Gilpin observer., 1916-05-18
@HE great province of Kwang-
tung, third in size of the eight
cen political divisions of China

tung, tnlr0 III size Oh the eIgnt-
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 1t is not sur
prising that its people should be
pendence from the national govern
ment, says a bulletin of the National
Geographic society.
1t 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 a 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 Honrkong.
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 Canton's relation to the Chi
nese nation in 1912 and that of Paris
to provincial France in 1888.
Population 10 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-
latjcn 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 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
chases that beans and peanuts are sold
Dy lnu1vlOuaI 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 a 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.
ialiohS Will tHe uatiOn OF navlBatorS.
The mission was successful and the
visitors were allowed to enter the har-
Dor 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. 1t
was not until 1885 that the emperor
finally sanctioned trade relations with
Great Britain, naming Canton as the
only port Of entry.
Few Foreigners In Canton.
or Canton's population. variously es-
timated at from 100000 to 1900 900,
only about 400 are foreigners. most
of whom reside In the Sha-mein set.
tlement, an artificial island reclaimed