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»'•" -- --• • • ' ' 1"! ' ' ' CIVILIZING CHINA. --; r ? 1 What We May Expect When the Em- * tire Is Open. One consequence of Japan's victory may be to open China to foreign trade and civilization, says the Chicago Times-Herald. "The present is hailed with delight by Europeans and Ameri­ cans. China 4sv a thousand--or two thousand--years behind the times. Its people, have long sustained' life and fountl contentment in a diet of rice and' water and the simple worship of their ancestors. Now they are to be civilized; that is, their wants are to be multiplied and they " are to be made happy--as all civilized people are; hap­ py. Of the fraction of their life, the denominator is to be multiplied indef- initely, so that they must by constant- struggling increase the numerator, or be extinguished. Oreeft Britain began the civilization of China some years ago by the intro­ duction of opium into the empire, thus giving to the people a new want to be gratified, a new motive for living. In less degree the English have planted civilization sin the port towns of Hong Kong, Canton and /Shanghai, in the form of modern; trade gambling and speculation. The natural aptitude of the Chinese for civilization is shown, by the ease with which they have sur­ passed their, English instructors. They are already the masters of the opium traffic (and opium habit) in the world. In the coast towns they have out- Heroded the British Herod at the "civil- Ived arts of cheating, gambling and over-reaching. Henry Norman, in his recent book on the "Politics and Peot pies of the East," informs us that the Chinese already own the best real es­ tate in Shanghai and are fast acquir­ ing control of the exchanges. Li Hung Chang has been called the "Bismarck of the. East." He is also the Cecil Rhodes, the "Nitrate King," the Jay Gould and the Baron Hirsch--all in one. Japan has had a taste of civilization and likes it. well. Her women have dis­ carded the beautiful costume of their grandmothers and are now happy with corsets and nervous prostration. The young men going back after education in the colleges and universities of America and Europe have been able to teach their stay-at-home brethren vices and extravagances of which these Sim­ ple souls never dreamed. The soldiery , no longer wear leather armor nor comic opera arms; the navy is built on the latest models. When with these tokens of advanced living the Japanese drove tlse uncivilized hordes of China before them, civilization patted itself on the back. But after the massacre at Port Arthur civilization held its peace. Now we are going to send the ma­ chinery of civilization into China and teach the Tartar hordes the use of our engines of peace and war. With their gifts of mimicry they will not be long in learning, once the walls of conserv­ atism are broken down. So many blades of grass will grow where one has grown, and the "Light of Asia" will glitter upon a million new bayo­ nets, and all will be peace and plenty, as it is in civilized Europe, and ther<5 will be no more need of missionaries to China. It may even chance before the end of the twentieth century that we shall have Chinese missionaries landing on our shores (armed, of course), if only to teach us how weH their fathers were taught when civili­ zation lauded on their shores. SUNDAY-SCHOOL WORK. Proceedings of the State Convention at Elgin. From every peak in the beautiful cap­ ital city of Knrte County flew the Amer­ ican flag, im celebration of the convention of. the State Sunday School Association, The First Congre&otjoiial Church I was the headquarters of tho^'eonvention, but several other churches were opened to provide for the overflow meetings. The music was in charge of Prof. E. 0- Excel], The executive committee comprised B. F. Jacobs, Chicago; L. A. T r o w b r i d g e, VSfi Hock ford; R. W. gh Sif Hare, Chicago; Iv. k '»V r^a-vl°r> Normal; Griffith, Rush-, villo; G. w. Barnett, iipftriflN Chicago; H. T. Lay, Br