South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-31

Former South Bend Man Tells
of Lives and Characteristics
of the Men and Women of
the Eastern Country.

Revealing the new China in strik-
ing manner by means Of figures and
apt comparisons, DR.. John Nelson
Mills. traveller and lecturer OF wide
reputation and a former South Bend
man. interested a large audience on
Thursday evening in the auditorium
OF the Progress club. the occasion be-
ing the annual evening meeting of
the club.
For $50 years" said Or. Mills.
since the Manchurians made the con-
quest OF the country, China has been
preparing for the revolution which
she accomplished so remarkably, with
little blOodshed and with little sur
viving enmity. Previous TO that con-
quest the Chinese kings were selected
by the people from among the hum
bier classes and was subject To re-
call. and TO expell the Manchurians
and return 20 this form OF govern
ment. the Chinese have been strug-
Cling ever since.
Two years ago, the tenth day Of
October, the first gun in the Chinese
revolution was fired. In that time.
four hundred thirty-five millions of
people have adopted a republican in
place Of a mOnarchial form of govern
ment. 1t took us seven years" said
DIT. Mills. Ito move three millions Of
people TO break away from a nation
that transported it's fighters across
the water in wooden ships. 1t took
rs six years TO frame our constitution;
IT took China six months. 1t took
France rs years to establish ner re-
public"
Republic Here to Stay.
That the republic is here TO stay.
DR.. Mills Is confident from his knowl-
edge % the Chinese people whom he
char cterizes as the sanest mentally,
the strongest physically and the clean
est morally of any people on the face
of the earth. In a congregation of
men from every nation Of the earth,
the Chinese men are superior 10 all
others, in dignity and pOise and this
ne assigns to two reasons: The Chi
naman's knowledge of his countrys
great age, and that it has always been
and will always be; and secondly the
Chinese education. Every year two
million Chinese men, those who have
proved superior in the schools OF the
land are sent TO Picking TO take the
stringent examination in the classics
of the country and the examination
for physical endurance which entails
nine days Of close confinement in
small cell with but little food.
As some Of China's contributions to
civilization. Dr. Mills listed printing,
The manufacture OF paper, gunpowder,
firearms. porcelain. silk. embroidery
the arch and reinforced concrete
structures. The first newspaper ever
published was the Picking Gazette
published in the year 713. when our
ancestors, said Mr. Mills, were liv-
ing in huts and some of them in caves.
and wearing skins for clothing,
Chinese emperor had collected a lib
rary of 200. 900 volumes Of Chinese
classics and the men who read them
were dressed IN embroidered silks"
Tells OF the Size.
To bring out the enormous size of
the Chinese population, DIT Mills said
that II all the Chinese Joined hands
they would encircle the globe at the
equator ten times.
In Picking last year he attended a
suffrage meeting at which were as
sembled 500 women and 1000 men,
interested in the question OF woman
suffrage.
Or. Mills was a member Of the
first graduating class of the South
Bend high school and each year pre-
sents 20 the school a medal which is
awarded TO the student taking the
highest honors in mathmatics. He is
remembered by a large number of
South Bend people and an informal
reception during which he renewed
his acquaintance followed the meet
ing last evening. Another pleasing
feature of the meeting were vocal
solos by Gerald Hunt. DR.. Mills is a
graduate OF Wabash and of Princeton
and travels and lectures at his own
expense in the interest of the Chris
tan movement in the orient