Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-03

the Japanese administered their crushing
defeats to the Chinese. but each time his
to him more ample than before. Even in
| those two brief Interruptions to his active
service for his country he was still re-
the IN the
given Chinese Gordon the glory and the
credit for suppressing the Tae-Ping re-
bellion. The genius that directed and the
hand that moved the forces that accom-
plished the result belonged to Ii Hung
Chang.
In the article by Mr. John Russell Young,
quoted above, he treats this subject in
graphic and interesting manner:
The deplorable and unnecessary death of
Chinese Gordon in the Soudan has thrown
around his memory the glamor Of mysti-
cism, and In the absence of available heroes
our English friends have given him a pin
| nacle OF greatness equal to that of Nelson.
The bent of Gordon's mind toward theo-
logical disquisitions has attracted tho inter-
est SHOWN in Havelock and Stonewall jack
son. Out of this has grown the impression,
now almost historical that the suppression
OF the Tae-Ping rebellion was due to the
genius of Gordon.
His name has reached the Immortality of
| romance. He lives in romance as the sup
pressor of the Tae-Ping rebellion. Other
names disappear. Ward and Burgeoine
the two Americans who rendered valuable
services, are forgotten, and the fact that
LII Hung Chang, the Chinese commander
had any part in the business is unknown
Gordon. as young captain of engineers,
ABOUT tWenty-six, son of British general,
| took part in the invasion of China in 1860
assisted in the CAPTURE of Picking and in the
wanton destruction Of the Summer Palace
the worst bit of business in the way of
making an empire since the burning of our
national Capitol and public library by Ad-
mlraI Cockbuln in 1914. Having finished
the Summer Palace. Gordon went to Shang-
nal to save the European settlement from
o. Chnlc tlno 80
Hung Chang, he was attached to the i'm
Perlal forces becoming lieutenant colonel
and mandarin, and taking with him into
tne Chinese service a couple of hundred
Ensl1shmen and other aliens, beachcomb-
ers. waits, stray sheep, fugitives from JUS
t1ce, adventurers and representatives of
that strange tumble of human nature found
on the shores of Asia.
The war ran on for couple Of years.
IT was hardly war-rather an amicab BILE
BIT Of throat-cutting-"arm adjourning
hostlllt1es during battle that dinner might
be served" and other quaint neighborly
customs. 1t was a Chinese war, fought by
chinese soldiers, victory achieved, when it
came at last by Chinese valor. The Incl
Gent OF the execution of the Wang princes
by the order of Lii. and Gordon rushing
around with pistol to shoot Ii for his
treacfery." has been much written about
until 1t already has attained the dignity
OF romance. The fact was that Gordon
was never In command of the army of Ii
never in position to make stipulations
as to the terr1s that Ii should give to an
enemy. IL the vfceroy had not taken the
heads or the captive rebel princes he would
have disobeyed the commands of the en-
peror Snd lost his own.
A Ruler of Men.
Il have dwelt upon the episode" con-
tinued Mr.. Young. mot to be unjust to a
memorable man. but to show his relations
to Ii Hung Chang and remove the impress
a
was the master spirit, the viceroy pup
pet. The difference between the two men
was Reconsideration a dreamer, a mystic
ever Heating in the clouds of theoogfps
throwing creeds aside as gossamer webs
ana believing himself under Gods Will-this
way, that way. translatnS his emotions
his impulses, into the direct command of
God governing his life: affectionate, high
tempered, swift to action. a stone out of
The sling when duty called law unto
hlElseif, the law an expression of vanity
because that law meant the will of God
whimsical, as when he suddenly threw I'D
hiSh office in India; high minded as when
ne refused money from China for his mill
tary services: supremacy brave when the
supreme hour came. Ii is a ruler of men,
AN intensely practical man. AS a soldier
stern unrelentng: severe in discipline
knowing human nature; stubborn in arpu-
n.ent; masterful in discussion, with IA high
sweeping temper. so rarely seen in orient
ais; abrupt, straightforward at times all
NEST TO the verge of rudeness, a scholar Of
| the highest rank and poet: given to
| MINOR with a touch of gentleness in his
| eyes: instant, even anticpatory, in his
| courteSles, but always going to the heart
| OF p question; never under illusions: keen
"atchful, with memory like steel going
ever 10 his purpose. l can imagine no
stronger contrast than that between two
| such characters as those of Gordon and Ii
| hung Chang. And perhaps in this contra st
| We ma the groundwork of their friendship
| and esteem
| Progressive Stntesmanship.
| During his long incumbency as governor
general, or viceroy, as he was generally
styled by foreigners, he became the omen
| and avoWed advocate of the construction
| of railroads, the purchase of foreign-built
ironclads and gunboats. the erection of
| modern fortifications the use of foreign
| cannon, and the introduction of modern
| military science, instruction, organization
| and firearms -.
He also built telegraph lines, which are
| managed by Danish experts, established a
| school to instruct the operators opened
| and equipped coal mines en- the European
| plan, built the first railroad in the empire
| to carry the product to Tien-Tsin and the
fleet, founded a military and naval acad-
| envy, endowed modern hospital, fitted up
| arsenals, machine shops and cotton mills
with foreign machinery. and generally did
| all That he dared do to introduce modern
| appliances and improvements into his own
| province, and to awaken the government
| to the importance Of introducing them
throughout the empire. His memorials, on
all these subjects, and especially on the
origin. Introduction and advantages of
| railroads, abound in the wisdom of a great
| mind. and are set forth in terms which
ought to have aroused a government
| STEPPED in the densest ignorance and con-
| servatism. Practically they fell stillborn,
for while they were received, read and re-
ferred, the influence of the censors, or ALI
| controlling court aided by the conserva-
| tive officials of the other great boards, was
| so great that 1t was impossible to secure
the adoption of progressive policy on the
part Of the throne. without which no ade-
| quate measures could be carried into effect
| Whatever was done was done by Ii Hung
| Chang, on his own responsibility, almost,
| as 1t were, with the bowstring about his
neck. During this period of his most active
| life his yamen, or official residence on the
| northern bank of the Peiho at Tien-Tsin,
was the actual center of all the progress
| there was in China, and Ii himself was the
hope and leader Of ALL whether native or
| foreign, who sincerely desired to see China
| throw off the old, adopt the new, and take
| her place among the nations of the world
No Parties in China.