The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-01
ny FREDERICK Il. SITES.
(ReDrinfed fro,a "Asid.")


Tourists in China and even old resi-
dents generally pass by Nan-tung Chow
n city on the Yanstse River, which ha,
not been open to foreign business as
treaty port. Consequently comparativel,
few people are aware that a communit,
which may exert powerful influence OF
the whole Of China as a practical exam.
pie Of modern achievement is to bt
found there. All the changes have beer
| wrought so quietly under Chinese lead
ership that even one of the most aler
American educators in China heard Of
them with surprise and keen interest
! This quietness of action is typical of ths
| modesty of the man of classic letters
his Excellency Chang Chen, whose un.
| selfish progressive leadership makes hin
stand out in the whole of China.
Chang CHEN is the~son of a modest
farmer of Kiangsu Province. The gen.
| crosby of his elder brother enabled hin
as child and as youth to study the
classics. He attained one high literary
degree after another by passing with
| credit the old style examinations, until
he ranked in honor above every one else
save only the Emperor and the Empress
| Dowager.
Until he was nearly As years Of age
and that was about twenty years ago-he
did not enter actively into Industrial life
Like some of our own great men who
| have recently become world leaders, he
| lived an academic life as a professor
| and head of colleges in provincial CAPT.
| tails. Later, however. when China had
thrown off the burden of the Manchu
and when his friend, Yuan-Shi-kai, had
| become President, he was persuaded to
enter off1ce-first as High Commissioner
| of the Salt Administration, then as
Director of the Hwai River Conservancy
and finally as Minister of Agriculture
Forestry and Commerce.
A Leader in Conservation.
1t was in this last position that he
found the opportunity to put into execu-
| ton long contemplated projects, which
he entered upon with great enthusiasm
He mapped out agreat conservancy plan
| in which the cooperation of the Ameri-
| can Red Cross was enlisted, for reclaim.
Ing hundreds of square miles of land
the prey of the Hwai River foods. He
established two experimental farms for
the Improvement of cotton, wheat and
other crops in the several climatic zones
Of China and for the development OF a
better grade OF livestock. He developed
special banking facilities to encourage
industrial development.
But after a promising start it became
evident that the President, Yuan Shin
k'ai, was losing interest, due apparently
to his absorption In his own personal af-
fairs. Chang Chen found that it was
futile for him to continue to try to
carry out his great projects. He there
fore gave up national affairs to retire
| to his own home district and city, dis
appointed but determined to make his
own locality a model one, a definite pat
tern which might be followed in otner
cities in China.
Nan-tung Chow lies upon the north
shore of the Yangtse River, about 100
miles from Shanghai. Recently an OPP
portunity presented itself for making
pilgrimage to this Mecca of Chinese
progress. The visit was arranged and
| an appointment was made to meet his
EXceliency Chang Chen.
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