The Detroit times., 1913-11-18

:. HOW that Sfae HIS dfoppSd- the tSttet@
/; OF royalty, will become the greatest
OF all the nations OF the earth--yes,
even greater than the United States.
This is the answer OF famous Dr
WI, the first citizen OF China" |
had called on him In his palace OH
the hills of Shanghai--called tc ask
him what he thought Of the destiny
OF New China At first Dr. WI re-
fused, as a private citizen" to com.
ment on the doings of the officials
OF the first great oriental republic and
their works, but at last consented be.
cause, as he said. "he liked to talk
to his best friends. the Americans"
"Education-general education is
our first need and our greatest need.
IL Is the imperative need OF any coun-
try where the people rule. To rule
well presupposes trained minds. Chi
nese minds must be trained. Think
what a republic OF 100000 educat-
ed people will make.
"Of course, we all are great takers
I'VE Chinese" exclaimed DR.. WI.
and often the commonest men In the
country are the best orators But
education means more than just talk
until China mean the common mil.
lions-are educated We shall still be
compelled to remain a backward ma
ton. That is, SO far as II affects
western civilization. But think we
have shown the world that we have
men with brains.
I'VE have sent out young men 10
the universities of America and Eu.
rope, and 1t Is not an uncommon
thing for them to take honors in open
competition. We know the Chinese
people can learn. but they have not
been given the chance.
But we must remember that II Is
In the masses OF the people that we
have our strength. The scholars say
that they will do this and they will
do that. but the scholars in China
have always been famous as fine talk
ers and sometimes they have not been
numbered among the doors. Dealing
with primary and middle schools is
by far the more important"
do you think that the returned
scholars, those who have been to ia
pan and America. are doing as much
as they might towards the educating
OF the people?" l asked. There are
not many of them who devote their
lives to teaching, are there?"
well. not q great number. These
men are ambitious and desire to get
on for themselves. You do not md
are prepared. merely for the love OF
the thing. to 90 In for teaching. They
60 ont into the world and make
money and are successful In all Or
rections Of trade. The same with our
returned students. They are men OF
exceptional attachments, but the coun-
try 10 needing them to help guido
this old ship Alright.
education has always been carried
on by private enterprise in China.
Now that time has changed, and the
government 10 anxious to adopt west
ern education III its entirety. The
new minister OF education 10 concen.
trating upon this. and will have eie-
mentary education introduced
throughout the whole country"
Compulsory education-can that be
brought about?"
An smiled DIR. WI. III it can be
brought about II will be very capl.
tai thing for China but Il will take
time. The Chinese masses cannot IN
derstan6 at once that compulsory ed-
ucation IL necessary, and Il 10 dim
cult for them to grasp 1t owing to the
fact that for centuries education has
been conducted along totally difZer.
emit lines"
Dr. WI was very kind In his re-
marks towards missionary work OF
every description and declared that
tho missionaries have always been
the pioneers Of education and medi-
cine In China.
Probably it was due q great deal
to their influence that the Manchu
dynasty was able to be overthrow
two years ago In the revolution" he
said. THE missionaries and the Y.
NJ. c. "A great educative force
here-really taught our people most
OF what they know about occidental
forums of free government.
MANY people were surprised 1t the
ease with which the Manchu dynasty
was overthrow" he said. They
thought the Manchus could never be
abolished. But . new spirit had long
been silently growing In China. The
new spirit has come about through
contact with the missionaries and
other foreigners. II grew slowly. but.
when the great blow was struck. the
people rose up az a mass In favor OF
Q better order OF things
II do not blame the Manchus,
though. They should be pitied for
their ignorance. They did not under.
stand the common people"
n
chance for reform now than there
was under the Manchus?"
why wouldn't there be? But we
must 60 slowly and carefully. The
trouble with some Of the Young China
party is that they wish to run before
they learn to walk"
WI Ting's greatest fear seems to
be that the new republican govern
ment will unite the church and state.
Some great men In China desire
I to make Confucianism the state re-
iigion." he said. But there are many
Mohammedans and Buddists In China
What will we do with them II we
onicialise Confucianism?
"And besides. It's against the con-
stitution--and the constitution should
not be violated in 30 extraordinary q
degree"
what about Christisnityr ask
cd.
There has never been state re-
ligion in China" he said. why nave
one nowr Christianity has done so