Orient LAY teach rs" .Tb.
many anecdotes cited are highly an
tertaining.
The book IS, On the whole. wei
Illustrated. The upper picture facins
page 1876, however, does not renresen
= Fashionable Chinese p;nna,
I farts' 4 genuine fashionabl,
( ,iillese dlhner party would show {
picture OF elegantly dressedlpeonlo !,
long robes Of silk and embr0jdarv cit
5 tlng IN q room which would be vel
: decorated with Oriental. furniture an,
d ornaments. indicating some cr.rrr
q and wealth.
n Mt. Poe evidently made some ex
teISlNe Investigations into he Earn,
/, Ing conditions and the labor nroh
lens OF the Orient. | fully agree Nit,
a his statement that with better "a
rletles and better cultivation chjn
could easily double her yields WIN
out increasing her acreage and tina
: cheap LABOR Is never che3p.t hora,c
. cheap labor is invariably Recommend
BY lnefnclency. The Western nation
II nave very little reason for u fea
or disastrous competition from -