The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-23
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A Chinese Bismarck.
New York Tribune. |


State cabals in China come to US softened in
to a whisper by the thickness Of the globe be-
tween us, but just now In Pekin they are saw
age and bitter enough. The Empress OF the
West having died, the Peace party under
Prince Ii Hung Chang have come into direct
conflict with the War party. 1t is precisely
the same struggle that is going on in England
between Conservatives aud Liberals, and here
between the two factions Of the Administra-
tion party. In China, however, the progress
sive Liberals are led by the man who PERSONAL
ly has probably more influence over the masses
than any other,-the great Gen. Tso- -Tsung-
Tang. He has returned from his post in the
Northwest, where he ruled the people and ar
my with the iron force of Napoleon, to the
Capital, where he has been appointed Minister
of War. He will be sure to have a finger in
every department of Chinese policy and to
make Pekin unpleasant for anybody, Prince
or Empress, who differs with him. He is the
leader in the new attempt to manufacture wool
without the aid of foreign capital but with the
aid of European labor and machinery. He
has imported German operatives to teach the
Chinese the mysteries OF spinning and weav-
ing with the newest inventions in mills. Ii ia
he who is directing the anti opium movement
with such tremendous force. No soldier in his
service is permitted to use either the Indian
opium or the native, which is now being large
ly raised in the West. 1t was the same Gen.
Tso who prompted the leading points in the
late treaties with Russia and this country. In
short, he is likely to be for some time to come
as important power i'll Chinese diplomacy as
in Chinese arms.
This Eastern Bismarck possesses all the pop
ular features of a hero. He Is of low birth, is
honest, downright, truthful to brutality. He
takes his course after careful consideration,
but allows no power to turn him out OF it. he
dresses shabbily, sleeps on an iron cot, fares as
hardly as the common soldier, but spends his
money in buying Krupp cannon and European
machinery to help his countrymen. He is, OF
course idolized by his soldiers who are never
weary OF telling anecdotes of his eccentricities,
especially how he tried marriage and luxuri-
ous life for two weeks, and then sent back his
bride to her parents, saying he chad had
enough of that sort OF foolishness,' and then
returned to his tent and hard fare. His habit
OF chopping off the head of any inferior who
displeases him does not lessen the popular al
fection for him. The average man, whether
Chinese or American. can pardon good deal
of brutality in his hero, provided it is based on
real brute courage. Gen. Tso, as well as his
rival leader, Prince Lii, has pressed upon the
Chinese the necessity of railways. The China
Telegraph says 1.-TWO lines OF railway will be
built during the coming year if Tso-Tsung-
Tang approve the proposed routes" He is al
so said to advocate the establishment of news
papers throughout China. Several have been
started on the European plan, besides the Gov
ernment organ, Keng-pao; each party has its
journal, and even the lower orders in China
begin to feel that thirst for news which only
daily paper will satisfy.
On the whole, this Chinese leader seems to
fairly deserve the applause due to great orig
inal human force in the world. He is the mo-
tive power at present of millions of men, and
IS incontestably trying to move them up to
higher standpoint. He may make mistakes.
but they will be the mistakes of honest igno-
rance, not selfish fraud