The morning call., 1894-08-04
Ii HUNG CHANG.

The news from the seat OF war IN ASH 10
so unreliable that it is rash to comment On
any statement of fact till it is confirmed.
Now, we are told that the Emperor mas
divested Ii Hung Chang of the yellow
Jacket, which Is equivalent TO removing
him from office Recent travellers in emma
make no mention of a yellow jacket; lhe
Insignia of rank is a button worn on the
top of the hat, and which varies IN color
according to the station of the wearer
Still, there would be nothing surprising
in the removal of Ii Hung Chang, who Is
73years old, and sufferer from the lnhrml-
ties of old age. The reigning Emperor.
Hwang-ti, is a young man-only 70 Untll
1889 his power was nominal, the real Gov
ernment being carried on by the West
ern" DOwager Empress, who was the
mother of the late Emperor Tung-chi. She
is still alive. and China was about to cele-
hrate her sixiieth birthday when the war
with Japan broke out. But Hwang-ti is
Emperor in fact as in name. OF his char
acter the world knows nothing. He may
be an idle vouDtuary, as SO many of bis
recent predecessors have been, or he may
be an energetic sovereign with vigOr and
ambition. No Christian has ever seen,
much less talked with him.
Ii Hung Chang has been the most
prominent figure in China for forty years.
lie was a civilian employed in the Gov
ernment printing office when he was
placed in command of the army which
suppressed the Tapping IebslliOn. He b.
came Governor of Kang-su and in 1870
Viceroy of Chilli. HonOrs and power
were sh0wered upon him. He became at
one and the same time Secretary Of State.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, director
general of the army of the north, CON-
mander-in-ehief of the army OF North
China and Superintendent OF Trade. he
was subordinate only to the Emperor and
TO the boards which constitute the Tsung-
Ii Yamen. He placed himself at the head
Of the Progressive party and for twenty
years held his own against the Conserva-
tive party, which was led by the senior
Empress, by General Tso and by the
Board Of CensoTs. IE the teeth or these
powerful antagonists he was able to plant
telegraph lines. to build the beginning of
navy, to organize an army Onicereds by
Europeans and armed with modern weap-
ons and to establish industries which have
become prosperous. He was unable to
carry out his pet project to gridiron China
with railroads and he did not always sue
ceed in imprsssing upon the Government
of Psking his pacific views of foreign
policy. But with the aid of Prince Chun.
who has been bis firm ally, he has done
more during the past quarter of century
toward shaping the policy of China than
any other man in the empire.
He naturally became target for jealousy
and envy. The Board Of Censors, which
is in one respect the most powerful body
in the empire, having the power to rebuke
the Emperor himself, has once or twice
impugned his motives and condemned his
policy. But on tine last occasion of inter-
ference the great Viceroy moved from his
stronghold at Tlentsin and attacked the
enemy at the capital with such unsus-
pected vigor and such ominOus threats
that the Board Of Censors hastened TO
retreat and made no more war on an enemy
so fertile in resources and so implacable
in his methods. The senior Empress is
dead: General Tso is dead; the Marquis
Tseng, who was jealous of the Vicsroy, is
dead also. If any conservative leader Is
left who could threaten the omnipotence
of Ii his name Is not known to the outside
world.
There would be singular parallelism
between his career and that of Bismarck
if the young Emperor of China has dis
missed him from Office. Like Bismarck,
Ii has had but one thought-ths aggran-
dzement of his country, and perhaps the
Chinaman brought the larger mind to bear
on his aims. Bismarck never got over his
early education in The Mcttornich school.
The tendency of his mind is in the dirsc-
tion of paternalism and the repression of
popular instincts. Making allowance for
the difference in the conditions of the two
countries, the historian will class Ii among
the progressive and liberal men of his
country. He has always been imbusd with
ravenous thirst for information. es-
pecIally information about foreign affairs.
An American recently obtained permis-
sion to visit him at his homo. One who
knew the Viceroy well saIdonically OBJ
served, You are going TO interview Ii
Hung Chang, eh? You will find before
you get through that it is he who has
sw,kx