Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-04-21
Ii HUNG CHANG.
Rise and Public Career of the
Bismarck of China.
For Years He Has Been Vir-
tual Chief of China.

ho AoSt thoe OHC W ehS S"sSSo ~
living statesmen arrived, few days
ago, at his 10th year, has almost es-
capped the attention Of the press. The
statesman in question is Lii Hung
Chang, who, for over quarter of a
century, has controlled the affairs Of
the Oldest empire in the world. For
the past thirty years every important
negotiation with foreign governments
has been practically conducted by III
Hung Chang on behalf of the Chinese
Court; and the title of the Bismarck
of China has been, perhaps appro-
priately, applied to man who EN-
bodies the views of the Pekin au-
thorities as completely as the great
Chancellor ever represented the policy
of the German Empire. Ii Hung
Chang first rose into fame during the
TAPPING rebellion. When the empire
seemed to be at it's last gasp he stepped
forward to the rescue and enlisted
foreigners to aid in crushing out the
gigantic insurrection which threat
ened the overthrow of the imperial
dynasty. To his action in securing
the assistance of the late Chinese Cor
don and other able mercenaries, may
be attributed the suppression of the
most formidable rebellion which has
disturbed the Chinese Empire during
the past two hundred years.
Lii Hung Chang rapidly rose in
favor, and in 1870 he was appointed
Viceroy of the Imperial Province and
Guardian of the Heir Apparent to the
Throne. These offices, with numbers
of others, he has since held. 1t is not
often that an Oriental statesman has
been able TO hold his own for over
twenty years against detractors and
opponents, who commonly spring up
to check the career and thwart the
policy of prominent politicians in the
East; and it may truly be said that If
it had not been for his sagacity in per-
ceiving the merit of foreign inven-
tions, and utilizing them to strengthen
the empire, and at the same time to
secure his own position as chief of
state, Ii Hung Chang would doubt
less have shared the fate of other
famous but less fortunate Chinese
Premiers.
He established a torpedo school, an
arsenal, a railway and a foreign
trained military force within his juris-
diction on lines which made him, be-
yond comparison, the most powerful
Viceroy in the empire. Even if policy
had made it advisable to weaken his
authority any attempt to do SO would
have been attended with SO much
danger that the palace government at
Pekin would probably have sbrunk
from the endeavor. Happily for the
empire, as we'll as for Ii Hung Chang,
the fact that his policy has been sue
cessful and that he has never appar-
emily overstepped the limits of his
authority have kept him firmly cstab-
lished in Office and in the favor of his
sovereign.
Ii Lung Chang shows no signs of
decline, and it is probable that he will
continue for years to come to be the
virtual chief of the Chinese Empire.
1t is to be hoped that this will prove
the case, for he surpasses other Chin
ese statesmen Of the day in liberality
of thought and action. He has II
prudent appreciation of the strength
and capacity of Western nations, and
while he makes it his aim to maintain
by every means within his grasp the
power and influence of China, lie pre-
fers diplomacy to force i'll dealing
with Europeans and Americans. lie
has improved immensely the defensive
ability of the empire, and while in
this he has served his own ends, he
has also had i'll view the interests of
his country. There can be no COM
parison between the China of the
present and the past, so far as military
and naval power are concerned. This
should not be forgotten by American
statesmen when called upon to pro-
vide for the protection of American
interests in the Pacific. New York
Press.