The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10
ONE OF CHIN.i's BIG MEN.
Chang Chin Tupg, Who Is Held In Higher
Repute Than IL Hung Chang.

The outside world regards Ii Hung Chang
as the foremost representative Of China. but ma
OF the educated class in that country have given
o higher place To Chang Chin Tung. long n fore
most statesman and author aud yiceroy Of the
two great central provinces of Human and Iiupch.
Perhaps Chang Is not 40 astutc and able az IL,
hut his ideas though advanced and progressive,
find greater favor among the intellectual classes
Of the Chinese Ii represents the omparativcly
small class that favors western nations and the
introduction Of their ideas into China. Chang
I is more cautious and conservative though he IN
far in advance Of the ultra.C hinese party who
believe that their empire IL the greatest country
on earth and that China has nothing TO learn
from the rest Of the world. Chang believes that
Chinese civilization Is the best and he is dc,out
disciple OF the doctrines Of CUnfucius, hut he also
believes that China may learn from others and
favors the adoption OF many foreign ideas on
commerce and science. To this extent he has
use for the teachings Of the Western nations, but
no further He wishes " educate the Chinese
70 develop the immense resources Of their country
themselves lie wants foreign ideas, but not
foreign superintendent.
Chang is practically carrying out his ideas
as far as he Is able to do ~. Ii wac he who in.
auguratcd western methods Of iron working
and established blast furnaces steel works and the
arsenal at lianyan on tho lower langtac 1t was
city, Wuchang, which with ilnnyan and lIhnkow
ore the greatest Sangtsc cities and form the lnrg
est centre OF population in China. In these works,
that have cost an enormous amour, Of money.
Chang Chin rung IL developing his notion that
the natives themselves should have control though
few foreigners are employed as heads ut de
partments
According to Lord Charles Bcrcsford the result,
| has been very unsatisfactory. The iron works
cost originally SIS, $50 900 and have been in opera
; ton eight years, but last year the output was
only seventy i've tons Of pig iron and eighty tons
| of steel day and the rails turned for the
! Chinese railroads were Of poor quality, The
oil these works the management /, rNtrnvnghnt
| expensive machinery Is misused or not used NJ
all, and the enterprises have been n constant
1 successful. Chang s,ouhy opposes the placing
| 81 commercial or industrial enterprises under
| the management Of foreigners but hts idea O
! using Western methods and machinery under
native control has not vet been n success.
| Though chang has his limitations as n rcformcr
and publicis, his b ,oks ard official acts show
! that his tendencies are very progressive and Il
| may be that China will advance more rapidly
| under the more conservative reg ime he advu
! ca,es han by pursuing policy Of radical limo
( Walton. lie opposes, for example. the ancient
| custom Of binding the Zee, OF women. lie wishe,
| 10 do away with competitive examination on The
| old Chinese classics and desires To intruduc,
| modern l,as and particularly modern scicnc,
into the Chinese courses Of study. lie says each
province should have university, each prefecture
! college and each county day school II fund.-
| wOull seize the Buddhist and TanS, nu'ls,erie,
and dtyo,e all .hcir wealth 10 educational uses
! WISHES anu NOV lItKntI'
| u have charge Of all educ atonal interests
lie has no faith In Buddhism or 1au.sm, which
| he says, are decadeni, and he docs no, b~liry,
| Christianity will ever have profound iniiurnc,
! upon his pcuplc. His faith rcss upon Coniu
cianisnl and he wishes hay. the ancient religion
: ndhplcd - modern conditions. and then he thinks
! IL will give China all the stimulus She need, 4,
! place her in the hFst rank Of modern nation,
lie also adyoCa,cs a welldr ii army of so. up'
| men. and a navy II nity bHtdcships.
Chang hih lung Is said 10 be ,he only viCcIoy
| OF The eighteen provinces who has not used hi
office W ,her his own nest lie l. n" homes
| provincial official VINO has not diverted the I'm
| pcrial revenues IN his own profit lie - WORLDLY
! Of ,hc admiration Of the peoples Of other nations
! because he is a thorough patro, and Is wnrklnl
! for ,hc good Of his people. His methods may No
! fully succeed and may have u be modified, hu
! his ideas are broad minded: and though NOR
| foreign aid may BE- needed carry them gu, ,haI
| Chang adml,s, they are undoubtedly along III
| line of Chna best and most stable dCN ClOpmcnt