Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-18
Former Minister to the United
States Discusses Problems
of New Republic.
BY EDWIN j. DlNOLE

SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 18.-"Let
us once get our masses educated az
Americans are educated and China,
now that she has dropped the letters
of royalty, will become the greatest
of all the nations of the earth-yes,
even greater than the United Statesl"
This Is the answer of famous DR..
WI, the first citizen of China"
had called on him in his palace on
the hills of Shanghai-called to ask
him what he thought of the destiny
of New China" At first DIR. 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 Americass."
"Education-general education 10
our first need and our greatest need.
1t is the imperative need of any coun-
try where the people rule. To rule
we'll presupposes trained minds. Chi
nese minds must be trained. Think
what republic of 300,000,O00 educated
people will makel
Need for Education.
"Of course we all are great talk
ers-we Chinese" exclaimed DIR. WI,
land often the commonest men In the
| country are the best orators; but edu-
cation means more than just talking,
and we must bring 1t about, for until
| China-I mean the common millions
are educated we shall still be COM
| PEELED to remain a backward nation.
That Is. so far as 1t affects western
| civilization; but / think we have
shown the world that we have men
with brains.
I'VE have sent out young men to
/ the universities of America and
| Europe, 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 it 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
takers and sometimes they have not
been numbered among the doors
Dealing with primary and middle
schools is by far the more impor-
tant."
Men Are Ambitious.
seDo you think that the returned
scholars. those who have been to
Japan and America, are doing as
much as they might towards the edu-
eating of the people?' asked
There are not many of them who
devote their lives to teaching, are
there?"
'well, not a great number. These
men are ambitious and desire to get
on for themselves. You do not find
many men in your own country who
are prepared, merely for the love OF
the thing, to go in for teaching. They
go out into the world and make
money and are successful in all d.
rections of trade. The same with ouI
exceptional attachments, but the
country is needing them to help guide
this old ship Alright.
Education has always been car
ried on by private enterprise in China
Now that time has changed, and the
government is anxious to adopt West
ern education in its entirety. The new
minister of education is concentrat-
ing upon this, and will have elemen-
tary education introduced throughout
the whole country"
Not Ready for Compulsion.
Compulsory education-can that
be brought about?"
"Ah," smiled DIR. WI, of 1t can be-
brought about it will be a very CAPT.
tai thing for China, but 1t will take
time. The Chinese masses cannot un-
derstand at once that compulsory ed
ucation is necessary, and it is difficult
for them to grasp it owing to the
fact that for centuries education has
been conducted along totally different
lines"
DR.. WI was very kind In his re-
marks towards missionary work OF
every description and declared that
the missionaries have always been
the pioneers of education and medi-
cine in China.
Probably 1t was due a great deai
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. G. "A great educative force here
really taught our people most Of
what they know about occidental
forms of free government.
New Spirit in China.
Many people were surprised at the
ease with which the Manchu dynasty
was overthrown." he said. 'They
thought the Manchus could never b,
abolished. But a new spirit had Ions
been silently growing in China. The
new spirit came about through con.
tact with the missionaries and othel
foreigners. 1t grew slowly, but wher
the great blow was struck, the PEG
pie rose up as a mass In favor of {
better order of things.
II do not blame the Manchus
though. They should be pitied To-
their ignorance. They did not under
stand the common people,
You think there Is better chanc,
for reform now than under the Man
chus3'