The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-21
CHINA AND JAPAN.
The Treaty Of Peace Negotiated
at Shimono6eki
Ex-secretary Foster, Who Was the Com
hdentiai Adviser of the Emperor OF
China, Tells of the Work Done
by Ii Hung Chang.


by Ii Hung Chang.
Gen. Foster, who accompanied Ii
Hung Chang on his mission to nego-
tate peace with Japan, in the capacity
Of confidential adviser to the emperor
of China, contributes q Characteristic
sketch of the Chinese viceroy. Con-
corning the treaty of Shimonoseki, Mr..
Foster says:
while he thus bore the most i'm
portant trust ever committed to him
by the emperor, it was by no means
task to his liking. He was by nature
high-spirited, aud his military and po-
litical success had made him naughty
and imperious. He was proud Of lis
country, of its past history and Of its
institutions. he partook of the nation
al feeling of contempt for the japanese,
and he felt keenly the humiliation
which the war had inflicted upon his
people He knew the mission to which
he had been assigned would make him
unpopular and expose him to fresh in
dignities from his partisan enemies.
He felt that he was taking his life in
ON Jananese soil, and he 80 expressed
himself to the incredulous foreign
diplomats at Picking; but he dared not
shrink from the duty which his sover-
eigr had imposed upon him.
Seldom has q public man, under
cnch fry;no oiv,c,vrrn cfo ncae hoy-pa hirn-
self with such true heroism and pa
triotic devotion. A high-spirited and
proud man, he went to the land of the
despised but triumphant enemy to sue
fer peace; and yet he never failed to
maintain his accustomed demeanor or
his country's dignity. And it is due to
the Japanese plenipotentiaries who
wero designated to receive and treat
with him at Shimonoseli to state that
they exhibited toward him the highest
marks of respect, and during the en-
tire negotiations allowed no word to
escape from their lips, and nothing to
occur, which might be considered per-
sonally offensive to their distinguished
guest. He had the good fortune to con-
duct negotiations with two compeers,
men Of marked ability, and worthy rep
resentatives of their government and
race. Marquis Ito, tho prime minister,
y a typical member OF the progressive
party, educated in Europe, and trained
in modern political science and methods
of government, but an ardent and pa
triotic Japanese. he had Q valuable col
league In Count Autsu. minister of for
eign affairs, who had been long in his
country's servioe at home and abroad.
Marquis Ito, ten years before, had been
sent by his government to Tientsin to
arrange with the Viceroy Ii settle
mont Of Corean affairs; and the Same
subject brought the viceroy to Japan,
but under changed conditions for the
negotiators.
"Ths defeated party always negotiates
ct q disadvantage, and the viceroy did
not fail to appreciate the situation;
but the Judgment Of the impartial OBJ
server is that he came out Of it with
~ much credit as was possible, and it
Is quite certain that he obtained better
terms for his country than any other
Chinese official could have secured.
This was due In part to the personal
consideration shown him by the jap
anese negotiators, but mainly to his
swn diplomatic experience and his thor,
ough knowledge of his own govern.
meut.
Japan was robbed Of large measure
OF her triumph by the interpretation of
the European powers, and It has been
stated that the vioercy consented in
the treaty to the cession of the Lao
tung peninsula only because of his
knowledge that these powers would
compel its return to China. But this
is not fair statement of the facts.
Neither the viceroy nor his government
he'd received any information from Rus
STA or any other power, before the
treaty was signed, as to its action on
the subject; but he had been a close stu
don't of European politics for many
years, and his action was based upon
convictions born of that study. He
neither reads nor speaks any foreign
language, but he has secretaries
charged with the duty of keeping him
informed of current events, and has had
much intercourse with diplomats and
other intelligent foreigners; and he
well knew that Russia, II no other ma
ton, would not allow the domination of
Corea by japan, or its permanent lodg-
mept on tho continent SO near to Pc
king and Russia's own possessions, and
be was willing TO make the Locating
cession in order to escape other harsh
terms.
But the viceroy's craftsmanship and
strength of character were most con-
spicuous in his conduct after the treaty.
was signed and he had returned to
China He sent urgent telegraphic rep
resentations to the emperor and to the
foreign Office, calling for prompt rati-
fcation and exchange of the treaty in
spite of the foreign influence and ma
tional clsmor. His personal enemies
were actively exerting themselves
against the treaty. led by Viceros/
Chang Chi-tung. who had written the
highly laudatory address on the ooca-
sion OF his birthday celebration. and
who 10 that end was fomenting the re-
bellion in Formoss. and supplying the
rebels with arms from the imperial ar
senal at Shanghai. 1t greatly rebounds
to the credit of the young emperor that
L. 81