The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-01-27
they are strong enough in the words o
the viceroy himself.

they are strong enough in the words OF
the viceroy himself.
The conversation next turned to rail-
ways, and the viceroy asked me If 1
knew Mr.. Wharton Barker and as to
what was his profession. told him
that was not personally acquainted
with him, but that 1 knew him to be a
banker of high standing and great
wealth. He then asked as to Count
Mitkiewicz, and upon my saying that
1 had met the gentleman, and had re-
ported his story of the granting OF the
charter to the New York World he re-
piled that he did not like MitkiewicE,
and that "he was no gentleman"
The scheme, however, / understand.
OF founding an American bank with
the great powers spoken of in the Nit
kiewicZ combination. is by no means
dead. twill probably be revived again
with the Russian count left out, and
happen to know that the vicsroy is
very anxious that Mr.. Wharton Barker
should come to China, and also that
Mr.. Barker has signified serious intrn-
tons of so doing at no distant date.
The viceroy is anxious that American
capital should be brought here. He
was disappointed when the other
scheme fell through, and he would like
nothing better than to see 1t put On
sound footing, and to redeem himself
as having been the part of an enter
prise which failed.
In our conversation, however there
was no such talk as this. / asked the
vceroy as to whether the scheme wa.
On again, but he retorted by asking me
hundred and one questiocs which
made my head boil in construc Ing
diplomatic answers to TIL EN- which
should not impiicats myself nor my
friends. and l wished q dozen times
that had never m entioned the subject.
The fact. however, that the scheme is
not dropped still stands.
1 asked the vicsroy as TO what he
thought of the future of railways, in
China, and as to their effect. upon the
country and the world. He replied.
Before half century has passed.
China will be covered with railways a.
with . net. Its immense mineral re-
sources will be developed. 1t will have
rolling mills and furnaces in many
parts OF the country, and IL il net I'm
possible that it may do the manufae-
turing for the world. 1t seems to me
that the most serious question which
menaces the working psople Of your
country and Europe lies here. -, The
Chinese have shown themselves to be
as skillful and as intelligent as any PEG.
pie in the world. They will work hard.
and they oan live cheaper than your
people, and when our country is open
TO railways. and it has turned its at
tention TO supplying the markets of the
world, l believe it can supply them bet
ter and cheaper than you can. This is
a question that you will have to face. !"
Il think so, too, your Excellency,"
said.
Then l wonder" replied the vice.
roy. "tha: you wish to have China
come into competition with you. Do
you not consider Us dangerous Compel
itors2'
Yes" replied, I'VE do. But if the
time ever comes when Chinese labor
thus working in China comes into com
petition with American labor, we will
build wall OF protection about the
United States 80 high that none of yoir
products can come in"
The yiceroy then asked nae as to our
tour and az to my Newspaper CORE
spondence. He asked me why sTtrav.
sled, and it seem to surprise him when
I replied that it was for the purpose OF
making money out of my letters, and
improving my mind by meeting such
distinguished men as himself. and by
being able to write intelligently of them
thereafter to the American people. At
this momenta servant in livery brought
US three bubbling glasses of champagne,
and drinking this together the inter
view vas over. The viceroy offered me
his loug 6nger-nailed hand, pushing it
far out of his fur cuff as he did so, and
he walked with me to the door and
down the hall of the Yamen. Our in
terview lasted fully halt an hour, and
after the ice was thawed 1t was q most
pleasant one. His Excellency smoked
during the whole of the interview. and
I was furnished with Turkish cigar
cite. The viceroy tmoked pipe which
had a stem at least four feet long, and
which was held to his lips and lighted
by servant. It was a water pipe, and
the smoke was drawn through the water
with a bubbling sound as we talked
About ten whiffs consumed the tobacco
ID the bowl, and then the servant had
to slip out the metal bowl, blow out the
tobacco. refill the pipe. rellghs it and
put it back into the viceroy's lips. 1t
was curious proceeding. and it seemed
a lazy one.
All Tientsin is just now excited over
the marriage Of LII Hung Changes
daughter. 1t took place this week, and
the three days wedding was the great
est event of the year. 1 saw some of
the flowers at the Yamsn as I passed
through, and, am told. that the we'd
ding gifts filled thres rooms. Some of
the presents were of jade, pearls ana
precious stones, and there was great
amount of silks and velyets. Lii Hung
Chang is superintendent of trade for
northern China. and all of the great
merchants MAIDS presents to the bride.
The manner of sending the presents
hn nf