THE RISING IN CHINA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10957, 23 December 1911, Page 2

THE RISING IN CHINA.

Predictions of "Morrison, of, 1. PEKING.

(London "Daily Mail:') - ; The Englishman who knows Chma'"besl 'will not be wholly surprised by the pre-; cent crisis. Dr G. E. Morrison, the famous Peking correspondent of "The Times," and one of the most faithful and outspoken friends of the nation, has long foreseen that social progress euch as hasj swept over the Far East cannot for long continue peaceably with mediaeval corrup-'' tion and incompetence. Time after time he has risked his popularity with the Manchu Government by his warnings tiat the progress of Western education and reform must sooner or later bring the newly enlightened masses into sharp opposition with the old and corrupt regime. . I Early this year, when he was in London, I had many conversations with Mm,! which resulted in some striking state-; ments which appeared in ihe "London" Magazine." Wo had been talking fit length about the miraculous social pro-j gross of China. We had discussed the' new army, with its quick-firing guns, Ger-' man drill, .and balloon corps, the trans-' formation in the position of women, the; coming of the railways, and the new paa- 1 sion for modern education. He was? enthusiastic and optimistic. THE NEW SPIRIT IN CHINA. j But when we turned to the progress of, political reform his tone changed. He dwelt on the coming of self-government, first the formation of the Provincial Assemblies, and then hte election of the Constitutional Assembly of the Empire. The Provincial Assemblies' that he had seen were conducted with dignity and decorum, and transacted their business on Western lines in the most thorough fashion. The member* were advised to act boldly and not to fear adverse criticism. They acted on the' counsel. What would be the result of this new spirit on the old system of corruption and favouritism ?

"I am confident," he said, "that thej coming of constitutional government wilL make for administrative reform. Cor-j rupiion cannot continue twchecked Ts&eß exposed to the light of publicity. No! records kept, no. accounts presented—ihftH happy state must cease in the presence tit public inquiry and public condemnation.: The growth of the popular press—in itself one of the most remarkable signs of the new movement-—is already having its effect. So rapidly has tho press gained influence that the officials have sought by purchase to throttle and control tha free expression of public opinion. This, however, is one stage of development feojtt which the press may bo expected to emerge. When the Coßßtdtutfonal Assembly gets to work it will want to know many things. It -will demand iaforma' tion. Publicity for wrong-doing and ail aroused public opinion will be the best weapons for fighting corruption. Already there has been an improvement in public administration.'"

j Much of the new spirit of progress artct the growth of national aspirations LV Morrison traced to the coming of railways', ' "Friendly understanding has been aided by visible evidence of tho material benefits of Western innovations. The Chinese are coming to know us better. Railways were a foreign innovation long bitterly opposed. Now along the lines' of railway the new prosperity shows itself. The trains are crowded with passengers! iparavanserai, inns, and hotels spring up J ,when a house is pulled down it is to make fccom for a bigger. The railway has made the country people travellers. Travel means broadened ideas and the breaking down of old prejudices. One district 6eea how another benefits from railways and clamours for them. Hence the demand for railways that has sprung up in ajl parts of the Empire. Many lines have' been laid. Many more are in course of j construction. " ■,

• "The coming of the railway has done' more than. break down the prejudice l against tho foreigner. It has helped to : create a new national sentiment and toi strengthen the central Government. Formerly, owing to the vast distances and tho slowness and difficulty of communication,, actual power largely rested in the handaof tho Viceroys and the provincial Governors. A provincial rather than a national patriotism was observed. To-day, thanks to improved communications, no provincial capita], ?ave Lanchow, is more than twenty-one days' journey from Pekin. The provincial seats of administration are in constant touch with Pekin by telegraph. The Chinese have awakened to a consciousness of nationality." | Those who are fearful that the nativw, aroused by rebellion, may repeat tho excesses of the Boxer trouble, may well ponder on another part of the Mm© interview, j "There has been a. significant change in! the attitude of the people towards the for-; eigner. Before the Boxer rUing, anti-; foreign placards and public insults were: all too common, and culminated in one ofthe most remarkable upheavals ever known in history. There was little social intercourse between high officials and Europeans. To-day this district an denmity have almost wholly disappeared. I have travelled during the past few years in every province in China. Everywhere I have been received by all classes with civility and kindness, and this is the com-[ mon experience of present-day travellers' in China." ' A HOPEFUL VIEW OF THE FUTURE.; In a speech last year at the Authors*.; Club Dr Morrison declared, "If I were as Chinaman I would take a hopeful view of: the future of my country." Ho went on, ! however, to add a list of the abuses which. still continue; abuses which have pressed-, heavily on the minds of the reformers whoare making the present uprising. 1 "There were still great blots upon thaj administration. The maladministration;! of justice and the deplorable condition of) the prisons throughout the Empire, thai employment of eunuchs, the sanction ai\ domestic slavery, and the almost universal', prevalence of foot-binding were facts which'; stood in the way of China's recognitioni as a reformed State. Prison methods were; as degraded as they were in' Europe inv the Dark Ages. China was the ojily' country among Powers claiming recounttion as civilised Powers which sanctioned a slave traffic in its own subjects. Footbinding was a more widely spread auras than opium. A society founded by & philanthropic lady, Mrs Archibald Little,, was making a well-sustained effort to check the awful, suffering that was caused by this cruel custom. • The great hopa for the amelioration of all these conditions, lay in the growth of public opinion and its. unfettered! expression in the daily Press.'^ Here.is another extract from an earlier; speech that may well be born in mind : "There is much to blame in China, butthere is fax more to praise, and the sub-, etantial progress that is being ma-do in many directions that go for greater na-' tional efficiency was, he .thought, a point that cannot be disputed. The develop-, ment of the national spirit, or the awakening of a consciousness of nationality; the spread of Western education; thft growth in power of the native Press; the stimulation of military ardour and growth in efficiency and economy in the Chinese Army; the attempt, imperfect as it naturally is, to- bring reforms into many departments .of the administration, are ail features of modern China full of promise for the future." ;

It is on this note of optimism, the belief that China will overcome even corruption and revolt, that most of his warnings have concluded. In the interview in tho "London Magazine" he ended with the Bame conviction:

. "The' Westernisation of this greatpeople ca.nr.ot but affect the whole world. It will, I believe,, -affect it for good. New China comes, not as a menace to the West, but as a peaceful participator in world progress, When Japan set out to recast her institutions, sao found in Eng-i lamd an adviser and a friend. When Biam determined to abolish her Oriental .methods of adaninistra-taoii, she found heR chief encouragement in ihe support of land!, To-dajr ib is tho turn of China. In these critical years of national new birth ehe needs awl seeks cot sympathy > Duppcrt, and aid, lam ccnfiaeOT tiw4 jhe will not look to us in vain." . -. ■;.'■"...- F. A. McKENZI& '