Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-09-01

prepared by the National Geographic
Society, Washington, ID. CO
Canton, seat of government of Sun
Vat Sen, president of the "South China
Republic" which recently fell to sup
porters of the rival Picking govern
ment, Is the seed-bed in which the
first Western ideas sprouted In China
ideas which some optimistic observ-
ers believe will continue to grow until
the country is as fully Westernized as
Japan. There are now many centers
for the spread of Western culture In
China; but Canton will always retain
the interest that attaches to the point
If entry, and probably for long time
[ will continue to be the scene OF
Il safest progress
1t was in 1917 that Canton began
its relations with the West. In that
year, just twenty-five years after
Columbus discovered America. the
Portuguese obtained permission to
trade with the Cantonese. Later the
Dutch, the English, the French, and
finally, the Yankees sent their ships
and traders to the city. For a time
1t was the only city which the author
tiles of China permitted to have inter-
course with "the Western barbarians."
But the Canton door was not kept
open without heavy foot being thrust
In II from time to time. Chinese and
European commercial and government
al practices and general customs were
so different that they Inevitably
clashed when they first met. Such
heavy trading taxes were levied and
80 many restrictions imposed at this
first treaty port that European traders
were almost ruined. On their part the
westerners introduced opium against
the wishes of the Chinese officials, and
the general MISUNDERSTANDING led to
wars with England and France. AS
a result of the wars Canton was estab-
lished more and more firmly as China's
open door.
Canton's priority was not alone in
trade. The first Roman Catholic mis-
sionaries to China settled in 1911 at
Macao. a few miles down the river
from Canton, and ten years later be-
gan work In Canton itself. The city,
too. had one of the first Mohammedan
mosques to be established among the
Chinese; and there in 1907 the first
Protestant missionary to China settled.
It has since become one of the most
important missionary centers in the
country.
Contact with the occident.
Slight racial differences seem to have
more alert than the Chinese Of other
regions; but they undoubtedly have
been quickened and made more pro
gressive by the constant stimulus OF
contact with Westerners during the
past 400 years. A spirit of competi
ton and emulation was awakened
among the merchants and men in pub
| lie life which by degrees reflected it
self in numerous ways In the life Of
4 Canton. But above all things, thu
Western visitors aroused the curiosi
ty of the Cantonese, with the result
that they became the emigrants, pal
excellence of China Thousands o.
them have sojourned in the United
States and Canada. South America
South Africa, Australia and Europe.
More important still, in recent year
young Chinese have been returning
from the United States and Europ'
after a Western college training; an,
considerable proportion of them hav,
found their way to Canton. AS fixe'
as are the ways of China, these Chi
nese who have lived under Western
institutions or who have carefully stud
led Western ways, have not failed
when they have returned to their ma
tive city, to modify conditions in some
wise. 1t is not strange, then, tina
from Canton has come on numerou
occasions pressure against conservt
tive Picking for reform, and at time
. revolution. Some sort of breach bt
! tween north and south China was X
} evitable in recent years and 1t wa
equally Inevitable that Canton. grea'
} est city Of the South. should lend !
Although throughout most Of tn
400 years since the first contact wit
n Europeans, the leaven Of Wester
! ideaa has been working In Cantor
even as recently as three years az
It had done little to lit the teemin
: old city Of more than million SOU
: from Its thoroughly Chinese aprea
ance ana customs, Its narrow allie
like streets. none too clean. hemme
10 by low houses and set of by gres
black and gold and black and red sign
Y were the streets Of any typical On
j nsse town. Through them patfer(