The Portland daily press., 1892-11-19

sonally more popular in Washington.
Several years ago the count conceived
the idea Of going into that compare
lively unknown country of the s'heathen
Chinee" and of obtaining certain valu-
able concessions for American capt.
talists.
It never appears to have struck any
other progressive and aggressive Ameri-
can that this was the greatest field proba-
bly, in the world for investment. Here
was country with 100000, 600 inhabit-
ants and an area SO great that even the
United States would be comparatively
lost if placed in one corner. With all
this population and with all this terri
tory there was but one telegraph and
one railroad, not single telephone, no
letter carrier system, no government
mint, and, what was still more surpris-
ing, no system Of governmental revenue.
j. The count determined to penetrate the.
barriers which had been raised about
the Chinese empire principally by Brit
ish capital and British enterprise.
The greatest difficulty encountered by
the count in pushing his scheme was
really in America. He first had to over
come the natural prejudice in this coun-
try against foreigners. His scheme also
was so far away, and at the same time
SO gigantic in its conception and the re-
suits it promised, that many American
capitalists who were approached were
startled by its very magnitude. The
first man to take hold of these Chinese
concessions was no less man than the
prominent banker, Wharton Barker, Of
Philadelphia. Later the gigantic deal
had for its supporters such men as Colo
mel Elliott F. Shepard and the Chinese
minister at Washington.
So far the count has been unable to
produce these Chinese concessions and
deliver them over to his associates in
the enterprise. But he has by no means
despaired of accomplishing this result.
In fact he said today that he regarded
this as the work of his life and would
certainly succeed before he died. The
count claims that it is simply battle
between English and American enter
prise and capital, and that, as a natural
lied American, he is determined to see
the thing brought to a successful con-
clusion. After many months of work
the count finally sailed for China, backed
not only by American capital, butfwith
the letters Of introduction which guar
anteed to him an introduction and an
audience with Lii Hung Chang, the
prime minister of the Chinese empire
and the seventh prince, the uncle of the
emperor. The counts remarkable ex-
perience in China reads like fairy tale,
and is best told in his own words. In
describing it he said:
t'On my arrival at Shanghai was in
formed that shortly steamer sent by
the Viceroy Lii Hung Chang would be
placed at my dlsposaI. Inc vessel was
such as is used only by the royalty, and
from this was convinced that my let
tiers of introduction to the Chinese off
Gals were Of the very best. l went
unattended, and was compelled to rely
altogether upon an interpreter whose
services secured in Shanghai. But it
seems that the viceroy had issued an Or
der that my person was sacred, and this
doubtlessly accounts for the universal
courtesy and attention I met with on
every hand.
81 do not doubt but what this atten-
ton was very largely due to the lavish
expenditure of money. 1t is a univer-
sal custom in China to pay tribute to
everything and everybody, and in that
country no official considers it a crime
to accept bride. In fact they do not
consider it as bride, but rather as one
of their legitimate perquisites. l started
in with the Cinnamon who handled my
luggage and worked my way up to the
prime minister of the Chinese empire.
and what with presents of costly silks
and diamonds at the end of a TWO
months trip found that my expenses
had reached the enormous sum of twenty
five thousand odd dollars.
"a small fortune, you might say, and
in truth it was, but in reality it was but
the beginning. There has already been
spent on these Chinese concessions GER
tainly not less than $500, 900, and it will
take as much more to secure them. What
will they be worth2 No man can tell. Mil