Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-08-24

about IA years and threatened the over
throw of the empire. Later another prov
ihce was added to his rule, and he was
created viceroy of the united provinces in
1865. He has since become the most pow
erful viceroy in the empire and is practi-
cally prime minister, viceroy of the great
province of Chill, with it's 40, 900, 900
people, superintendent Of the trade of
north China, director general of the coast
defense of the north, administrator of the
imperial navy, commander in chief of the
army of north China, and these high Of
fees, together with dozens of others of
less note, constitute him a sort of Chinese
Poo Bah of wonderful power and in1u-
ence. He is senior member Of the impc.
rial council, composed of four grand secre-
taries-a body that is next to the emperor
In the government of China.
Unlike the emperor, who is a Mantchoo
and a descendant of Shun-chi, whose peo-
pie conquered the Chinese in 1914, Ii
Hung Chang is a full blooded Chinese.
He wa the first great Chinese to urge a
more friendly policy toward foreigners,
and to him China owes her progress in
civilization from a European standpoint.
He speaks English and is a close student
Of the worlds affairs. To him China owes
her modern navy and the modern weapons
now in the hands Of SO many of her SOL
diers. Without him military reforms
would never Lave taken place, and in the
present difficulty with Japan China would
have been utterly unprepared for war had
not the viceroy built %shipyards, arsenals
and ironclads and employed European Of
1cers to drill Chinese soldiers and sailors.
At the close of the TAPPING rebellion the
%So0r0vr xrh ho1r h0or# ~ :o-
with the efficiency Of the troops differed
by Englishmen and F~renchmen, recruit
ed many Of Chinese Gordon's disbanded
veterans, armed them with modern weap-
ons, engaged European instructors and
speedily organized an army of about 5O,-
900 men, who are garrisoned near Tien-
tsin, the home of Lii Hung Chang, and
the seaport of Picking, which is 90 miles
farther up the Pei-Ho river These troops,
which are the flower of the Chinese sol
diery and compose what is called the
Black Flag army, guard the approach to
Peking in time Of peace, but at present
many of them are in Korea exchanging
compliments with the mikado's soldiers.
The viceroy has also strengthened the
customs department., which is the back
bone of China's credit, and he has intro
duced the telegraph and built the only
railroad in the empire. All these inno-
vatiOns have been made in the face of the
most pronounced opposition on the part of
the influential grand council of the en-
pire.
Several years ago the viceroy's enemies
~endeavored to convince the emperor and
dowager empress tnat Ii Hung Chang
meditated using his great power to seize
the government, and that the viceroy
should be compelled to live in Picking,
where a closer watch could be kept over
him. The emperor ordered the viceroy to
move to Peking, but whenLi Hung Chang
announced that he proposed bringing IT,.
900 troops with him the emperor hastily
told him to remain in Tientsin with his
soldiers. About the same time a body Of
100000 rebels marched upon Picking to
overthrow the government. The emperor
sent his best Picking troops to meet them,
%trouncing. Then Ii Hung Chang proved
his loyalty by taking the field with his
well drilled troops, who speedily routed
the rebels and restored order.
II Hung Chang is very polite to for
aigners and seems to enjoy learning what
he can from them. He invariably asks his
visitor how old b is,S how, many children.
he has, what his income is and numerous
other questions that are considered imper-
tinent in America and polite in China.
He shakes hands in the American fashion,
~patronizes' an American doctor and is
said to have accumulated a fortune of
about s5O,O0O,OOO by means that many
American politicians are not unfamiliar
with.