The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-09
HIS ORIENTAL TRIP.
Washburn's Sudden Journey to
China Explained

Cn1nu Explained.
The why and wherefore of eX-Sen-
ator Washburn's trip to China is told
by a Washington correspondent Of the
New York Journal as follows: Senator
Washburn was accompanied by Roscoe
Cary, an attorney of No SO Wall street,
New York. These two men, according
to the story, represent q great syndi-
cate at the head of which is calvin $.
Brice and the membership includes
office holders and capitalists. The OBJ
ject of the syndicate and therefore OF
Senator Washburns trip to China is
to conclude arrangements, which have
already been nearly perfected, for the
establishment of a monopoly of the
railroad, telegraph and telephone sys-
tens of China. In Shanghai Mr.. Cary
and the senator were joined by a Mr..
Bach who has great influence with
the Chinese officials and government
The first negotiations for this gigantic
franchise monopoly were begun last
summer when Ii Hung Chang was in
America. Owing to the fact that
many members of the syndicate hold
high government places they were able
to approach the VicerOy with a show of
power and authority which made their
propositions welcome. 1t will also be
recalled that Mr.. WaShburn went to
Winnipeg to intercept Ii Hung Chang.
This syndicate expects to gobble up
the Pekin & Hankow railway, the con-
tract for which is said to have been
already obtained by Col. M. r. Jefferds.
In this connection 1t is interesting to
note that an American promoter now
On the lookout in Pekin for good things
writes to a friend in Minneapolis that
it is rumored in the Chinese capital
that Senator Washburn has offered Ii
Hung Chang immense sums of money
at 31b per sent interest. 1t is possible
that the syndicate expects to get con-
troll of the Chinese government banks
OF receive authorization to create them
in return for supplying the empire with
much needed funds at a low rate Of
interest.
Senator Brice's confidential man, e.
r. Leland, says this of the syndicate
and its schemes:
1T is true that ex-senator Wash
burn and Mr.. Cary are in China for the
purpose of obtaining concessions from
the government. They are there to get
all the commercial loot they can. They
are after the railroad in the first place.
If we get that there are some other
things we will try and obtain. These
other schemes are in a nebulous state
just now, however. They may mater
IaI1ze later.
What we are trying to do is nothing
more than anyone else would like to ac-
cOmpliSh. The whole commercial world
has known that there are immense
chances in China. Everybody would
like to get some Of the concessions.
Some have tried and failed others are
trying now, but I think we have the
best of them.
Senator Brice and myself are inter-
ested in the ventures. So, of course,
is ex-senator Washburn. Mr.. Cary has
accompanied him as a legal adviser,
and Mr. Bach has been in China for
some time making arrangements. AS
to the other men interested in secur-
ing the concessions I can say nothing.
They do not want their names made
public and the matter was to have been
kept secret. Now that some of the
names are known there is no need of
denying the matter, and there is also
no need of mixing other persons up i'll
ito