The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-17
CHINA'S NEW RAILWAY.
LINE THROUGH HEART OF EMPIRE
WHICH AMERICANS WILL
CONSTRUCT.

man on the Part of an American.
The Favor of Sheng Ia Jen Proved
acknowledgements Capital Be
hind the Schcme-FOrty Millions
Involved.
While the whole civilized world has
been discussing the diplomatic conten-
lions of England and Russia for foot
hold in China. American capitalists have
been working quietly and have succeeded
in securing a railroad franchise in the
F1owery Kingdom, which promises TO give
that country the biggest boom it has had
in centuries. The publication in Pekin of
the documents of the imperial franchise
awakened the financial world to the fact
that the entering wedge of a gigantic
scheme of development has been inserted
"a scheme which in its inception at least
is quite as vast as Cecil Rhodes Cape
town to Cairo project This first great
Chinese railroad will extend from Han
Kow TO Hong Kong winding on its way
through the populous and fertile prov
inces in the valley of the Yang Use Kiang
and opening up thousands of miles of ter
ritory which have remained almost as
primitive as they were in the days OF Con-
fucius. An American surveying party
working under the protection of the i'm
perial government, is now in China map
ping out a route for this railroad. The
roster of the development company behind
the scheme includes some of the great
names in American financial circles. The
prestige of these names was almost great
enough to impress the government Off
Gals of any country, but the Chinese au-
thorities consented to the granting of
the franchise only after much persuasion
and circumlocution. The story of how
the franchise was obtained is highly in
teresting.
why the First Plan Failed.
Twenty years ago American capitalists
tried to secure a railroad franchise in
China, and for a time the work of pro-
lection went on, as it seemed success
fully, because the true nature of the pro
ject was not thoroughly brought home to
the government and people of China. But
when the real meaning of it burst upon
them, the storm of opposition was so great
and violent that the scheme perforce was
dropped. This opposition, however. was
not occasioned BY any inherent objection
to progress on the part of the Chinese
AS they looked upon it, 1t would violently
interfere with their religious customs.
The worship of ancestors which prevails
in China includes a very laudable rever-
ence for the remains of the departed. To
desecrate grave not only means torment
for the one who has gone before but it
brings condign punishment on the living
person who commits the depreciation or
who permits it to take place. II was
thought that a railroad would destroy sew
ora hence
Therefore the scheme was laid by for
years.
Some time after this first attempt to
introduce a railroad in China, there oc-
Cured an anti-Chnese riot on our own
Pacific coast. A number of celestials
were killed and others were wounded.
A w Bash, a collector of customs in
Seattle, befriended the families of the
dead Cinnamon and suggested that they
sue the United States government, offer
ing to lay the matter before the proper
officials in Washington. He did so and
succeeded finally in securing a general
indemnity of $2540O0. Bash made nothing
out of his part in the affair financially,
but he became persona grata In Chinese
circles, and was made the recipient OF
many marks of consideration. He rested
on his laurels a few years Then the
thought occurred to him: "Why not use
this influence TO secure a Chinese railroad
concession" He went to New York and
interviewed ledtltg men on the SUBJECT.
He met Col James Mcknight of railroad
fame, and with his help raised a syndi-
cate, composed of twenty stockholders
each, of whom contributed 81, 500 to make
survey in China. John w. Foster was
retained as legal adviser. Ex-senator
Washburn of Minnesota, and Clarence
Cary accompanied the surveying party to
China This surveying party actually COW
cred one thousand miles of territory But
the scheme after all. was voted a failure
and Senator Washburn, accompanied by
the others returned in disgust virtually
agreeing that the project was impracti-
cable. The scheme was shelved, but it
had one good result which bears directly
upon the enterprise of to-day. The leader
of the surveying party was one Capt
Rich, well known in American engineer
ing circles. The great capabilities Of
Capt. Rich appealed to Sheng, or as he
is known to-day, Sheng Ia Jen the lat
ter parts of the name meaning Great
Man"
Won Favor of Sheng TIA Jen.
Sheng Is a parsonage of great power at
Pekin. With Ming he divides the patron
age of the empire, as far railroads are
concerned. The Emperor portioued off the
prospective railroad systems of China into
two great divisiOns-the north and the
south. The northern half he placed in
charge of Ming; the southern half he
placed under the direction of Sheng Sheng
Ia Jen comes of good family and has many
followers He is well educated in the
American sense of the words. He is re-
sourceful, enterprisng and rich. He is a
born diplomat and in high popularity. His
power and influence are enormous; he
wields the one with a far-reaching touch,
the other with prophetic eye. When the
Emperor gave his sanction to the latest
American railroad scheme it was not done
without first consulting Sheng Ia Jen.
Sheng in the Old days was quick to dis
cover the talent of Capt Rich. He retained
the captain in his service and consulted
him about all engineering questions which
might arise The influence OF the Ameri-
can has been fell all these years and e
ia must be attributed some of the success
of the most recent project.
One of the reasons why the Bash ex-
petition failed was because of the re-ac-
tionary spirit of many of the court Of
flcials in Pekin China is a conquered coun.
a has hnnll nftnt 49,. -,