The sun., 1919-09-24

trade presupposes internal developments
almost beyond the stretches OF our I'M
againations, yet developments quite
within the range OF her potentialltles
ana quite possible of contamination. In
the frst place, China must develop ACE
Quats communication facilities, which
mean roads, railways, waterways, tele-
graphs and posts OF equal importance
with railways are good roads. ROADS
are necessary feeders TO railways. 1t Is
gratifying to note the growth OF an IN
terest In China in good roads. Begin
nings have already been made. FOO.
chow, Changsha, Tsinanfu, Peldn and
Shanghai have lnaugurated work on
good roads. At Foochow II was found
that roads actually pay as business
proposition, as real estate values ad-
vance along the road and the license
fees on vehicles bring In a large rev.
enue There are at present In use In
the United States 100000 motor cars,
over half of which are owned and OPP
eratsd by the farming population, IN
dicative of good roads In the country,
which allow the farmers to get their
products TO the market economically and
sell them where they command the high
est prices. In all Of China there are less
than 10000 motor cars and less than
1000 miles Of good roads.
Unfortunately the attitude of foreign
nations toward railway building in China
has not been conducive to developments
In a larger way. The object OF rail-
way construction should be TO open the
country generally and to look for the
returns from these larger developments
rather than to treat the railway as
commercial asset In Itself. Railway
agreements have been so drawn as TO
present In actual practice obstacles TO
further railway developments on the part
of other interests. 1t will be necessary
in order TO open China's wonderful
wealth OF potentialities in commerce and
trade to the outside world that foreign
railway interests in China be lnterna-
tionalized and that spheres of influence
be abolished. China remains the only
country OF any size and population In
| the world to-day practically without
| railways. The comparatively few miles
| which the country has are veritable
gold mines when operated In a reason
| ably business like way. Hundreds OF
| thousands of square miles of fertile
| lands lie undeveloped and unoccupied In
China because of lack of railway trans
| portation facilities to render them ac-
cessible and open them to colonization
and development
| Improvements I'm Agriculture.
Next In Importance to transportation
| facilities are improvements in agricui.
/ ture and industry. The foundation of
China's prosperity depends upon its agri-
cultural wealth. At present II Is esti-
mated that about 10 per cent. OF tho
population is Agricultural. as compared
with "A per cent. in America. Nothing
Indicates more clearly DEVELOPMENTS in
the United States In agriculture than
does the fact that over $4,000 patents
have been granted on agricultural i'm
plements and machinery.
During the next few decades farming
In China will be revolutionized = II
keeps pace with the Industrial and COM
mercial progress OF the country. In the
first place the farmer will have to be
provided with facilities for getting loans
on reasonable terms. The present
usurious rates of % per cent and 80
per cent. will have to give way to rates
which will help rather than hinder agri-
cultural development. Cooperative buy
Ing and selling and cooperative farming
should replace the present Individuals
tic, competitive and wasteful system.
For instance, in the tea industry either
the tea manufacturers and growers will
have to buy up large tracts Of tea lands
and grow the tea or the small growers
will have to form cooperative associa-
tons.
The possibilities at present for the ex-
| tension OF the sales OF China teas in
America are unprecedented The coun-
try Is going dry and is seeking substi-
tutes for alcoholic beverages. Already
the consumption of tea has increa sed
from 100000 to $50. 900, 600 pounds
as result OF this condition, and dur
M fan lie - -
an increase to double this amount, or
SOC, 100000 pounds. Here is the China
teas greatest opportunity. but to meet II
tea manufacturers and merchants must
have standardized products, must not
be at the mercy of numerous middlemen
ana must unite for an advertising cam
psign in the United States otherwise all
tie advantages in the possibilities of In
crea sed consumption In America will GO
to India, Ceylon. Java and Japan. where
the tea interests are more enterprislng
and have more favorable conditions
among their producers
| Already some Chinese merchants have
purchased land and are trying to meet
the situatbon as described above. There
are evidences also Of the organization
among the China tea. interests OF a tea
association to further the trade develop
ment In this product which has such a
pib lutuTo peIOTo IT, IL Is TO De hoped
that the Chinese Government will in
terest itself in furthering this promising
Industry.
China is just -~-.gin9 from a
medi@val civilizn>I "a; its Industries,
ag1 iculture and commerce are still pre-
dcIninantly of the household, primitive
and individual sort Probably there are
less than 100, 900 persons in modern fac
tories in China to-day. as compared with
100000 in the United States II China
had proporttonate number in modern
Industrial plants. It would mean 10000
COO instead of 100.0 900. In It's public
sci. ools China has but 1000. 900, as CON-
pSred to Americas 100000 enrolled
China should have 10000, 900 children
enrolled in its schools IL II would be CIV
inG its children education in the same
measure that obtains in the United
States. China's backwardness In mod.
err industry is evidenced by a lack OF
| effective provision for the protection OF
ps tents and copyrights In the United
States 10000 patents are issued each
J year. Since the inception of the Ameri.
can Republic 100000 patents have been
issued.
The China OF the past gave, no en-.
enlargement to inventions and scientific
research, for the intellect of the nation
was cast in mould by a fixed system
OF education based on the classics, even.
tually producing a state OF mental stag.
nation throughout the whole country
The New China Is receptive, looks Il
tho future rather than to the past, anc
! the world will witness some marvellous
| dtyAlonTnanfa among n MANILA