Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-02
Missionary Discovers Some
Twenty Previous Unknown
Races in Western China
Dr. Beech Tells of Unexplored Country of Beautiful
Valleys, Covered with Fine Farms and Homesteads
The Architecture Is Foreign to China and Re-
sembles the Ancient Feudal Castles of
Normandy.

HIMSELF Each tribe has its ehieftain
but there is no national head and
China exercises only nominal SOW
ereignty.
"Quarrels are settled on horseback
by means of blunderbusses, spears,
bags of stones and broadswords. The
enemies challenge one another and
at a given signal ride full tilt on
small, wiry ponies, at each other,
1t is seldom that both combatants
escape alive but the survivor is re-
CURED to feed and clotbe the family
OF his dead adversary as long as
they live and this makes duels'
rare. In many respects these COM
bats resemble the tournaments Of
the middle ages"
Dr. Beech said that while he be-
lieved he had penetrated further
into this section of western China
than any other white man he re-
GREETED that he had not gone still
further. "For my guide" said he,
said that four or five days journey
beyond there were tribesmen near
Sungpan, who are just like you are
That is, natives who appeared like
Americans" Their dress, CONVEX
sation and mode of living, of course,
he said, was characteristic of the
country.
"How so many different types Of
people located there is a problem
for the ethnologist," resumed Dr.
Beech. Zone theory is that they
represent all the warning tribal eleA
ments that have come into the con-
tinent of Asia and driven by the
Mongols and Tarters, made their
last stand in this natural refuge be-
tween India, China and the northern
part of Asia.
Urges Christian Influence.
each tribe is independent Of the
other, all speak a patois of Thibetan
and Turkestan, and their religion
seems to be animistic or that of the
Llamas. The most numerous are
the Lolos, which, again are subdi-
vided into. smaller tribes. Others
are the Macs, who are polyandrous
or polygamous. These people, be-
lieve, are responsive to Christian in
fiuences and kind treatment and $50
missionaries would bring to them
the enlightenment they so much
need. Nothing has ever been done
for them by civilization.
"All Of the natives are farmers or
herdsmen. The latter raise huge
numbers Of goats, hundreds of thou
sands of which can be seen on the
mountain sides. Recently, or since
the Chinese have equipped their
army with modern rifles, the
Chinese have opened up trading
with the 'tu-ren' and now vast
quantities of raw wool and hides are
being exchanged. The Chinese. too.
are utilizing some of the valleys TO
raise opium, but this is done with
out the approval of the Picking gov
eminent"
Speaking of the possibilities for
expanding trade in the Orient. Dr..
Beech declared China alone could
enable the great powers to recoup
their war losses. "They are
hungry for American goods" he
said, land the field is unlimited. The
Chinese people are highly cultured.
even the poor coolies, and they de.
sire only the best things. China Is
rich in untold undeveloped re-
sources. Make it possible TO de-
velop the resources of China and
the Chinese people will become The
greatest aggregation Of purchasers
in the world"