Kewanee; Prof. D. Parkinson, Car- X ' bondale; J. R. Go- n. F. JACOBS. rin Decatur; T. H. Perrin, Alton; Frank Wilcox, Cham­ paign; W. S. Reariek. Ashland; G. L. Vance,.Joliet; T. M. E<)kley,vMcLeans- Iwro; Prof. H. \V. Read, Galesburg. , Tuesday afternoon the convention elect­ ed the following officers: President, W. S. Weld, Elgin; general secretary, W. B. Jacobs, Chicago; assistant secretary, Miss Mary J. Bragg, (Chicago: recording secre­ tary, Miss Edith; Burnham, Wheaton; treasurer, lt.W. Hare, Chicago'; members of the executive committee. J. It. Gorih, Decatur; H. T. Lay, Kewanee; J. W. Hart, Rockford; Henry Augustine, Nor­ mal, and II. C. Willis, Toledo. The other members of the executive committee Whose term Of office ___ has not expired are: : R. W. Hare. Chica- •§ < Y go;* K. P. Taylor, Normal; It. II. Grif-"*~~ ' ' tith, Rushville: (J.' W. Barnett, Chica- go; D. B. Parkinson, ' Carbondale; Frank K. r.,rAYT.OT. . \\ ucox, Champaign; T. M. Eekley, McLeansboro, and Prof. H. W. Read, Galesburg. A synopsis'of reports follows: The pres­ ent is the best year in the history of the State Sunday school work since 1SS0 and one of the best ever known. There are 7,081 schools, a gain of over 300; the membership is 744,485. a gain of over 38.000. The additions to the church from the Sunday schools ha$e been nearly 29,000, which is 5,000 more than last year. Sixty counties report a gain of 345 schools and fifteen report a loss of 38 schools. The largest gains are in Cook, 24; McHenry, 20; Jefferson. 18; McDon- ough, 17; Macoupin, 16: Winnebago, 14; Sangamon. 14; Logan, 13; Hancock. 11; Ogle, McLean, Warren-and Edwards, each 10. The largest losses are in Ad­ ams, 6; Douglas. (>. and Edgar, 5. Re- ^rWuHIla of these fin de siecle days WliO from old Pilgrim stock boasts her descent, ' ' Heads Emerson and Browning and essays A titt with any sage at argument; » ' Goes to the symphonies, plays, whist in Lent-- . Yet in one way she patterns her grand • daues: For wliijjm bit of gossip you bestow Witlr all he.rismic knowledge she ex­ claims: u "I want to know!" k)ne has come down upon Manhattan Isle Through a long line of tradesfolk Vans. To-day - ' "• r ' . Bhe perches high upon the social stile And plymes herself on being distingue i And on her etiquette; but if you say •& A thing is thus and so, strange to relate, Ifgto the belle your newsus a surprise, BhetHFtell you: "You don't say!" as sure a s f a t e , ' ' " \ « • ' With wide-open eyes. *A piquant cousin of the.hearty West-- "We got the Fair from you, you know," Said she: i "We've half your gelt and soon shall have the rest, k And ho one bluffs about his family-tree." f Stunned by her nerve, yet anxioue to *"'Y agree-- . :........ '"Our girls with all their style, cannot, • compare • "'With yours for looks," he said. And irvV thus she spake, With elevated eyes, inquiring stare:, "For heaven's sake!" *--Ivate Field's Washington. ONE WOMAN'S DECEIT Taught Etiquette. A cat is lawless. A dog can be taught to come when called; a cat is heedless of the most persuasive invitations to present herself. The dog is obedient to rule; a cat despises etiquette, unless she lias been taught to heed It by a more or less severe lesson. Here is an illustration, exhibited by a "Tabby" mentioned in St. Nicholas: Tabby manifested curiosity, mixed with jealousy, when Beelzebub, the alli­ gator, was installed as a family pet. She acquired the habit of walking up to him and showing her displeasure by cutting him with her paw. Then she would retire as if she had performed a duty. This was done once too. often, for Beelzebub had harbored in his memory her former insults, and this last one proved too much for his injured spirit. His eyes flashed with a yellowish light, aud when Tabby was Walking away he scrambled after her, seized her tail and clung to it viciously. This frightened the bully, and she started on a race around the room, tak­ ing aerial flights over chairs and tables, with Beelzebub desperately clinging40 her tail. ; When we released the panic-stricken