The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-16
THEIR WOMEN PROGRESSIVE
Returned Missionary in Relating Remin
iscences Of Fifteen Years Life in the
Orient Shows Marvellous Progress
Brought Celestials by Christianity.

"China is today passing through it's
forty years in the Wilderness and
will emerge to take its place among the
democracies of the world" was the
concise summary of the Chinese situa-
ton made by Rev. T. w. Mitchell, son
of Mr.. and Mrs. William Mitchell to
large audience at the Park Avenue
M. E. Church Sunday morning. The
Rev. Mitchell is visiting his parents and
his sister, Mrs. George Stephans, on
furlough from his work in the Orient,
where, for fifteen years, he has been
connected with the American Presbyte-
rian Mission of North China. He held
the intense interest of his audience as
he related "reminiscences of his fifteen
years life in China and the remarkable
progress that had been made in that
time. His words in regard to the flu
ture of the vast eastern hemisphere
have the weight of authority inasmuch
as he has just returned from the scene
of action and has gained deep insight
into the customs and desires of his
Pensioners of the yellow race.
The Rev. Mitchell in discussing the
present political crisis in China and it's
relation to the great war said that au-
tocracy and democracy were arrayed
against each other in the East just as
they are in Europe, and while there
were reactions, the ultimate trend Of
political affairs was toward republican
government, modelled after the freedom
of the United States It was regretted
by the speaker that Americans seemed
to be so little interested in the affairs
of China, although they related to more
than .one-third of the population of the
world The United States and it's
methods of government are under close
supervision of the new Chinese pro-
gressive party land it is used as model
for the republic which is to be.
In thepast fifteen years, one of the
most momentous incidents in the his
tory, as told by the speaker to the Ke-
nosha audience, was the change in the
intellectual and educational system of
the great eastern nation. Here, again
the United States has been taken as
a model and our great system of pub
lie schools is rapidly replacing the
four thousand year old examination
system for federal appointment which
was in vogue in China to it's detriment.
History in China in the last few de-
cades has been made in leaps and bounds
and one of the greatest incidents in
the waking of the country, which had
been considered dormant for centuries,
was when the late Empress Dowager,
with one stroke of the pen, did away
with the educational system which had
held the rank and file of China's mil
lions bound hopelessly by the letters of
ignorance. The speaker expressed SUI
preme confidence in the ability of the
celestials to take advantage Of the new
system and in time to produce intellec-
tual leaders worthy of the nation.
In dealing with the social changes
which had occurred in the orient dur
ing the speakers own experience, the
immediate abolition of the opium traf-
fic was credited for much of the prog
ress which China has known It was
pointed out that our own country might
learn despatch in dealing with the Hq-
uor problem and other vices, by copy
ing the n.tthods of the government of
China which in fifteen years had en-
tirely obliterated a business, which be-
cause of its universally had held mil
lions bound to the slavery of habit,
with so much success that today there
are but few instances, and all of these
illicit, of the sale of the damning drug
in China. Another great social change
made in the country was the new po-
sition ascribed to women in the East,
inasmuch as they have taken their place
much alongside with men and have
helped to bring about the complete re-
generation OF IH6lf sex. Inc divorce
laws, which for centuries held women
the slaves of men and their families, are
largely being repealed. The footbind-
ing, so long a part Of their worship and
customs, is becoming more and more
unpopular; women who were formerly
rarely seen in the ordinary walks of
life have now become frequent on the
streets and mingling with their neigh
bcrs and have brought the whole influ-
cree of their sex to lead in the prog
ress of China, force, (which one au-
thority has called the most potential
power in the regeneration of China =
In conclusion, Rev. Mitchell said that
all these changes had come as a result