The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-12
LIFE IN THE ORIENT
INTERESTING TALK WITH FRANK G..
CARPENTER.
He Gives a Slight Clew to What May
BE Expected In His Lectures,
Which Begin Tonight.

lures on China, Japan and Corea. He is of
slight build, and possesses an attenuated
figure. BY profession Mr. Carpenter is
newspaper man, but for the last twelve
years he has devoted his time largely to
European travel and to syndicate CORE
spondence. His home is in Washington D,
c. Mr.. Carpenter has made two trips to the
Orient, his last visit extending over a period
of several months He returned to America
late last fall, and has since busted himself
in writing of the Chinese war.
During my last visit I had wonderful adj
vantages, he said in interview last
night. Il had letters from the Vice Presi-
Dent and the Secretary of State to Count
Ito. Premier of Japan, and Lii Hung Chang
the Premier of China. The latter is the
man whom the Emperor has sent over to
japan to help settle the war. My last visit
was just before this war. ! Travelled over a
great portion of China without interruption.
OF course, that would be impossible now.
Since the war everything has been shut off
from the correspondents. The rebellion had
just broken out in Corea when left. Dur
ing an interview which I had with Count
Ito, in Japan, he insinuated that war might
occur. Just about the time I got back to
this country war was declared
How did you happen to go on your last
trip?" Mr.. Carpenter was asked.
II knew that these countries were under
going great changes. had spent six months
in China, Japan and Corea about six years
ago,sand was then much impressed with the
possibilities of the Japanese and Chinese.
felt that Asia would soon be great news
center, and thought could give a good Sc
RES OF letters on those countries. The re-
suit was that interested a number of news
papers in the scheme, and started out to
travel 2o,O0 miles for twenty-five news
paper letters. / believe this to be one of
q nan mar sell
ord, ana, as originally planned, it was to in
clude five hundred miles of travel for every
letter. found the field, however, SO mucn
bigger than / thong ut, and the made
the matter SO much more interesting, that /
nave now written over forty letters During
me. and took pictures every where 1 car
rled my negatives to Japan anf had slides
made from them by the Japanese phQtog-
.sts.'
do you not regret having returned so
soon?'
II did at first, but see now that could
not nave accompnshed anything by STAYING
lea got no information worth publishing
They were not able to get further into
they furnished concerning the battles have
been contradicted again and again. AS soon
as the war broke out, both the Chinese and
the Japanese governments closed up every
thing as tight drum. On the other
had loog Mas f6 "a gln n 20 hane
and met many other Chinese mobiles. in
terviewed the King of Corea, and was given
access to all sorts of information in Japan.
l went Through the arsenals of the japanese
empire, and took pictures in Chinas big
arsenals at Shanghai took notes every
where, and when l got back to America /
found that had just the Information that
the people wanted, and such information
as l am told no correspondent will be able
to get for some time to come"
Mr.. Carpenter has three lectures, He
gives one talk on Japan and the Japanese,
another on the Chinese as he found them IN
1894, and his third lecture deals with the
people of Corea. All of his lectures are
illustrated by stereopticon views.
II believe that they day for l i9ctur ms on
and the ruins of Europe has gone by. con-
tinued Mr. Carpenter. THE people will no
longer stand ESSAYS in newspapers l Inc
cles. and believe that the time has come
when we must have news on the lecture
platform. think the, mission of the news
paper man is far higher than that of the
lecturer, and had l not the news to tell
would not attempt to talk
Mr.. Carpenter did not meet the Emperor
of China while his late visit. He was
not able to gain access to that functionary.
mighty parsonage he said: at is almost an
impossibility for any one who is not chi, chi
in the heart of the Tartar city of Picking,
and you have to go through three separate
foreigner is permitted to enter those sacred
precincts. Our American minister, Colonel
the Emperor, but no private American citi-
zen There is no American who stands
closer to the Chinese government than John
w. Foster. ex-Secretary of State and he did
not see the Emperor when he was in Pc
king. came into contact, however, with
of the euniehs of the palace, and |
met number of persons who heard good
deal about the private life and character
of the Emperor. I am told that he is very
pettish and when he gets angry he jumps
up and down in his rage The real ruler
China Is NOT tns She hp been opr efS
the governor of China for the last thirty
years, and now at sixty she rules through
- t. frznyr rrhn id VII
years of age He is not strong, and is said
to be pale and sickly. He has three wives
a as that of the Sultan. There is said to be
from two to three thousand women in the
Were you invited to the homes of the
mo The only noble who treats foreigners
man in China, as / have said, and he has
long appreciated the greatness of foreign
ceited people on the face of the earth. They
never ask the foreign ministers to come 10
disgrace to have our ministers or the minis
tiers from England sit down to their dinner
tables. Prince Ching told Secretary Foster.
last summer, that he had asked many of
the foreign ministers to dine with him, but
said: only ask them to come and dine
is as good as fixing no time. I tell them
that want to have them come and that
haven't come yet, and Just between you and
me- / don't believe they ever will come
Lii Hung Chang entertainS every prominent
foreigner who comes to the country. He
gave a banquet to Secretary Foster. to
which / was invited, and he sent Mr.. Fos-
ter to Picking in his own vice regal launch"
While abroad Mr.. Carpenter did not lose
entire sight of the bellies of the Orient. He
was greatly Disguised with the Chinese
women. but of the Japanese maiden he
women in the world than the Japanese
girls, he said There are many beauties
among them, and they have refinement
and taste which / believe is superior to
that Of their sex among the Anglo Saxon
nations They are always coquettish and
Charming. Both sexes in Japan are clean.
The Chinese women are the reverse. She
has no taste in dress and covers her cream
colored face with paste which makes her
fideolrs in the extreme Her dress is ugly
in shape and color, and she seems to have
no knowledge of the harmony of colors. The
Chinese have no idea of cleanliness, and
many Of them do not take bath once a
year This is true of both sexes. The
Corean women are practically the saYes
of their husbands. A Corean girl at seven
is shut off in the back Of her fathers house
until after she is married, and one but
her husband is supposed to see her face.
Some time ago the Empress Dowager of
Corea was sick and DR.. Allen. an American
physician was asked to prescribe for her.
He went to the palace and the old lady
thrust her withered arm through screen