The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-10-29
Ii HUNG CHANG.
Some Facts Of Interest About the
Great Chinaman,
he Gould Have Made Himself
Emperor OF China.

palace at Tien- Tsin, his SOD, Lord III,
who acts as his secretary, brings the
Vicerov some state document which
necessitates his taking the brush and
India ink used for writing in China
and rapidly painting his elongated
signature at the top left hand corner.
This palace, in which the greater
part of the work of running the Obi
nese Empire Is done, is remarkable.
1t has been described incorrectly as
being furnished in the Western style.
As fact, every apartment in the I'M
mense collection of buildings but one
is in Chinese fashion.
This single room is known as the
"foreign reception chamber. " Every :
thing in it is foreign except Chinese
divan. Circular sofas OF the latest
pattern, gorgeous tapestries and gilt
| furniture give this apartment the ap-
pearance of having been transported
in its entirety from a Fifth avenue
mansion. There is even an artistic
fireplace instead of the porcelain stove
universal in China.
1t is here that the Viceroy enter
tains distinguished foreign visitors.
On the walls are oil paintings of Arm
strong, the ship builder; Krupp, the
gunmaker; the famous Chinese Cor
don and Ii himself. When one of
Lis SONS comes in and chats to the
visitor in correct English or French
the callers surprise is complete.
American visitors to the Viceroy
were surprised at his knowledge of
politics in their own country. The first
question he usually asked was, "Are
youa Democrat or Republican," and
then spoke of affairs here in way
that showed extry ordinary familiarity
with the system Of government. He
is particularly inqSisitiye as to the
amount of corruptNS1 in politics in
what he calls ."I' a Que"-"the,
great American cour 49,
However, he cannos sok down upon
! Gate ssE o sorrsppf. N. rhere. The system in
costs. me perfection of extortion
State bribery. The amount of LIS
fortune is known only to himself. He
is probably one of the richest men in
the world, aud owns immense amounts
in Western securities. All this money
has been accumulated by the use Of
every opportunity his position gives
him, to the uttermost extent. A
mandarin, wishing even to speak with
the Viceroy, must first pay fee, and
there is scale of charges for every
concession. Too much blame cannot
| be attached to Ii for thus making
use of his chance to enrich himself.
1t is the recognized Chinese system
and no odium is attached to it there.
Indeed, the whole government is one
vast machine of corruption, from
Emperor to the lowest servant of a
mandarin.
1t is little known that Lii, had he
chosen, could have been Emperor of
China. In 1887, when Prince Kung
was retired in disgrace, bold coup
would certainly have placed the
Viceroy, then at the height of his
power, on the imperial throne. His
supporters were anxious that he should
allow himself to be made Emperor,
but, probably considering the dangers
continually surrounding the position,
especially without the prestige of
right by birth, he refused, and placed
the present Emperor, Kwang Hsu, on
the throne instead.
The blacklist and most treacherous
action in LIS life was the beheading
of the leaders of the Tapping rebel
lion. These men came to the Viceroy's
camp by invitation to negotiate terms
of surrender. AS soon as they were
in his power he had all of them be-
headed. 1t is said that "Chinese"
Gordon was so furious with Ii that he
armed himself with a revolver and
hunted for him high and low, with the
avowed purpose of taking his life.
However, he relented, no doubt con-
sidering in cooler moments that Ii
was Chinaman, and as such unable
to understand Occidental ideas of
honor.