Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-09
GREATEST MAN In CHINA.
A Talk With Ii Hung Chang, viceroy
Of the CeIestials.
The Chinese Bismarck a Man Of Great
Intellect and Will, and Well
Acquainted With American
Politics,

Tlentsin Letter il New York World: /
have just had most interesting inter
view with Lii HUG Chsug. the Great
Niseroy of China. Lii Hung Chang is by
ali odds the greatest man in the Chinese
Empire. He was called by Gen. Grant.
the Bismarck of China, and in statesman
ship he ranks with the grestast minds of
the European nations. He is practically
the Premier of the Imperial Government
Is the Chief Secretary of Foreign At
fairs, snd during the last few years has
been the medium of Communication be-
tween foreign nations and the Celestials.
't was he VINO was Comm in Chief
CT the Imperial forces during the great
TAPPING Rebellion, which cost China TO-
100000 lives and which resulted in the
overthrow of the rebels. It was he who
settled the difficulties with Russia in 1881,
and it is he who is called in TO advise the
Emperor when anv crisis takes place in
the affairs OF the nation.
LII Hung Chang carried on all the ne
gotlations with Mitkiewicz and granted
the charter to the Wharton Barb er syudi-
cate, which fell through by reason of Nit
kIewicz's lndiscretion and bad character.
1t was he who introduced the telegraph
into CHINA about seven years ago, aud it
Is he who is now doing all 10 his power to
have China adopt railroads and develop
its natural resources. Lii Hung Chang ia
the Viceroy of Chilli, the northern prov
ince of China, which includes Picking and
fientsn, and which has population of
3o,O00O 600, or nearly as many as Great
Britain. Over these people tie Viceroy
has more power than has the Queen of
England. He is also Superintendent of
the northern trade of Chins, and it is said
that the money he receives yearly amounts
to over So OOo 600.
In China office comes, in the first place,
from scholarship, aud Ii Hung Chang is
one of the most noted scholars of China.
ID has passed three public examinations,
whIcn means having been three times one
of 200 of the successful ont of 5000
competitors, and at the last one he re-
ceived the highest degree. de is fellow
of the Hanlin College, the most learned
body of Calne, and he is such an impor-
tant man in the Chinese Government that
when he wished to retire from the office
about SIX years ago to mourn on account
of the d=ath of his mother the Empress
refused to give him more than 100 days
for grief. She then recalled him to his
PSoe oh til' SIouuu Jlihb ilc WIS utCSS-
sity 10 China. He now live. here at TENT
sin, and his residence makes this point
almost as important i'll the eyes of the
nations as Picking itself.
DIPLOMATIC ETIQUETTE.
Tientsin is city of nearly LOCO, 900
people. The foreign settle nent where
the leading French and English mer-
chants do their business, and where the
Oonsuls have their residences, is three
miles from the native city. It is here
that the sh ps land. and here that the
hotels are located B Between tie two cities
Is series of Chinese villages so closely
Joined as to form third city, and it was
through the narrow streets of these that
l was carried by four chair-bearers in
uniform on my way TO the appointment
with the Vlceroy. l was conducted
into an anteroom, where the secretary of
the Vlceroy, Mr.. Lob Feng Lun who ma
arranged the interview for me, received
me.
Now and then new arrival would be
ushered in and then all would arise, bow
two or three times, shake their oxn hands
which Ia the mode of satutation Ill
China-and smile all over their fatty vel
low faces
Mr.. l. IN Feng Luh, the V:csroy's score
tary, and also one of the great men of
TIentsia, speaks English perfectly, and
find him a man of broad reading and
much information. He discussed with
me during the waiting some phases of
the Spsnoerian philosophy, told me how
far he believed IN the theories of Huxley
and Darwin, and speaking OF the latter,
said he liked to believe in the survival of
the fittest, but not in the origin of
species. He seemed pleased when l told
him had read Confuoius, and l found he
had decided opinions upon Emerson and
Carlyle. He WAS for long time CONNECT
ed with the Chinese Legation at London.
and he's also been stationed at ,riin. Il
was he who accompanied me into the
presence of the Viceroy and who acted as
the interpreter of the conversation
There Twas no fire in the room and the
cold made it seem almost barDlke. The
Vicercy himself, who seemed to fill the
whole of it with his august presence,
was not warmer than his surroundings,
and his tall frame, clad in q long gown
with short seal skin cloak, in the long
sleeves of which his hands were clasped
together rs he saluted me in stately style
upon my presentation, was rather pro
ductive OF chilliness.
THE vIcEsoY's IMPRESSIVE PRE- ENoE.
1t does not take more than two SEN
fences to show the person who talks with
Lii Hung Chang that he is in the presence
of no ordinary man. His words come
out quick and sharp. He asks the most
direct of questions in tones which show
direct answer, and while he demands all
kinds of information from you he gives
you just about what he plesses in return.
His figure is most impressive one, we'll
formed; be stands six feet two in his
stockings, and his long silk gown makes
him look like a giant, while his hat, which
he wears ut all times, adds to his stature.
His shoulders are broad but slightly
stopping. Still in bis 9th year his step
is springy, and his only signs of age srs
in the gray of his hair and whiskers.
His yellow complexion shows few wrin-
kles, and his twinkling almond-eyes look
out through black speotacles. He shsves
his head like all Cinnamon, and his long
queue is as white as the driven snow.
His sparse mustache and his thin whisk
ers are also grsy, but his face ia thin
and he has nothing of the round, fla: ap
pearance of the Cinnamon of America.
Still, he is a pare Chinemen. with no
Tarter blood in his veins, aud he comes
from one of the old aristocratic families
of the country.
His first words TO me were about Gen.
Harrison. He wanted TO know if | knew
him, and told him l did. He then ask
ed as to his profession and az to how he
stood in it. He was especially SOLICITORS
"a to President Harrison's views on the
Chinese question, and be requested me
to tell the American people through my
pen that he did not at all approve of the
exclusion of the Chinese from the United
States. Said he:
"The passage of the Exclusion act is
entirely contrary to the spirit of the
treaty relations between the two countries.
1t is an outrage aud l hope it will be re-
peaied, and l wish you to tell the Aneri-
can people Tor me that if it il not re-
pealed propose to advise our Govern