New-York tribune., 1898-01-23
ITO AND III HUNG CHANG.
HOW THE TWO ORIENTAL STATESMEN
BECAME ACQUAINTED
lTo's EARLY LIFE-HIS ESCAPE FROM JAPAN
HND STAY IN ENGLAND
From The Pail Mall Gazette.

within few days we should hear OF the return
to power of Ii Qiung Chang and Ito (Hiro-
bumD?
81 know Ii; he is a personal friend OF mine"
replied the Marquis Ito to n question of mine
one night as we sat by the fire in his European
what they are about. and have method: they
are rot sufficiently organized" His Excellcncy
had remarked. To which | had made answer,
But LII Hung Chang is he not a capable man?
If he had more power. do you not think
things would be different?"
Il hardly think 50. know Ii: he is a per-
snnal fri' nj Of mine and since sent to
emma on an embassy some years ago we have
kept up private CORE Spondence Ii IS 4 fine
man. and admire him; but hc did not do what
ne might have done to preserve peace. At one
time all the Cor,an matter was in his hands
ana ne could have avoided the war had he
wished"
=, You spoke Of your own relations with Ii
How did they arise"
well. when arrived in China I demanded
an audience Of the Emperor 20 present my cre-
dentlals, bu. was met by ii. who said that
must do my business with him. But | refused
and went on To Peking. There saw the Tsung-
h-famen, or Foreign Board. where everybodys
business is nobody's; but still demanded to sea
the Emperor AT last it arranged that. as
the Emperor was so young, should present my
credentials to prince Of the royal family n-
stead which did. Then came the question
Of the power to be ntrusted to Ii for the nego-
tatlonS. | refused to enter upon any discussion
except with a Plenyctentary and the Tsung-
l-Yamcn in itself had sufficient power. But
when they perceived this, and deputed II 70 act
for them. would not accept the arrangement
till had letter from them stating clearly
what his powers were. and granting him powers
he had never before possessed With this In my
hand telegraphed TO Ii to know II he accepted
the responsibility and not till received his
reply did move from PekinS. Then business
began One day went to Lis house. day
III came to mine in the afternoon. and at sunset
we dined together business being set aside. and
the evenings were devoted to friendly cOnversa-
ton. 1t was th'n | got TO know Ii. and IN
admire him. He wanted To know everything
about the Westerners. and all about the innova
tons was making in Japan. ard told him all
Meanwhile. during nine or ten such meetings
business arranged and a treaty drawn up
between the two Empires on equal terms"
ONE OF MR. MATHEsON's BOYS
The man VINO sat before me was no ordinary
individual The plain statement he had just
made in excellent English bespoke open
mind, a tactful manner and businesslike re-
source. His action IN speaking betrayed tho
busy. thoughtful. responsible statesman. His
planned the Mikados well-placed trust. 1t
Ito Qiro5umD who drew up the present Con-
stitution Of Japan and who has since been
president Of the committee employed in drawing
up the new civil and Criminal Codes. More than
any other fellow subject he deserves the title of
The Maker of New Japan" commOner by
birth, it is not forty years since as a lad. he
smuggled out Of his country by the Prince
of Choshu. whose retainer he was. along with
two others in like position. Messrs Jardne.
Far East had not long obtained permission to
trade with the people of Sunrise Land. and it was
in one Of their ships that the escape was made,
for as yet japanese were allowed to leave
their country Something the Shogun-who,
though nominally only general was practically
a dictator even to the Emperor-had been forced
to learn from the mouths Of the foreigners can
non. but the little knowledge thus gained in
spired fear The great prince OF the island or
Choshu. no nconsiderable section Of the Empire.
holding the position erstwhile OF that OF the
Iii, and lttly. of fhA
saw that in the strangers hands was power
and the knowledge that developed power So, in
defiance Of Imperial regulations, his three young
spies went forth. and after various adventures
and vicsstudes the story Of which sounds more
like romance than fact. they arrived in London.
and became the prot6ges Of man still living. to
whom Japan owes not a little, Mr.. Hugh Mathe-
YES I was one Of Mr. Matheson's boys" said
the japanese Premier-as he was at that time
and is again to be now-with the most refreshing
candor. Il owe a great deal to him. and shall
never forget his house at Hampstead. though II
is thrty-one years since saw IT, Some day.
when | can secure a vacation. look forward TO
revisitng Europe; but you see how II IS am
always at work. and there is very much to do
His companions of those days are now Count
Inouye. Of Corean fame. and Viscount Yamao.
the engineer and author of many of Japans
greatest modern public works. They all speak
in the highest terms of the effect on their llVes
of the fathery Of the Christian Scotsman
who took so much interest in them when they
were "nobodes" Another Of his protegts. now
a professor in the Toxic University. recounted
to me with real depth Of feeling how. when
Mr. Matheson heard that he was lodging in a
place where temptation was like to be specialy
keen he came down himself from Hampstead 10
remove him and his belongings to temperance
hotel. and bid him welcome to his home. Such
kndnesscs are never lost.
our presence in spacious double drawlng-
room in a severe European style, seated before
every other piece of furniture in the room. in
Guiding the tablcs-Were covered IN brown hpl.