Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-06-12
HOLDING CHINA BACK
Clan System Responsible for Ab-
senCe of Development
Traditions That Belong to the Remote
Past Have All the Sanctity of a
Religion-Aneesto Worship
Also to Blame.

N China II family desires to take
advantage of the modern improve
ments and ideas, 1t has countless OBJ
stacles to overcome. First OF all.
there is the conservative traditional
ruling of the Chinese family clan to
be surmounted. The members OF the
clan may number several thousands,
and no family Is supposed to adopt any
innovation unless the entire clan
agree to the procedure. These native
clans are presided over BY certain
elders. who possess arbitrary author
IT. to dictate the policy OF the clan
Their powers extend even to capital
punishment. When they deem any
project unwise or unnecessary for one
or Two families OF their entire clan.
the matter Is usually settled and sat
upon" by their arbitrary rulings.
As these clan elders are among the
aged type of the Celestial, with afro
phsed mental processes as well as an
utterly withered spirit Of youth, they
are always counted upon to remain
On the side OF well-seasoned Chinese
precedent.
The traditions OF the native clans,
like those OF the family unit. arc not
considered matters OF mere conye-
nlence These traditions. In reality.
possess the sanctity OF religion. IL il
simply another form Of the eyer-pres-
ant ancestor worship. It Is this latter
which forms such tremendously ef-
fecflve barrier against innovation and
change among the MongoIiana.
When the parent OF family dies,
IL Is not SO much matter OF rever-
ence for parental memory that keeps
the living family members In the patho
of righteousness which the parent was
supposed to tread II lie rather fear
which the children possess OF offend
ing the evii spirits IL the memory OF
the dead one Ia not properly reyered-
II enc lone native should dare depart
from the ways approved by his clan,
tho elders Immediately work upon the
supersfltioua fears OF the most igno-
rant members. These latter are fed
with malicious destinations to the ef-
feet that the erring one who dares
adopt anything new viii surely bring
curse down upon the whole com
munity. THUS II has been that the
constraint OF one generation has been
handed down unchanged to those OF
successive generations.
As you travel about and observe the
yellow man IN his native environment
and SEQ conditions at first hand. you
are not surprised al the astounding
and archaic conservatism OF the Chi
naman IL Is indeed time for great
awakening. and our missionaries. as
usual. are In the vanguard promoting
the doctrine OF modern education. But
the undermining OF China Is tremen-
dously hard nut 20 crack.
About one OF the most powerful
levers to give China another jolt would
be To introduce. by some method. sew
erai hundred millions OF bathtubs.
with runningwater systems attached.
This invitation TO wash their fithy
bodies would give some OF the old
clan fossIls such a severe shock that
they could not possibly recover. II
would be a great thing for China II a
lot OF these withered clan elders could
be Induced 10 die from fright brought
on By fear OF good. healthy. cleans
ing bath. They wouldn't continue TO
block progress. as they now do
Clyde Wilmer.