A favorite argument was to call the reform Chinese, because the Chinese had constructed an inefficient governmental system based in part on the theory of written competitive examinations.

The argument was simple.

There had been written examinations in China; it was proposed to establish written examinations in the United States; therefore the proposed system was Chinese.

The argument might have been applied still further.

For instance, the Chinese had used gunpowder for centuries; gunpowder is used in Springfield rifles; therefore Springfield rifles were Chinese.