The eastern states of America and Great Britain have a new slogan: “Get ready for the Panama Canal.” The western states of America, and indeed all America, should have another slogan: “Get ready for the China trade.” It is not far off; it is already on the horizon, “arising a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand”. It may come with a rush any year and thousands of companies will have their headquarters at New York. There are many things to arrange, internally and externally, in currency, in a tariff of twelve per cent. instead of five per cent., in provincial, inter-provincial and international politics, in loans and finances, in education, in nationalization of trunk railways, in harbor, canal and river conservancy, in reforestation, in patent, copyright and mining laws, in commercial law, in army matters, in a revenue navy, in police, in municipal organization, in hygiene, in paternalization as far as famine, flood and seed grain are concerned, in collection of taxes, in civil service, etc., but none of these difficulties is insuperable. Then comes the great trade. On my travels and life of three years in China, I have listened, and I have glanced about for signs of the new times; and I shall relate just a few of the indications of progress, indications as different from the old manifestations as day is from night. Three years ago, yes, one year ago, few thought that these things were possible. Twenty recent books and five thousand newspaper articles prophesied that they were not possible. Thirty recent authors and ten thousand newspaper writers were Laodicean in attitude. Alas, ye Manchuized scribes! A few books, a few articles, many missionaries, and the October, 1911, revolution said they were possible, and the fall of Nanking proved it. [Illustration: Copyright, 1913, The Bobbs-Merrill Company. Industrial China. The government, foreign and native capital are vieing with one another in developing industries of all kinds. Wages are rising, so that the West need not be alarmed. ] [Illustration: Copyright, 1913, The Bobbs-Merrill Company. Modern road (bund); electric light; telegraph; buildings; trees on border; at Canton, South China.] [Illustration: Copyright, American Episcopal Church, Foreign Board, N. Y. The grandest river gorges in the world, on the Yangtze. These difficult rapids have separated Eastern and Western China, but a railway is now under construction. A modern road skirts the cliffs. ]