The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-23

4 \ lions Of the earth, slumbering
peacefully for centuries and
now awakening to life as 1t ts-that
is China to-day as seen by John c.
Uhrlaub of New York. who has just
returned from m extended trip in the
Orient. China, he adds. Is at present
just where Japan was thirty years
ago 50 far as the rest Of the world
is concerned, excepting that she has
between $50, 600. 900 and 400. 000. 900 Of
inhabitants, with boundless
and practically limitless trade posi-
billties; and furthermore. China be-
lieves implicitly that its one true and
tried friend is the United States Of
America.
There Is every reason why hint
should so regard u.s." Mr.. Uhrlaub
continued. "She knows that Ameri-
cans have never attempted to despoil
her. to loot her Of art or other treas
ures, to force a horrible curse like the
soul destroying opium habit on her
innocent and ignorant people or to
seize with iron fist milliards Of In
demnity, so called. on one pretext or
another.
always and ever has China felt
that Uncle Sam was her big brother,
O brother as courageous as he Is teal-
Gus Of her real welfare. When We re-
turned the Boxer indemnity China re-
allied that here. at last. was a nation
which would stand by her, protecting
her honor as II guarded its own. ex-.
tending a need Of sympathy as prac-
teal as 1t was extensive. And from
that day China has looked up to the
United States with absolute faith and
tr%ustfulness.
as 1t any wonder that a visitor from
the United States should find not only
an open door but a heartfelt welcome
awaiting him throughout the length
and breadth Of the Chinese Republic?
AT least that vas my W experience,
and I doubt not that 1t could be dupli-
Gated in hundreds and thousands OF
others.
"A curious. fascinating land Is
China; backward in very many re-
spects. yes: but in many respects up
to date, alive to the present, looking
forward eagerly to the future. Much
of the pomp and circumstance are
gone. with its wealth of color and pic
turesaueness; and in place thereof l
saw evidences Of a simplicity almost
Spartanllke. For example. 1t was my
privilege to have audience with the
Minister of Finance. Chow. at Pekin'
and with his assistant Minister, l.. u
Chang, q graduate of the University
of Wisconsin. The reason for grant
ing me the audience was this: Owing
in part to the European war, emma
Is facing the possibility that before
long she Will be unable to carry on
any extensive trade with the United
States. for the simple a that she
cannot get ships for cargoes Sent mere
and others sent back there,
"Some glimmering Of this. possibility
had occurred to me when l went over
last November, and the impression was,
strengthened by a conversation l had
with an Englishman resident in emma
the head of what Is perhaps the larG-
est importing and exporting hous IN
China and Japan. This gentleman saw
even earlier than I the imperative
necessity Of providing some means OF
shipment for cargoes carrying TRACE
between China and the United States,
and after talking with him ana
through the kindness of the American
Minister, s. =. Reinsch, in Pekin
vas enabled TO meet Minister CHOW
and Mr.. Chang. Nothing could more
forcibly Illustrate the transition period
in which China now finds herself.
.sThe Minister of Finance Is OF course
one of the most powerful men in the
country. The day I called upon him
was cold, mercury registering about
Is degrees below freezing. l was
ushered into an anteroom, which had
a dirt floor. There was no carpet: an
oval table and eight or nine plain
chairs constituted all Of the furniture
excepting for an old, cheap iron stove
off in a corner of the room. There
was no glass in the window frames,
oiled paper serving instead.
ct found the Minister of Finance
in his inner room. There he sat at
a little, simple, cheap desk, amid the
simplest OF surroundings. ! noticed
that while the walls of the Dom had
been papered, yet in one corner the
paper hung down in shreds. Here also
/ found no carpet on the floor, but In
a corner was the counterpart Of the
inexpensive iron stove seen in the
outer room,
"On the Minister'S desk was a hand
bell that had been broken and was
tied together with a bit of wire, and
near it were inkstand and penholders
Of the cheapest kind that you can
imagine. All the pomp and richness
of the old Manchu dynasty was gone.
Embroidered gowns and luxuriant pea
cock feathers were things OF the past,
as I realized as soon AS l entered and
gave a single glance at the Minister.
after greeting me with true cour-
tesy he commenced to speak Of the