The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
III HUNG CHANa's WEALTH.
Some OF tho Ways In Which He Aocumu-
lated His Enormous Fortune.

Some OF tho Ways In Which He Accumu-
lated His Enormous Fortune.
IL Hung Chang. the most conspicuous Chinese
Of the are. is often called the richest man In tho
world This assertion II easier made than proved
for nobody knows how rich he Ia. His fortune
may certainly be counted by millions of dollars,
but how many millions In purely conjcctural
IL is enough 10 say that he is very wealthy, and
he accumulated nearly the whole Of his fortune
by taking advantage Of his opportunities and
making opportunities during his long service
as Niccroy Of Marking and Pecbili.
Tho Statements Year Books says that Chinese
politicians prefer 70 be Governors or Viceroys OF
the Provinces than To hold Office under the General
Government. owing to tho superior opportuni
ties they have for getting rich while al the head Of
the Provincial Governments. This Is stating the
case mildly, for the politicians Of any Western
Governments who should nmass fortunes by tho
devious methods employed many Of the Chinese
yiccroys would be called boodlers and pundercrs
Of the public treasury. Ii Hung Chang Is tho
most progressive and enlightened OF Chinese
statesmen, but he was not q whit better than his
fellow G overnors In his methods Of using his ex-
allied position to feather his own nest; and having
a longer heed than most Vioeroys and a very
keen eye for the main chance he IL supposed TO
have accumulated a much larger fortune than
any other Viccroy
Ono way in which ii for many years made
an enormous sum Of nancy was 10 use thousands
Of soldiers in bis own private enterprises without
paying them cent for their labor. In the course
Of time he purchased extensive estates in the
ricr growing regions and raised more bushels OF
rice every year than tho BONANZA farmers Of North
Dakota used 10 raise Of wheat He got his labor
for nothing and his great crop OF rico was almost
clear profit lie simply turned his soldiers loose
In the rice fields and they had To be content with
the rations and the miserable pittanco paid 10
them by the Government.
The great man also became his own contractor
for army supplies He would soil his own rice
10 the Government for army ratons at an enor
nous profit and pocketed a handsome rake of
on all other supplies furnished 90 the tens Of thous
ands Of soldiers In the Pechili province Then
he chief supreme Of the custom houses for
a long distance around the Gulf OF Pechili. and
there was nothing mean about the stream Of gold
that poured into his strong box through this chan
mel. II has long been notorious that one Of tho
methods he employed was TO import large guam
titles Of goods through his agents without tho
payment Of a cent Of duty and then sell the
goods at a round figure to his oountrymen This
method Of money making finally involved the
old gentleman in trouble: charges were made
against him and he came near losing his Official
head: but his power was 30 great and his real
services TO the state were valuable that he was
almost invulnerable in spite OF the many enemies
| who have always been ready 70 accuse him.
There was once Viceroy named Tsei Kwo-Fan
| who said TO have died without leaving single
enemy behind him for, according TO his satirical
| countrymen, he had killed them all while he was
alive. Early In his political career Ii Hung
| Chang il said TO have followed this illustrious
example. but for many years he has been toe
| Al.
est attention to his rivals and opponents. excep,
those who were 40 powerful themselves that he
could not with IMMUNITY inflict personal vengeance
| upon them
| One Of the greatest sources Of money getting
| employed by Ii Hung Chang during the Later
| years Of his career as Vccroy was az a money
lender There Is little doubt that no was the king
Of pawnbrokers tho world over. His loan offloes
were scattered far and wide over his province
| and he loaned great sums Of money ON mortgage,
and on pledges Of personal property. In coun
try where legal rate Of interest Is fixed THU
business has brought enormous returns 10 l.
Hung Chang.
No wonder that the old statesman could no
| understand the character Of such man az "Chi
nese" Gordon, who refused to accept tho $3.50, 90,
which Ii offered him a reward for his service,
in the suppression Of tho Tapping rebellion. II
his ably prepared official reports on the events oil
this war ii represented himself. at Gordons ex
pcnse, az the savior Of the throne. and az havinI
secured peace in the Empire but, on the othe
hand, he would gladly have bestowed substantial
rewards on the leader TO whose military geniu
no was indebted for his success Gordon wa
chagrned by Lis failure to recognize his invalu
able aid in the reports no sent to Pekin. and hi
wrath was only aggravated by tho offer OF money
The British soldier left the country in high dud
l L..a h. a.A
later he had forgotten his bitterness Of feeling an,
met his old comrade with cordially and warmth