Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-19
STRANDED IN CHINA
Roland V. Mills Tells Of Misfor-
tunes of Americans.
BOTH SIDES LACK MONEY
Obligations to Foreign Employees
Cannot Be Kept.
PROSPECTS OF THE REPUBLIC
Belief Expressed That It Will Re-
quire Years Of Adjustment to
Attain Success.
BOTH SIDES LACK MONEY
PROSPECTS OF THE REPUBLIC

service of the imperial government, but
has just returned to this country. The
foreign concessions are becoming crowd
ed, he said, and those people who had
friends living in those quarters had gone
to stay with them. Cellars, attics and all
other possible places are being used for
sleeping rooms, he said.
The final outcome Of the revolution, Mr.
Mills said. Is problematical. THAT the
country will make progress in western
civilization is not to be doubted" he said.
There are two courses open for them.
Which they will take 1t is not possible
to tell. They may adopt the japanese
principle of keeping all foreigners out of
governmental affairs or they may call
foreigners in to aid them. do not see
how they can get along without fore. gn
aid at present. If they do call for help
from the outside know Of no better field
for Americas young men. The country
offers excellent opportunities in many
lines, especially for civil and mining en-
gineers, and American engineers are look
ed upon with favor by the Chinese. be-
cause they are thought to be disinterested
and not looking toward colonization
Released for Lack of Funds.
The danger Of Americans being strand
ed in China was thus explained by Mr..
Mills:
LAS both the revolutionists and the
imperial government are without funds.
the Americans in China who are en-
ployed in the mines, schools and other
institutions have had to be released, as
they could not be paid. There are no
foreigners in the interior Of China at
present. with the exception perhaps Of q
few missionaries. All the Americans in
China will ho stranded Snon and many
have already sought shelter with the
American consuls and in the foreign
concessions set aside for foreigners. The
rents Of all houses have risen five to
six hundred per cent during the last six
months"
Government Lost Heart.
Speaking Of the revolution, Mr.. Mills
said: "The Manchu government lost
heart at. the beginning of the trouble.
The official class became panic stricken,
and the roads and streets were congested
with the carts and people fleeing to
came demoralized and the whole country
became unruly. Wherever a province de-
clared its independence anarchy and
brigandage broke out. Food prices in
creased about 80 per cent and the value
of the Mexican dollar increased about
10 per cent. These conditions will not
be changed for several months at least.
Because OF the lack of funds and the
thorough decentralization 1t will be i'm
possible at present to quell the bandits
matter to settle the country again. no
matter which side eventually WINS
I'm the. treaty ports, however, both
north and south, good order has been
grand array Of soldiers meet the for
eignerS leaving It.
The Chinese Character.
American people do not understand
the Chinese character, and the consequent
difficulties it will meet in trying to re-
establish government. The Chinese are a
peace-loving people for one thing. If
they try to set up a representative gov
eminent and one man is selected from
each province no two Of the assembly
could converse fluently. Each province
is Independent Of the other at present
and has its own money system. The
squeeze system has been imbued in the
Chinese for SO many centuries that it
will be hardly possible to eradicate It.
The squeeze system means just this:
any particular thing each Chinese Official
through whose hands it passes deducts q
sum, according to his rank. By the time
it has reached the place where 1t is to
De USED II CONSISTS Oh dDOuL only one
tenth Of the original amount. This Gus
tom is looked upon in that country as
wholly legitimate and is one of the
strongest defects of the Manchu govern
ment.
I'm their ideas of. honesty they are
very peculiar. according to our stand
ards. They are shrewd bargainers and
are absolutely honest as far as con-
tracts go, but they are absolutely dis
honest where there is no contract The
- nkc t. xHn
cause if they break one they lose what
they term face This system OF face
makes them extremely stubborn, anil 1y-
ing is very common to save face If q
man loses face he must make face
This is done in various ways. For in
stance. In one case within my own
knowledge an official lost face He took
horse and rode through the streets,
knocking down the police. When the
police tried to arrest him he had them
thrown into prison, thus making face
They are distrustful Of one another.
Upper Glasses for Republic.
THE upper classes are permeated
with republicanism. The students in the
schools are difficult to handle on this
account, as they wish to vote upon every
thing which they are told to do. They
usually. vote to do what they are told to
do in order to save face
''They may be able to establish a sue
cessful republic, but it will require years
of adjustment. The spirit of the west
ern ideals is permeating the country,
and htey are overenthusiastic concern
ing them. Many of the Chinese students
who had been sent to America to study
refused to go into the service of the i'm
perial government on their return to
China, because of its corruptness.
II believe II the Manchus had respond
ed to the first demand for a constitu-
tional government when 1t was made last
September a year ago there would have
been no revolution. China is q land Of
untold opportunities. It has the most
wonderful soil in the world. and has in
estimable quantities of minerals. 1t
really is the mineral reserve of the
world China is at present shipping the
United States q large amount of coal,
and with American engineers in charge
and sufficient railroads coal could be
shipped to this country cheaper than 1t
can be mined here The health condi-
| tions IN the south and middle portions are
very trying, however. but in the north
are very good"