THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1901.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 146, 7 May 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1901.

(S^?jr-ipiv-se«i; -tb3 r :foho.T|% . va^' )r \ v r'&titi&h

Hung Chang, I£dng Lu, Liu Kun Yi r and' Chang Chi Tong* with’ thVeb otliers, have beetf appointed to submit proposals for reform.” ! Some of these nhiries are wrongly spelt.- Yung Ini should be Jung Lu, Liu Kun Yi should be Lin K ? unyi* Chang Chi Tung should be Chang Chihtung. By Way of explaining this telegram* we propose to give our readers a little light on a matter few people have very clear ideas about—the China troublej In Ki4f the

;Munchu dynasty gained the supreme power in China* The Emperor and most officials are Manchusi- The Chinese do 1 hot, as ar rule, regard with -favour these Manchusi They do not -regard them as true Chinese* and there have been several'rebellions and attempts to overthrow this ruling dynasty. Hence f hr the Chinese .nation itself, there' is a line' of cleavage. Thefe lias always 1 befen a more,, of less smothered hatred- between the .two- races, though so long as a reasonable 'proportion- of offices and power Was given tb' the Chinese,- the friction was diminished. But of late—that is, before the present trouble—the wheels. of the Imperial chariot have dragged heavily, and, by the injudicious action of the Dowager Em press*-the 'antagonism between the Chinese and the Maudius has much increased;- With' some show of reason- the Court party .trace back' the Origin of the trouble in the Empire to the .foreigners in the country. The /new" ixleas*- political, historical and' scientific* that were introduced into China by the strangers have, by a slow and gradual process, opened- the eyes of Chinamen to the fact that there are i-dher and more advanced civilisations than- their own.- The r translaiibn of European works into Chinese has placed within the reach of the intellectual , classes a' vast amount of knowledge which is entirely new to ' them and which- has created a feeling of dissatisfaction with the political regime under which they live. Then came the Japanese war with all its humiliations and - penOT~ora\Tses. : ' This added fuel to the fire and a -change' was eagerly demanded by a large* party. The Emperor, alarmed enough, no doubt, ■ accepted suggestions for reform i with alacrity,- and for a time ii seemed as if China was to follow Japan and be converted from an Oriental semi-barbarous state into a western up-to-date limited monarchy. But just at this point appeared on the scene the most rmnarkable figure iu the whole 'of the drama—the Dowager Empress herself. In disfavour for some time,- she' was suddenly restored to power, and then at once the trouble began. Although it is not easy'to-turii the hands of the clock backwards, this redoubtable old' lady did her best to accomplish that feat. In this she •was actively supported- by the : Manchu faction, whom she' had called- to her councils'. The chief men among these were, perhaps, Kang-iand Jiang Lu. Thefonner was pretty bad. He it was who induced the Empress to send six of the leaders of the refoi m party to the scaffold without trial. Jung Lu was much more moderate, and ultimately 'ho ; lost the favour of the Court on this, account.- With these men-also acted Prince Ching, who was for some trine President" of the "Chinese Parliament or Council, the Tsung-li'-Yamen, and . the famous- Li Hung Chang. The latter hates foreigners# and- his ■ word is not to be trusted for a moment; 1 Ching*- though not advanced m his views*, was open -to reason; However* the Empress now began to force-the pace* An hostility which till'' then, /been- confined- 1 to _ words - now appeared an acts. Mission'stations aver e- attacked * -con verts mu rdered arid some foreign - ' missionaries were aasissinSSedf At the treaty "ports the consuls found increased difficulty itr doing- business with the local. authorities on reasonable lines,, and it was mext to impossible'-to |ion for wrongs done - to'-* their /countrymen. But- this .waß : nbir nearly enough-for theEfri press;: Under the influence/of, Kaogs-i Prince Ching was - removed from 1 known , ■wasappoxnfed La, who had tee .coart,

notorious General Tung Fuhti ing/ -This wit's a utfan after the own heart, untutored cruel. He ba'd just been successfalin crushing a rebellion in'thfr province of EahgSUj and shared with Eang-i the mastery of the position; And now it was that on- the advice of these meiy with the full approval of the Empress, the infamous Boxers, who had already forced themselves into prominence by their" antagonism to everything foreign, were developed into a power and -were invited'to march to Bekin to take their part in the campaign which had b'eerfde'termined upon. We need hardly tell our readers of what the Boxers did' bow tliey fought and; murdered and -slaughtered' through the length and breadth of the laud: Nevertheless’there were men- iii' high •positidU a hit great authority iri‘ had - the courage and foresight? to" oppose the Court party and- policy. TbO' chief of these were Chang' Chihtung, Viceroy, of the two Hit provinces, and Sin Kungi,- Viceroy of the two Eiang provinces. These a:e the two most important Viceroys in the Empire. Their territories border on the Yaagliie-Kiang,and cover an area of 3t)0,000- square miles.- They are both enlightened men of high intelligence,- and throughout the general anarchy they preserved peace and, order in their enormous districts. Chib-, tungf has probably more influence in China at the present day than nny Other official. He is a profound scholar. He _is .well and widely informed, and possesses an indomitable will. His loyalty to the Emperor has never been questioned, and" he is notoriously fee from the-almost nniveisai vice, o't corruption. He has lately

