The log cabin Democrat., 1916-05-17
NHE great province of Kwang- tung, third in size of the eight
 cen political divisions of China

cen political divisions of China
 proper, in modern times has been the center of many of the polit- ical activities which have disturbed the Celestial empire, and it is not sur prising that its people should be among the first to declare their inde- pendence from the national govern ment, says a bulletin of the National Geographic society.
 It was in this province that the young China movement had its birth in 1895. The secret societies of Can ton, the capital, practically financed the revolution which followed, result ing seventeen years later in the over throw of the Manchu dynasty and the establishment of republic with Doc tor Sun Yat-sen as the first president. Doctor Sun himself came from Can ton and was the first graduate of the College of Medicine at Hongkong
 The Cantonese have been an in- spiration to phrasemakers for years. Because of their gift for political or ganization they have been called the Irish of China" while their penchant for political unrest has caused them to be dubbed the rebellion makers in ordinary to the Chinese people" His torians see striking analogy be- tween Cantons relation to the Chi nese nation in 1912 and that of Paris to provincial France in 17S9.
 Population Is Very Dense.
 Many factors have contributed to the unrest in the province of Kwang- tung, one of the most important be- ing the struggle for sheer existence in state which with an area equal to South Dakota has to support a popu- lation fifty times as great.
 Canton itself is a city of seething humanity with streets so narrow that only coolies can be employed as beasts of burden" A large percent age of the people live in small boats which form a floating floor on the thick waters of the Pearl river. So precious is space that the shops are reduced to mere boxes so close is the margin of profit and so small the pur- chases that beans and peanuts are sold by individual count.
 Geographically, the two provinces Of kwang-si and Kwang-tung are cut of from northern and central China by mountain ranges which are mod. erately rich in minerals-iron, gold and cheap grade of coal. The soil is fertile and some of the chief prod. ucts are sugar, cocoanuts and betel nuts. Silk, firecrackers, mating, gin ger and palm-leaf fans are the chief exports.
 The Cantonese were among the first Chinese people to come in general contact with the outside world The Arabs reached the shores of the mari. time province in the tenth century and soon these hardy sailors were act. ing as captains of Chinese junks sail ing to Manila, Java, Borneo and Siam The first Europeans to reach Canton by sea were the Portuguese. Two years before Cortez landed in Mexico Emanuel, king of Portugal, sent an ambassador with eight ships around the Cape of Good Hope to induce the emperor of China to sanction trade re lations with the nation of navigators The mission was successful and the visitors were allowed to enter the har bor of Canton.
 More than hundred years later the English arrived and met with hostile reception on account of recent rup. ture in the friendly relations between the Portuguese and the natives. It was not until 1885 that the emperor finally sanctioned trade relations with Great Britain, nasaing Canton as the only port of entry.
 Few foreigners in Canton.
 Of Canton s population, variously es. timated at from 900,000 to 1,500 coo only about 400 are foreigners, most of whom reside in the Sha-mein set. t.cmel., an artificial island reclaimed