The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-07-28
.SUAVE ISUNG Il YAh[N
ADROIT CHINAMEN IN THE FOR.
EIGN OFFICE AT
PICKING
NEVER TRANSACT BUSINESS
Eight Members of the Board Meet
and Listen to What the For
eign Ministers Have
to Say.

The phrase "tsung Ii yamen'' occurs i'm
the news dispatches from, China with
such frequency that "a word of explana-
ton is In order for those who have not
yet digested a Chinese american diction-
airy. The first time the reading public
knew there was such a thing as a tsung
ii yamen was when Minister Conger pro-
tested to 1t that the Boxers were en-
dangering the peace and safety of for
eigners in China. The tsung Ii yanen, so
the press dispatches said, was very con-
ciliatory in its reply, promising adequate
reforms and protection to all foreigners
Next came the news that the tsung II
yamen confessed its inability to put down
the Boxers; then Baron Won Ketteler, the
German minister at Picking, started on
horseback for the tsung Ii yamen, but. =
as every one knows, was pulled off his
horse and killed before reaching it. His
escort, however, reached the tsung Ii va
men and burned it. Even after this ca
lamity the tsung ii yamen appeared in
the newspapers, and naturally there are
inquiries from the curious as to just,
what this Chinese tsung Ii yamen Is.
The Chinese tsung Ii ya1nen GORE
spends in some respects to our own state,
department or, rather, the foreign Of
fee as some of the local clerks like to.
call it. The tsung Ii yamen, however,
lacks authority. 1t can only mutely lis
ten to representations from the ministers.
and promise to call the attention of high
er authorities to the matter 1t cannot
take positive action, though it pretends
to do so. Concerning the Office and it's
functions, Archibald r. Colquhoun, the
well known: traveller and author, says in
his book on China in Transformation"
1.-THE tsung Ii yamen, or office of for
eigE affairs, was established by imperial
decree in January, 1861 It was the first
step made by the imperial authorities to-
admit Of diplomatic relations in the CAPT.
tai. It was originally composed Of three
ministers, who were also members Of
. other boards, but its numbers increased
from time to time, and now stand at.
eight-three Manchus and five Chinese
This new creation never acquired any
authority until the pressure Of external
events compelled the emperor's council
to make use of it and to recognize it as
an integral part of the government 1t.
was not until 1890 that it first figured in
the Red Book, complete record OF state
departments.
"The tsung Ii yamen was at first
disappointment. It fell into the condi-~
ton of an ordinary government depart
ment, with special vices of it's own, an
institution for the prevention Of business.
Its fatal incapacity lay in the fact that
it was body without head, for
though there was always nominal pres
ident, he absented himself when he chose
from the daily attendance. This habit
of evading responsibility was SO fully de-
veloped in China that it seemed as If
the new foreign board in Picking had no.
other reason for. existence .-.r-z. Z s#Ga-
| tn
1.-THE yamen, until forced into greater,
activity by events resulting from the Jap.
anese war, served merely as the cold wa.
ter which extinguished the hot irons
thrust into it by the ardor Of the foreign
agents. To transact business with the
BOARD was declared by Sir Harry Parkes;
| to be a physical tour de fc>ce Sir r..
Alcock more infinitely described it in the
Fortnightly Review, May, 1876.
Tt is beating the air, he said, to
talk to them of treaty rights and obliga-
tons, the claims of justice, or benefits
that would accrue to them, as to us, by,
a more liberal policy. The tyro in such
work is at first charmed with the cour-
tesy and patience shown in listening to
what he hopes may prove convincing
arguments
:" They are even met, in reply, with a
certain show of appreciative intelligence,
and a willingness to be better Informed
When, however, many such interviews:
have exhausted the subject, perhaps at a
| final meeting for the purpose of settle
ment, when there Is nothing more to be,
said on either side, his proposal to settle
terms OF agreement is met by a request
| in the loudest accents, with perfectly
unmoyed countenance, to explain what is
wanted, as he is ready to hear! All the
passed weeks discussion is as though it
had never been.
"And the 'modus operandi' was still
more infinitely depicted by correspon-
| dent of the Times in 1884, cited in Life.
of Sir Harry Parkes, by Stanley Lane
Poole. He says:
| They commence by delicate plaisan-
terie Of offering refreshments which they
know their visitors won't touch and the
attendants know the art Of killing time
by bringing In the repast dish by dish
The visitor sits meanwhile on hard
| seat in cherries room At last, when
| the melon seeds have been distributed
| in saucers all over the table on which the
| foreigner would have liked to spread his.
papers, business is supposed to Commence.
And now, observes the visitor, what
your answer about the robbery Of mer-.
chandise belonging to Mr.. Smith, of Nam
.kwet?,"'s One OF their rules is that no one
shall speak first. So they take side1ong.
glances at each other ard keep silence
| until one, holder than the rest, opens his
mouth; much to the surprise or relief of
| his comrades. who watch the reckless
man in hope that he vii; drop something
| which may hereafter serve in a charge
against him. What he does say is, Take.
some Of these Walnuts.'' Then follows
| discussion on the merits of walnuts.
When they do speak they all speak at
once; what they say can neither be UNI.
| derstood nor answered.
Obviously. then, the so-called foreign
ONCE OF emma was a negative quantity,
having neither the faculty of initiation
nor appreciation. Its attitude toward for
eign ideas was that of a deaf person