Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-09-04
INTEREST Inc LET.
TER RON T.. 4. HER.
SCHLEB IN CHINA
Kuling, via Kiukiang, China.
July %, 1913.


Mr.. F. J. Wood,
Grand Rapids, Wisconsin.
Dear Mr.. Wood:
All this long time since I have
been in China, I have steadily had
it in mind to write you, but from
the third day after l landed in China
was plunged into a study of the
Chinese Vernacular, and I have been
hard at it ever since. We are now
spending the summer in the noun
tains near Kiukiang just off the ia
nous Yangstze river. Here we es-
cape the tremendous heat of the
lowlands and thus insure good
health for the summer.
We have thus far thoroly enjoyed
our life in China, there being so
many pleasant surprises for u.s. Our
idea of China was very limited when
we left the States. We expected to
find land for the most part barren,
treeless, grassless, hot, densely pop
ulated and with no modern conven-
fences. Imagine our surprise when
we landed in Shanghai to find
fine foreingn city of some $4,000
foreigners, splendid buildings,
streets, car lines, etc. Two days
later We boarded the Express Train
for Nanhng and found the train
fully as comfortable as any in the
States with all conveniences. Nan
king, we found delightful city, fine
wide streets, trees, grass, and a
splendid foreign community of some
300 people. There we were priVileg
ed to meet many from the States wht
were either touring the world and
came to Marking for sight seeing or
came especially to China, as a stu
dent of conditions. We heard quite
number of men of marked ability
lecture on various subjects, all of
which helped to introduce us to China
in a pleasant manner.
Here at Kuling we have a resort
of some 1000 foreigners who came
here to spend their vacation. I am
enclosing a post card which will give
you some idea of the place. Here
the air is always quite cool in the
is very warm 1t is not like Ameri- |
can air can assure you, for it is
not as satisfying.
- At t4ao present time China is
again troubled within. For the past
two weeks we have been cut off from
communication with Kiukiang which
is fifteen miles from KuIing on the
river. Between the mountain and
the city several days of fighting took
place. At the present time, how
ever, We understand that the North
ern troops have been withdrawn and
we are again in communication with
the outside world. We have had
nothing to fear whatever, for there
is no feeling of hostility to the for
eigner.
You, perhaps by this time, have
read of the difficulties in your daily
papers. There seems to be a gen
eral feeling that a real civil war is
at hand between the North and
South For some time we could see
that something would happen be-
cause Of the strained relations be-
tween the resident Yuan Shi Kai
and the southern provinces. The
President is quite conservative While
the south is real progressive and
want Republic in the fullest sense
of the word-a thing which seems
impossible just now. On the other
hand, the President is stubborn,
suspicious, and will trust no one but
himself. His actions for the past
months led the Chinese people to
think that he wishes to establish a
dictatorship. He has always been
soldier and rather likes a fight
whether it be on the field or in the
legislative halls. China is looking
to America as the model for recon
structing her government and what
they want is a Republic. We can
/ mot say now what the present fight
| ing will bring in results for the
country, for we do not know what
attitude the powers are going TO
take. Japan seems to be encourag-
| ing the difficulty, Russia is doing all
| she can to give her trouble, England
| looks upon China as perhaps she
| looked upon India some years ago.
America alone seems to be willing
to lend a helping hand. If the
powers keep their distance we feel
that order will come out of the
present bad state Of affairs and Chin
| will be the better for it. It is dis
gusting to see the stronger powers
constantly doing all they can to pre-
vent the rise of nation which is
making a huge effort to establish
itself.
We have grown to like the Chinese
people. John, the Chinaman" We
meet at home gives Us no idea OF
his people as they are at their home
here in China. They are a patient,
industrious, jovial, and above all
peace loving people. When We reach
China personally and understand som
of the gross misdeeds done her by
other countries for these long years
we wonder why there has not been
| three Boxer Uprisings instead of
Only one. If We should wake up
some morning and find Canada court
ing with the state of Maine, and
| already in possession Of the city Of
Portland Germany nicely settled in