upon us during our study of this section of the "mental oasis" of
Chinese literature, but for the indomitable energy and skill of those
who have helped to emancipate us from similar trammels of ignorance
and folly; regret, that a nation which carries within its core the
germs of a transcendent greatness should still remain sunk in the
lowest depths of superstitious gloom.




LOAN SOCIETIES

In a country where money is only obtainable at such an exorbitant rate
of interest as in China, it is but natural that some attempt should be
made to obviate the necessity of appealing to a professional
money-lender. Three per cent. per month is the maximum rate permitted by
Chinese law, which cannot be regarded as excessive if the full risk of
the lender is taken into consideration. He has the security of one or
more "middlemen," generally shopkeepers whose solvency is
unimpeachable; but these gentlemen may, and often do, repudiate their
liability without deigning to explain either why or wherefore. His
course is then not so plain as it ought to be under a system of
government which has had some two thousand years to mature. Creditors
as well as debtors shun the painted portals of the magistrate's
yamen[*] as they would the gates of hell. Above them is traced the
same desperate legend that frightened the soul of Dante when he stood
before the entrance to the infernal regions. Truly there is no hope
for those who enter here. Both sides are _squeezed_ by the gate-keeper
--a very lucrative post in all yamens--before they are allowed to
present their petitions. It then becomes necessary for plaintiff and