The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-11-06

Some Facts Of Interest About the
Great Ohinaman.
He Could Have Made Himself
Emperor OF China

Who acts as bis secretary. brings the
Yiceroy some state dueument which
neoessitatea his taking the brush aud
India ink usod for writing in China
and rapidly painting his elongated
signature At the top lefl-hand corner.
This palace, in which the greater
part Of the work Of running the Chi
neso Empire Is done, Is remarkable.
II has been described incorrectly rs
being furnished ia the Western style.
A. fact, every apartment in the im-
mense collection OF buildings but one
is in Chinese fashion.
This single room ia known as the
''ioreign reception chamber . Every.
thing IN it is foreign except a Chinese
diyan. Circular sofas Of the latest
pattern, gorgeous tapestries and gilt
furniture give this apartment the APP
pearauee OF having been transported
in It's entirety from a Fifth avenue
mansion. There is even an artistic
fireplace instead OF the porcelain stove
universal in China.
It is here that the Viceroy enter
tains distinguished foreign visitors.
On the walls arc 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 Vieeroy
we're surprised at his knowledge OF
politics in their own country. The first
question he usually asked was, care
youa Democrat or a Republican," and
then spoke of affairs here in way
that showed extraordinary familiarity
with the system of government He
is particularly inquisitiye as to the
amount of corruption in politics in
what he calls Eta Ma Que "the
great American country"
However, be cannot look down upon
any corruption here. The system in
China is the perfection OF extortion
and 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 Yiceroy, must first pay a. fee, and
there is a scale of charges for every
concession. Too much blame cannot
be attached to Ii for thus making
use of his chance to enrich himself.
It 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 q
mandarin.
It is little known that Ii, 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 hi
power, on the imperial throne. Hi
supporters were anxious that he shoult
allow himself to be made Emperor
but, probably considering the danger
continually surrounding the position
especially without the prestige o
right by birth, he refused, and place.
the present Emperor, Kwang Hsu, OF
the throne instead.
The blacklist and most treacherou
action in Lis life was tho beheadinG
Of the leaders of the Tae-ping rebel
lion. These men came to tue Viceroy'
camp by invitation to negotiate term
of surrender. AS soon as they wer
in his power he had all of them be
headed. 1t is said that "Chinese
Gordon was so furious with Ii that h
armed himself with a revolver an
hunted for him high and low, with th
avowed purpose of taking his life
However, he relented, no doubt cor
STEERING in cooler moments that !
was a Chinaman. and as such unabl
to understand Occidental ideas {