Evening star., 1920-02-29
PRIDE OF THE CHINESE
CENTERS IN SFIANTUNG
Land Where Confucius and Mencius Were
Born and Embraces Sacred Noun
tain of the Shan.

Moftke. Bismarck and Dicderich.
given to hills In the near neighbor-
hood. 1t must be CALLING to any Ger
man to reflect that all OF these i'm
provements were initiated. and most
Of them completed. by his country
men. and that now all public build
ings and improvements, with most OF
those which were in private owner
ship. have passed to the Japanese, who
have acquired, in addition, practically
all the available water front and the
most valuable localities for business.
Future Maritime Center.
Tsingtao is certainly destined to he
come one of the most important mari
time centers in tho far east In addi-
tion to its commercial use. it is be-
coming the most popular seashore re-
sort in China.
A railway 25s miles in length to
Tsinanfu. the capital of ShantunG
province. was built by the Germans
and opened for traffic July 1, 1904 1t
is now operated by the Japanese gov
ernment. and it is not too much to
say that it altogether surpasses the
Chinese railways in its roadbed and
equipment and in provision for the
comfort of passengers.
Leaving Tsingtao. which is by no
means a Chinese city. or hardly an
oriental city, this railway passes
through the province Of Shantung.
The traveller will be fortunate if he
enters China by this route. for it is
typical OF the best portions Of the
country. The population is concen-
trated in towns surrounded by wallis.
Detached buildings outside are rare.
The Germans planted trees along
the right of way in some places SO
thick as to shut of the view of the
adjacent country. Cities Of 10000 in
habitants or more may be located
near to the stations which accommo-
date them. which are scarcely visible
from the train. In the earlier part of
the route the adjoining land is nat.
and as bare of structures and trees
as the prairies Of the west in their
had passed. but a swarm of laborers
with coarse brooms were sweeping
the fields. over which beforehand they
had gone with rakes. gathering up
every bit of stubble or roots, to be
used for fuel.
Garry Tramc Over Marrow Paths
There are practically no ROADS. by,
only narrow paths on which burdens
are carried on the back or on one
wheeled carts or barrows. The most
distinctive feature in the highly cul-
tivated fields is the multitude of bur
ial mounds. two to four feet in height.
looking like small hay ricks. These
are scattered indiscriminately. many
Of them kept fresh by the frequent
addition Of earth. and in places are SO
numerous as to diminish substantially
the area available for agriculture.
With this exception every square yard
is utilized:
Nearer to the center Of the province
these mounds are concentrated, some
times interspersed with trees. and p
larger share of them are furnished
with headstones. The ground be-
comes more undulating as We ap-
proach the capital. Mountains are
visible, which. unlike those of Japan,
are bare and bleak.
At evening the traveller reaches the
city of Tsinanfu, where the railway
joins a Chinese railway connecting
DoL;n0 nj sr;a m tuiu m fh> nort D With
Pukou. opposite to Nanking. on the
south, whence q line extends to
Shanghai. the leading commercial en-
trepot Of China Only SIX miles away
is the Hoangho. the second river of
China. very wide and shallow. the
River Platte of Nebraska on a much
larger scale.
Tsinanfu is indeed a Chinese city.
having a population Of 100000 and a
record as a capital of a province or
principality for more than 5000 years
1t is made up of an older portion sur
rounded by massive walls Of great
antiquity and newer portion built
since the city was opened to foreign
trade in 1906, and covering some 200
acres with modern streets and
spacious shops. The older portion has
very narrow streets paved with broad
fiat stones
1t will be we'll for the American
trader to recognize that this city is
now on the map, not merely as a po-
litical center. but as tho commercial
center of very productive region.
The central position Of Shantung
province is so important and its popu-
lation and resources so considerable
that the dominant position Of any for
eign power here would seriously
threaten the dismemberment Of China.
1t is the practically universal opin-
ion that the control exercised by
Japan since the expulsion Of the Ger
mans. In tho autumn Of 1914. has been
moro severe ana much moro exten-
sfve than that Of their predecessors.
Tho Germans were at FIRST somewhat
ruthless. Clashes occurred in which
Chinese were killed. But about the
year 1905 a more lenient policy was
adopted. Tho inhabitants were treat
ed with marked consideration. In
the operation of tho railway a German
chief engineer. with subordinate en-
gineers and inspectors. was at the
head of tho organization. but the Sta
ton mAstera. ticket vendors and col
lectora, conductors and their subordi-
mates vere Chinese Chinese ALSO
were utilized for police service. Last