The true northerner., 1900-07-20

credit, referring gradiloonently In his
reports TO Pekin tn his''ever victorious
army" During one campaign he near
ly fell victim to the not unjustifable
wrath OF Gordon. Incensed by the exc
cution of TAPPING chieftains 20 whom
he had promised immunity, the Eng-
lishman went out to hunt Ii with a
revolver, and the frightened China
man barely saved his life by hiding
in friends house until his subordn-
ate's anger had cooled.
sxsa Leader for s5 Years.
From the Governorship of an out
lying province Ii was promoted In 1870
to be Viceroy of the Province of Pc
Chilli, in which are situated the i'm
perial city of Pekin and its port, Tien-
Tsin. Here, for twenty-five years he
sat at the gates of China, as II were,
holding back, from rash inroads the
horde of foreign contractors who
would have made the old empire in a
day, and, on the other hand, pressing
upon his compatriots the gradual use
OF modern inventions. Janus like he
looked forward to a China civilized
and quickened, but he was also mind
ful of the past, which had incursted so
many prejudices upon his country
IL was in his yamen. or official res
idence, at Tie-Tsin that the Viceroy
received General Grant and won his
commendation afterward as one of the
three great men he had met on his
long tour. Bismarck and Gladstone he
reckoned as the other two.
That the shrewd Ii profited hugely
after the dictates of Chinese morality
by his dealings with foreigners, goes
without saying AS the tide of foreign
industrial invasiC lowly rose, his va
men became almost an agency where
European engineers and contractors
propounded the most gigantic schemes
Ii is a remarkable juggler of men and
by beating down, by playing off bid
ders of one nationality against another
by making counter offers, he has con-
stantly outwitted the shrewdest men
from the West.
One Of the greatest of Ii Hung
Chang's services TO his state was in
negotiating the peace treaty with Jap
an after China's disasterous defeat in
that contest in which she had entered
against his protests, and in face of
his predictions of an unfortunate out
come. 1t was a thankless task, and
one almost certain TO earn the i'll Will
Of the Pekin government, but the aged
statesman undertook it and brought all
the resources of his marvellously
shrewd mind to the task of securing
the best possible terms for China.
For Japan the negotiations were
k..1 10
is doubtful if two more clever conver-
sationalists ever were pitted against
each other in similar contest. The
report of the conversations and inter-
views between the two diplomats
makes very interesting reading, and
covering as it does every point in any
way relating to the question at issue,
1t forms a most important handbook
for the diplomats who are concerned
with the Eastern situation.
Viceroy Ii was at a decided disad-
vantage, for China was practically at
the mercy of her conquerlng enemy.
The skill of the aged diplomat. aided
by the sympathy aroused by the at
tempt to assassinate him, secured for
the defeated nation better terms than
luty OlueIWlSe COulu nave nOpeu TOT.
AS was almost a foregone conclusion,
however, the home government failed
to appreciate his great services, and
the ingratitude commonly ascribed to
republics was strikingly displayed by
the Chinese despotism on his return to
Pekin. II was only through the ef-
forts of the foreign advisers and the
representatives of the various Powers
that the ratification of the terms of
peace was finally secured.
Absolute Faith in America.
In spite of his liking for some Of the
features of Western Civilization Ii
Hung Chang is thoroughbred China
man.
If he is tolerant of foreigners he is
under no delusions. He knows-no
one better-the value to be put on
heir professions of friendship. Long
ago he laid down The policy, Let us
use foreigners. but do not let foreign
ers use us" If he has ever seemed to
favor Russia or Great Britain or any
other Power ii has been with deep
purpose. 1t ii to the everlasting credit
If American diplomacy and American