The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-09-15

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Ii HUNG CHANG.
(The Greatest Chinese Statesman Of the
Century,
is to be partitioned and that the vast
empire of the orient is nearing it's end.
II this should be conceded there could
be no doubt that this republic might,
in the Immediate future, be confronted
with the problems and responsibilities
which are so clearly set forth in va
1ious state papers.
But is China to be partitioned? lido
not believe it. Of course. surface indi-
cations are such that almost every
tody believes that the nations of Eu-
rope viii accomplish their unconcealed
purpose Men skilled in statecraft do
not all concede this proposition. In
ternatlcnal lawyers who are most IA
miliar with Chinese history-and but
few men know Chinese history as it
really is-believe that the European
nations who are building warships,
maintaining armies, making demon
STATIONS, filing their souls with hopes
Of the glory and prosperity of con-
quest, will yet beat out their own
Lives against the invisible Chinese wall
Ct reserved force, and all of their
dreams become mere "crownless met
aphors of EMPIRE
1t is true that China is giving up
lorts and granting concessions of
land; but these are merely fringes of
her possessions, and in parting with
them China sustains no loss. Her
statesmen see other nations building
Notifications, going to great expense
In the furtherance of their ambitions,
and her statesmen simply smile at the
folly of these children from Europe
gamDoling along the Chinese coasts.
We must remember that Ii Hung
Chang is one of the greatest of states
men; and remember also that he is not
the only great man within the Chinese
empire who is capable of directing the
forces which have made the vast en-
Fire coherent for so many centuries.
The statesmen of China know how
to lead the people of their empire, and
IA AAo" lAAoS lAS PCOPIC VI CuluO
prefer peace to all other blessings of
human existence. They will not go to
war if they can avoid it. They have
avoided war, and they will always
avoid war. They will foil off trouble
il every conceivable manner. But if
the integrity of the empire should ever
he really threatened and the homes Of
the common people invaded the tide
CT Chinese resentment and resistance
would sweep before it all of the armies
Of Europe, even if they were allied.
Modern navies could not be reck-
oned in such a war. The people of
China, the military men and states
men of China, would not go beyond
their borders. They would not con-
quest. They would simply preserve
their imperial integrity, and make the
world for centuries afterward hesitate
Ito ope
The purple testament of bleeding War;"
It will be well for US to remember
that the statesmen of China have
viewed the rise and fall of Alexander,
Cyrus. Moses. Mohammed. Caesar and
Napoleon. They have known of the
wisdom of Solomon, the history of
Nebucho dnezzer, the glory of Belshaz-
Ear, have witnessed the growth of the
realm Of the Prince of Peace from the
appearance of the Star of Bethlehem
to the coming of missionaries to urge
upon them a religion better than that
of Con1ucius. They calmly witness
these comings and goings of nations,
Kingdoms, empires; and contentedly
they live, secluded by their great wall,
taking no part in the unrest and up
heavals of petty ambitions.
While living in peaceful isolation,
they are not unprogressive. They are
conscious of their tremendous reserve
force. We know not what their ar
tisans are doing, away off in the in
terror of China; but we may more
wisely assume that they are preparing
for emergencies than to assume that
they are ignorant of current events
and Indifferent to their own future. Ii
Hung Chang saw the proposed par
tition OF China, and he. has been en-
gagged in, preparations for meeting
that contingency. The people are chill
dren in diplomacy who have been I'M
able to understand the trip around the
world which that venerabl e statesman
recently made. It was not prompted
by idle curiosity. nor was the trip
taken for his health. ~ aE,s 49, ss4
Ii Hung Chang went forth before
the whole world, and the millions of
people through whose territory he
travelled saw back of his travels no
purpose whatever. But he had pur-
pose. He was preparing to meet the
invaders of his empire. ss
It would have been impossible for
Ii Hung Chang to go to ST. Petersburg
to confer with the car without the
whole world knowing it. The great
statesman could not have sent forth
any one of his most capable and trust
eI ministers without the fact becom-
ing known and understood by the
diplomatic world. But Ii Hung Chang
could take ) trip around the world.