Tabby we were surprised to find that Beelzebub was none the worse for his wild experience, and with widely dis­ tended jaws he breathed a general de­ fiance, but Tabby had received a les­ son, and she never molested Beelzebub again. The Duke Vs. Tobacco. It is not quite fifty years since the Issue from the House Guards of Gen­ eral Order No. 577, which contained the following memorable counterblast: "The Commander-in-chief has been informed that the practice of smoking, by the use of piptjfs, cigars or cheroots, has become prevalent among the offi­ cers of the army, which is not only in itself a species of intoxication, occa­ sioned by the fumes of tobacco, but, undoubtedly, occasions drinking and tippling by those who acquire the hab­ it; and he entreats the officers com­ manding regiments to prevent smoking in the mess rooms of their several regi- mentsand in the adjoining apartments, \and to discourage the practice among the officers of junior rahk in their regi­ ments.'--Notes and Queries. A Suggestive Experiment.. Here is a tip for enterprising carriage builders. An experiment with ball­ bearings was recently made in Canada. A street car fitted with ball-bearings, was drawn a distance of several hun­ dred feet by men pulling 011 three strands of ordinary sewing thread. A carriage manufacturer put another style of ball-bearings on the axles of a coach ordinarily pUlled by four horses. A trained dog was hitched to the pole, and.he drew the coach around the yard with little effort. The combination of pneumatic tires and ball-bearings would evidently relieve much of the strain now put 011 horses in drawing heavy vehicles. We would admire the summer girl more if she didn't have such a hard time to stay pinned together. - OF .BUNTIN^ ports show 89,154 officers and teachers, 054,874 scholars; total, 744,028, a gain over last year's report of-37,970. Sixty- five couitf ies report a gain of 39,377. Ten counties report a loss of 1.407. The larg­ est gains are in Cook. 12,402; Jefferson, 1.837; Marion, 1,800: McDonough, 1,374; Kane," 1,207; Union, 1,184; Rock Island, 985; Winnebago, 875; Warren, 785; Ma­ con, 771; Edwards. 714; Tazewell, 023; Henry. 591; Cass, 591; Clark, 588; Pike, 527; Vermilion, 507. The largest loss is 417 in Randolph County. The average Sunday attendance is 495,598. Contributions last year from ninety counties and individuals were $8,673, oth­ er receipts making the total $9,230. The pledges for the coming year amounted to $7,397 and personal pledges $800. Cook County gave $2,200 and many counties $100 or over. Following are (ho principal topics dis­ cussed: "The Superintendent's Work" -Donat Miller. Blackboard Reviews--Rev. It. F. Y. Pierce. "How to Improve Our County Work," led by W. C. Pearce. "The Teacher and the Book," Rev. Pal­ mer S. Hulbert, D. I)., Oak Park. "The Front Line." Prof. II. M. Hnmill. Normal Workers' Experience Meeting, led by. G. W. Miller. "My Experience," (a) in normal insti­ tutes, (b) in organizing normal classes, and (c) with normal drills--Closing words on above topics by the leader, Bible Reading--Rev. C. M. Morton. Primary Teachers' Unions--"Object and Method," Mrs. C. A. Burr. "How to Make Primary Class Attrac­ tive"-- II. H. West. "Primary Teaching. Principles and Plans"--Mrs. Mary F. Bryner. "Teaching Children to Pray"--Mrs. M. A. Lamoreaux. "Child Conversion"--Miss Cecilia Ile- denberg and Mrs. Mary E. Parsons. "Next Sunday's Lesson"--Miss Mabel Hall. FIRST ( ONONRCOA'F IONAI, CUT'LSCIT, EI.C4IN. "The Teacher's Spiritual Equipment" --Kev. R. A. T.orrey, superintendent Chi­ cago Bible Institute. The convention was one of the most suc­ cessful and largely attended in the his­ tory of the association. Perhaps the most attractive feature of the convention was the work of the primary department, of which Mrs. R. B. Preusszner, of Chicago, was chairman. "I can if I want to," we heard a boy say this morning. No, boy, you can't; not once In a thousand times. '.. . . The old man who feels young can't afford to act as he feels.