While a great part of China is troubled sand rumours of wars, we of Shantung are living at peace with ourselves and all the world. True, the rumours are not entirely absent; there are still enough of them to show that there isa healthy interest in the aw Court. the rebels and Viceroy Yuan's soldiers. But as long as good agricultural conditions prevail. there is not likely to he any open discontent in this region. The farmers have just finished harvesting splendid wheat crop and they are corres pmidingly happy. A recent ould rain" localism for "hail ") dampened the ardour ud partially spoiled the grain of a_ small ection south-cast of the city. With this exception, present e-nditiony and future prospects, so far as th-y concern the son of the soil, are of the best.
A Reflex Influence of the establishment of post offices in country places has been remarked by some Chinese friends; T refer to the diminishing of the number of highwaymen, and the consequent quieting of sections which hare always been more or less disorderly. Reference was made in particular to a bit of mountain road about midway between Ichoufu and Kiaochow. The number of lawless characters that thrived there was out of all proportion to its few linear miles (less than 50). But now, before the march of progress, in the form of the red uniform of ths O.1.P.0. mes-enter who passes six times per week, they are disappearing. No wonder that the people are growing more appreciative of the postal feature of the G vernment. An evidence of this is seen in the new offices that are being opened up from time to time, Ichoufa, with ite seven helens, has five offices. Four years ago we had a return mail twice a month. Now twenty two mails a week arrive and depart from this office alone.
The Prefectural Examinations for ths huchelor's degree are now in proud the students gathered run into the thousands. There is as yet little evidence here of desire to carry out the reform educational programme mapped out by the Peking authorities, whether in the Tine of examinations or inthe dire tion of the establishment of schools, This last statement needs to be qualified, prefectural institution of learning has i ced been launche!. Tt presents a st example of progressive ideas on v hich a process of reduction ad absurdum has been worked.
An Enlightened Official, Our recent Governor (may his life in Honan he a happy one) was no lover of the new order of things, n fact which seems to be very well established. Accor ingly he did little to advance the educa tional interests of this province, Our Ichoufu Prefect has ideas which conform more neatly to those of Yun Shih-kai. On his own initiative he started a, school which was supposed to have in view the tenching of the higher learning. Hle was umble, however, to make provision for the teaching of foreign branches, because of the neutrally-hostile attitude of Governor Chang. The school is opened, but its 24 pupils stuly nothing out: side the horton path of Chinese lo It is hoped that a now order come in when Governor Chen Fu becomes thoroughly established in Chinanfu, The Rage for Public Improvement takes frequent possession of our neigh-Dours, and we always come out of the experience poorer mn. A few days ago your correspondent, was asked to mike a contribution toward establishing a public ferry some thirty miles away, the only reason urged being that the foreigner crossed there twice a yer, The river thus to be erossed, the I. rses_the whole length of his fell, about. 150 miles, Ie would not surprise him if, in the next few years, he has the opportunity to help build mys' of the ferries on the river. A bridge of modest proportions (the length of the subscription list and the claims of the promoters would give a different imprestion) is going up near our compound, and the wealthy (!) members of the foreign community were asked to head the list of subscribers. As an item of news we were informa? that no contribution of less than cents would be revived, because it would cost that much to put the donor's name on the memorial tablet to be erected near the bridge GLARKE'S BAI PILLS 2 ssrrantet to cure in either sex, all squired or constitutional Discharges from the Urinary Orzans, Gravel and Pains in the back, Free from Mercury. Established upwards of 30 years. In boxes de. Gd. exch, of all Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors throughout the World. Proprietors, The Lineola and Midland Couutites Drug Company, Lincoln, England,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.