The Industrial Future of the Country—Where Missionaries and Business Men Agree By Professor M middleton Smith Jications concerning China and the Two typical and interesting pub-
industrial development of the country have recently appeared. One of them was compiled by @ member of that splendid service, the Chinese Maritime Customs Adminietration, and the other was the work of an American Missionary. One was published by the Government of China and the other by the Government of the United States of America, Both of them have this much in common, They' showed that the industrial' revolution which, for all the politicians may say to the contrary, was the great feature of history in Europe during the 19th century, is now taking place in China before our eyes.
Let us take one sentence from the Review of the Trade of China) in 1919 by the Statistical Secretary of the Chinese Maritime Customs Administration. It may have been noticed, and it may' even have surprised many readers of this journal. But the fact was officially recorded that "there are few foreign-type articles of do-mastic use that are not now manufactured in China by factories on modern lines, the majority of them without foreign assistance." Only! the impossibility of obtaining the necessary machinery restricted the development of industrial inter-prises in China in 1919. All sorts of new commercial ventures have' been started recently in_ different! parts of the country, and the old established institutions have been busily engaged, especially since the war, in extending the operations and their plant. But there has been a great demand for British machinery because of these new ventures, Cuance from THe Alp To THE
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We will leave for the time the interesting contribution about the Trade of China in 1919 in order; to consider Bulletin No. 44 issued from the Government Printing Office, Washington, U.S. This was written by Dr. C. Edmunds, missionary, traveller, and President of the Canton Christian College. of the West should not underrate the wisdom contained therein. After all the conception of life-values given to us by those early philosophers contained some very fine ideals which, even to-day, Europeans can study with advantage. But, speaking generally, their outlook failed to develop the accuracy and scientific knowledge which is essential under existing conditions for securing' the leisure and security essential for the development of the higher! are practical. faculties of any worker.
Cavses or BackwaRDNess.
Dr. Edmunds, after 15 years ofjof this experience with Chinese students, says that in comparing them with American students the distinction lies in technique and in knowledge but not in intellectual calibre. Those of us who have had a rather more limited experience will agree. Indeed, it may be argued that int memory tests, in industry and in other useful qualities the Chinese students excel. At present they, seem lacking in scientific imagination, initiative and tenacity.
The distinguishing characteristic of modern science i Edmunds star method." This is conspicuous by its in Chinese literature where greater weight is given to analogy. He writes, "Western teachers of Chinese students. are constantly impressed with their readiness to argue by illustration and to accept a single illustration proof; not that they consider! that a single exception to a rule invalids its general but that from the single case a general law can be deduced." Dr. Edmunds has reached the remarkable conclusion that the Chinese—philosophers deliberately adopted the a prior method, not through ignorance of the experimental methods but from choice; and so we find the Chinese philosophers choosing the wrong pathway and "vainly seeking a short cut to universal knowledge by following what they considered by the light of inner reasoning to be the order of nature. instead of laborious study of one thing at a time."
Ut is filled with shrewd observ tions and practical common-sens: although it deals primarily with! education, it comments at considerable length upon this great problem of the development of China's natural resources, It is inevitable that there should be a contrast between the Chinese education of the old type and that which Dr, Edmunds ardently ad-¥ocates, He shows how great is the difference in method and attitude of mind produced by theze two systems, He does not "say very much There is, however, noticeable a tendency on the part of the modern Chinese to appreciate the value, moral, intellectual and material, of ntifie knowledge. Every year brings them more closely into con-_ tact with the inventions and the methods of the West. " What," it may be asked, "are the ideals of the best characters of Young China.'"" Undoubtedly the spirit of preserving their nationality and, the integrity of their> country is among the ssiest prominent. How is to be done? The answer to the problem which faces the whole about the Chinese classics, but we}of Asia, and indeed the whole world is given by Dr. Edmunds. He says:
The shortest road to a partial success in this endeavour to preserve free nationality in Asia is the development of Chinese j material resources, which will not only enrich China' and the world, but will help to arouse the people from their age-long sleep, and to create a sense of nationhood."
Thus the thoughtful and experienced missionary finds himself in agreement with the pioneers of commerce and technical wen in this matter. He has, perhaps, arrived at his conclusions by a different path; we may generously give him all the credit due to the altruist, but we can also be permitted to be thankful that the missionaries of to-day in China And what is the final conclusion experienced educator in China concerning the education that is especially needed? He cannot be considered biassed, for throughout the pamphlet there is continuous evidence of the desire to serve China and the Chinese. Moreover, there is also evidence that the dominating influence in the life of this President of the Canton Christian College is the desire to carry out what he believes to be the will of his Master. He says that the five urgent needs in China to-day are cooperation: (international and internal), capital, organization, native leaders and regeneration of the people." He adds that the development of education is fundamental to all of this. And then comes the tual conclusion on this important matter of education, "Certain types of education demand special attention if China is to be prepared adequately to meet even her immediate.needs, These are the departments of engineering, agriculture and medicine."
Many Chinese possess the ability to make scientific experiments. My own experience leads me to think that perhaps the Northern Chinese have greater patience and tenacity than some of the others, but it is possible that they had received a more scientific training before they became under-graduates at Hongkong. The Cantonese appear to learn more quickly, but some of the students who have done best in our experimental engineering laboratories have come from Chihli and Yunnan, On the other band the Canton ese artisan and coolie is very quick at learning how to use experimental appliances, But perhaps I have been particularly fortunate in obtaining the services of The main purpose of this contribution is to draw the attention" of the reader to the most interest-in pamphlet written Edmunds. When 'a. prominent missionary strongly. advocates dustrial development in China it is unnecessary for others to question the moral results. It may be mentioned that only recently a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.