published a book- giving his ideas of what the policy of China should be.' First of all ho would ha VO a thoroughly efficient army, which, he says, is to the States what the breath is to the body. Western learning comes' nest to a strong army in his programme. He advocates, colleges- and schools throughout the country, at which*on a basis of (jonfuciari learning, a supers* t- vie lure of Scientific and historical knowledge should be raised. Ob matters of religion, he is out and out for a policy of Coloration. It is curious to read some of his ideas on the subject.He tbi"ks Christianity will go the way of Buddhism and Taoism if only it be loft alone. “ Just now,” he writes, is in-the-Buddhism and Taoism are'decadent; their influence cannot hold its own Buddhism his longeinqe passed its meridian; Taoism- has demonr only, not "gods.” And so, he thinks, it will he with' Christianity. Why* -theref its adherents? -■What harm car! they do ? Sin IK’uuyi is another man of the same sort, and the following-in the ;'pr o vinees which obey the behests lot these'two men'is aS numerous hs it is weighty. Tbey-are-devoted They favour intellectual hud mechanical reforms,- and though they are - not lovers of foreigners'they'are able to see and . are willing to recognise the good that is in them. There is another -party that stands- opposed' to' the Empress’s cirque.- At its head is K’ang Yumei and' his fellow reformers. Their proposals' are truly radical. Here are some of i'them (.1) To' abolish' the- essay System of examination which; has been iu : ‘vogue’ for* 500 years. (2) To establish a university for the study-, of English and- Western Science,-fo Peking. (3) To concert' temples ’ into schools for Western education. (4) To establish- translation board for the translation of books on Western learning ioto # Chinese. (5)-To establish 1 a patent office. {&) To ■protect Christianity without further erasions. (7)"To make the reform paper, Chinese Bro- : gress, ■ the official organ of the Government. (8) To make young M&nchas study foreign languages and travel,'abroad. / Under the Influence'’- of this party at; one time the Emperor is said to, have actually 'discussed -with- Ins Advisers the desirability of adopt*' lug Cffirfet&hify at'; a' religion of 1, the of" discarding the -pigtaih'. and; tliet- national dress.' t thjiy is - going ■' much too u imp ,fd.r. a Codieryal iye.

reserves, should be of a good many people at time. These reserves af© number, seven half an extent each- and'* ontf of a acre. * Thejf .are offered ,on - ditions which should’ Make theffif - sought, after as building’ sites, antt 1 .'i| it is to further their being taken upt for that purpose that we calf - ;|| special attention to them. .. Of thd, eight sections only two are improved with buildings, the othersix being at present used at garden 1 , extension' of freehold' properties; We do not intend here to give the particulars of each- section ;■ these' can bo ascertained at the" Town - Clerk’s office. Our object is simply To point out theirwalue as buiidir.f sites to persons of limited capitals j Houses are" hard to get in town at' present and rents are high- Big . prices* are asked" for quarter-acre*-sections, and-a working/vnan whose'*'' k savings only amount to £SO or £6® '" has no prospect but to go J oi£ paying, high rent, for he would' I have ’little' left after 1 buying su . I section. To’ such an one these re* fl serves give a chance. They at# I offered on a twenty-one yeats’ leaser I two-thirds value will be allowed for- -fl ail improvements-at-the expiration' I of the term, and .there' are other' - I favourable conditions as to che lease for those who desire to dtf 5 I SO. The present’ ren £3 a section, but they I bably reach a higher figiirß;Ton’l^, I _new term. One who- ren'o^^^^ r flj .roomed cottage- pays,- S year.. In twenty-one years pay away ; £378:Tenses one of these at a rent ‘of £5 a year, his pcsition-during his . the end of the -With £SO he can . beginning of a house, labour and the sa vi a year from rent, will improvements worth industrious man will improve even-- B a rented house, receiving little or'* H no credit for his trouble. On ar' B boroughTeasehold he ,would retail; B Two thirds value* of- the improve-' B meats he makes. We have said* B : the present average rental is £3 Ur B year. Buf let ue suppose that for' ; fl. the ensuing- ternfit is £5 and tbafe» flat the end of the ternrthe improve-■ fl? ments are worth £l5O. B. -would mean that the lessee had 4 B paid daring his term £lO5 for rehb I add, by money and labour, £IS(E B for improvements—£2-35 in all, or" B . £123 loss than be Would have paid I: for a remed house at £lB a year. K. ,■ Hut if his improvements w.'re” I worth £l5O and he did not oaie ter Bj renew the lease, or if someone B offered a -higher rent’ : than- thd’ Bt lessee was willing' to give, incoming, tenant must pay bW ■ £IOO for the improvements.’ Thus'’ flff Ms actual rent for the whole fcernr fl|| Wbuld r be only- £155, or about-- fl|| |£7 Bua year as compared with £lß* BB a year for a-privately owned house, 11l .There are other advantages wli.qM B| ..the leasing of these reserves- Hi ..over ordinary house . will suggesting.t6m.Dts. -■was ,• Council lore Wouldeider the tenders ~ intended to occupy the la^ns^^es-'BS for hotnes or-for business purposes.- B||| Wo hope that our calling attention Bp .to this m;i.ier will resalt in tho .useful occupation- of these reserves.