The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-09-09
(Contimued from 1st Page)

pullueT IL Oounu 10 SeG iich, 10 ho
notW said Ii, laughing.
That idea dwell with him; and
looking out over a poppy field day
later, be said to HIMSELF "Ten thou.
sand people working on that field.
Poppy raising will soon be stopped
in China to stamp out opium. What
will all those people dol They will
take the railroad to the next town.
What railroadY Why, the railroad
which | shall build"
what will they do there7" asked
the listener, too interested to con-
ceal his curiosity. GLOW will they
support themselves therei"
"By working in the factory"
what factoryp
"The factory which l shall build.
We need a factory for turning out
the vases which you Americans want
in such quantity. Now we can only
half supply you"
In conducting this conversation,
Ii Hung Chang spoke in mixture
of Chinese and English. He under
stands English perfectly, and could
speak if he would. But he is alb
surdly proud Of being pure blood
Chinaman. There are few China
men in China. The blood of the
Emperor is half Tartar, but Ii is
the real article. His skin is pure
golden color, and his eyes slant in
the true Chinese way. He is a very
handsome man, with his shaven
skull. He stands six feet two in
those wooden shoes Of his, and his
frame is the frame Of man who
weighs 200 without feeling his flesh.
Glow can | act like Westerner2'
he asks, "when my ancestors have so
richly endowed me with the ancient
and honorable attributes2"
In the past few years Ii Hung
Chang has built hundred factories
in China. He has put silk looms
there, 30 that Chinese silk, which
used to be dear, has become mex
pensive, and he has employed artists
who can work by stencil as we'll as
by brush, so that Chinese decoration
has been reduced to mere song.
The candlestick which cost Ii 9
cents to make, and which sold to an
importer for SO, is declared no idle
story. This takes place every day.
LII likes the United States, but he
also likes China. If he can get good
American dollars for himself and his
industries he will not refuse them.
But the Americans are learning the
cost of things, and Ii will find his
reign of immense profits must change
to one of fair profit only.
1t is said that LIS last and great
est mercantile investment is the
making of bicycles. Rumor has it
that hundred thousand bicycles
made in Japan will shortly arrive
here. They we're made on the grant
ed land of Ii Hung Chang. 1t is
untaxed property, and he pays no
rental for his buildings, which we're
put up by granted servants at no ex-
pense. The material in the bicycles
cost song and the labor even less,
for Chinese workmen willingly work
for turnip day and a dinner of
rice. Those machines, says this
rumor, can be sold here for $l3
apiece, such as they are. That is the
way the LII fortune was made.
The personal characteristics of this
statesman are great good humor.
He is always good natured, always
laughing. 1t is two years to a day
since the Emperor took away that
yellow riding jacket aud deprived
him of the priced peacock
feather, and for six months Lii had
to appear in public and direct the
army without these decorations,
His soldiers hardly knew him. His
title of Prince, bestowed upon him
few years ago, was threatened and
he was to be deprived of the guard
ianship OF the Grown Prince. But