The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-09-01

| the bare feet OF coolies like those of
their countless predecessors whose cal
loused soles have worn deep channels
In she flagstones. Along the river
banks are still anchored acres and
acres OF small, brown, fimsy boats in
each of which a family lives as their
ancestors did in the time of Marco
Polo.
After Canton was made the seat of
government for the Southern Repub-
lie of China" changes in It's appearance
were rapid. In place of the old sys-
tenn Of government in which the rul-
ing of the city was merely incidental
To the government Of the province, u
carefully worked out municipal govern
ment was constructed with all the mod
ern trimmings. 1t might be described
as a sort of combination Of the Amer
lean commission plan with n capital
istic Soviet system. A young Chinese
graduate Of two American colleges,
who had specialized in the study OF
municipal government, was made may
or. With Il commission Of six depart
mcnt heads he formed the executive
body. Canton's board Of aldermen"
who took charge Of legislation under
The new regime, was called the Munich
pal Advisory council. OF It's 30 mem
bcrs, ten were appointed by the gov
ernOr Of the province, ten chosen in Il
general election, and ten were elected
by certain groups including the cham
Der of commerce, the educational as
ISOLATION, doctors, lawyers, engineers
and labor guilds.
Modernizing the City.
In the few years this government
lasted 1t left its mark on ancient Can
ton. Where only narrow alleys exist
ed before, tho. sands of houses were
RACED and $oaG streets put through;
canals were filed in to make other
t~horoughfares; and finally the old city
wall, crumbling with the age Of CEN
turtles, vas torn down, and al encirc-
ling boulevard constructed on it's site.
The old wall had its usefulness In
death, for its stones were broken up
and the material used to surface the
city'S new streets. The city govern
mcnt Of Canton eve provided public
parks-a hitherto unheard OF thing for
a Chinese city to do.
But though In eXternals Canton has
seen many changes in the past few
years, its customs cling ~tenaciously.
The food Of a large part Of the Cam
ton populace is not that OF America.
In the markets one may buy not only
the flesh Of cattle and horses, but al
SO that Of dogs and snakes. And an
order for "cat meat" In a Canton mar
ket doesn't mean hat the house pet
Is to be fed; 1t means just what 1t
says. The gourmet shopping in Can
ton may have the choice OF rats OF
the hOof" In cages, or may purchase
the more convenient article with It's
long curled tail. And If this variety
In meats Is not enough, he will find
for sale the flesh Of lizards and the
fins Of sharks, and by way of meats
substitutes, ancient eggs and dried Oy-N
sters.
The view which one gets Of Canton
from the few high vantage points dis
closes a city of innumerable low, fiat
topped houses, with here and there Il
tower breaking the monOtony. Two
of these belong to a Christian cathe-
dral, one to q Mohammedan mosque,
and most Of the remainder, strangely
enough, to the shops of Chinese pawn
brokers. The construction of these
shops in the form Of towers is said to
be in order that the ~valuables which
they contain may be more easily guard
ed. In late years, too, n few Office
buildings and department stores have
been constructed on the American
plan; and these, at least relatively to
the sea of low dwellings, are "sky-
scrapers."
Canton has been quick to take adj
vantage of the opportunities that It's
recent boon Of wide streets has given.
Where a few years ago chairs borne
on the shoulders Of coolies constituted
the only form Of human transportation
through the narrow alleys, now auto
mobiles and Omnibuses whisk about
on the broadways. OF course through
out much Of the city the streets still
are wide enough only for chairs.
The white residents Of Canton for
the most part live on IN island Of
made land in the river, separated from
the Chinese settlements by a wide
canal. Two wars were fought by Great
Britain, however, largely for the adj
mission Of foreigners to the city Of
Canton proper, and some few whites
take advantage Of this hard-earned
privilege.