The morning call., 1894-08-04

had read the paragraph in yesterdays pa
pers about Ii Hung Chang being ''di-
vested" and they had evidently argued
| about it long and sonorously. and were
still in the throws of the effort TO digest it
last evening, for no one had come along to
| explain what "divested' was.
Therefore mutual exchange of intelli-
gence became necessary, and the debt of
gratitude seemed TO lie heaviest upon the
Chinaman in the matter-for what he
heard pleased him.
1t may be news to say that the China
town Chinaman does not like this Ii Hung
Chang one man in China for whom
all the rest of the world has profound
res pect.
The reason is that Ii Is a Tartar, and is
not considered a Chinaman of the
Chinese thoroughbred. Therefore to
know that the great Viceroy had been
divested of neutrality-suspicious. it might
be-brought satisfaction with 1t. But this
was tempered with the usual unbelief.
Fook Wah explained that he who wore
the yellow jacket was invested with the
power OF the Emperor in the matter in
question. For instance, war is on, and
III Hung Chang is charged with directing
1t and is invested with the yellow jacket
in the matter. He is then supreme and
may take whatever means he wishes to
prosecute it, calling for men and money
without having to explain to any one. He
may also make peace if he will.
Secretary Wong of the Consul's office
was not in, but the Euglsh-speaking un-
derlings seemed to have some similar no.
of ba Soo -
had been often conferred upon Ii Hung
Chang in different matters.
But Joe Gal and Gee Ham of Sacra-
mento street, who could understand and
talk the English more readily. did not
agree with this view. They said that the
yellow jacket was a mark of the highest
honor all right, but being bestowed it
could not be recalled.
Suppose you be in my employ for long
time." said Joe, "aDd pay you big wages,
and you are vely faithful and l love you
vely much. You have full charge of my
business. can give you no more monev,
so l give honor. l make you coat like my
own to show that you same as me. So the
Emperor give Lii Hung Chang the yellow
jacket l might afterward discharge you
from my store, but could not take back
the present l give you. So the Emperor
cannot take the yellow jacket away. 1t
must be mistake"
Joe told of an instance in Chinese his
tory happening in the war with Russia
only about fifteen years ago. The COM
mandant of the army, Chow Jung Tong,
who stands almost as high in the counsels
of the empire as Ii Hung Chang himself,
was sent out against the Russians invested
with the yellow jacket His strongest gen.
eral was Tong Chang, who fought so
bravely ard won triumph after triumph n
a manner that enlisted Chow Jung Tong's
enthusiasm to such a degree that, taking
off the yellow jacket in the presence of the
troops, he invested Tong Chang with it
while he went back to the Emperor to re-
port and ask for his promotion.
Joe goes further 10 discussing the Chi
nese political situation, and says that if Ii
Hung Chang has been ''ealied down" in
anv way 1t is because the Emperor Is be-
ginning to feel himself the Emperor in tact
as we'll as in name. He is now 26 years
old while Ii Hung Chang is 76; that he is
probably alarmed al the highhanded man.
ner in which Ii Hung Chang is running
things and fearful that be may overthrow
the Government; that it is more likely that
the reprimaEd was for going too fast in the
war rather than too slow-always provid-
Ing that there was any reprimand at all.