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Show 2 PAPERMAKIN IN INDO-CHIN des Chemins de Fer de I Indo-Chine, the track winding it way up through Yiinnan Province, finally reaching th ancient town of Yiinnanfu, known to-day as Kunming Itis fortunate thata few groups of Anamese craftsme havesurvived and are able to carry on their age-long traditionsin the creation of finely carved teak furniture, th making of handsome copper utensils, ornaments of gol and silver, and the inlaying of metals and woods,- smal remnants of glorious past ages, before the people of thi downtrodden country were destined to accept a plac under the grinding heel of European civilization." Th white mans' lash of progress soon pressed the nativesint labour more profitable to their French«benefactors" an the prosaic manufacture of cement, opium, phosphates and the mining of coal became the ruling occupations We may assume that this industrial transformation an so-called development gave to the lowly natives greatl improved living conditions, fuller opportunities for edu cation,and altogethera more abundant life, but nothin could be further from the truth. A typical example s th coal mine at Hongai, Tonkin, which embodies the mos distressingand horrifying living and working condition itwould be possible to imagine. The coal s produced o the open cut" plan, the mines not being tunnelled as i the usual procedure. Millions of tons of coal have bee taken from these hills, leaving in the cavities great blac amphitheaters; gigantic terraces of coal are reached b towering stairways, veritable gargantuan black quarries Digital mage© 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah, All rights ressrved |