Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-15
i SOUGHT Information.
THE, AGED yICEROY AT HIS OLD
TRICKS OF INTERVIEWING
HIS QUEsTIONERS.
Press Representatives
Piled with Questions Concerning
Every Interesting Phase of the
Chinese sftuatfOn-Li Will Seek to
Smooth Over the Difficulties.
Copyright, Associated Press.)


12.-Li Hung Chang Informed repre-
sentative of the Associated Press to-
day that he will start for Tien Tsin
Friday, September IA; that he will go
to Pekin if circumstances demand it,
and that Prince Ching and he had full
authority from the dowager empress
and emperor to negotiate settlement
with the powers, explaining that there
were no other commissioners from
China The audience lasted an hour,
the correspondent being the interview
ed rather than the interviewer. Ii
asked many questions about the fight
ing at Tien Tsin, the relief of Pekin,
the number of troops of each power in
China, their disposition and fighting
qualities, how the foreigners regarded
the fighting qualities of the Chinese,
how Pekin was defended, and what
bodies Of Chinese fought best. He ex-
pressed regret at the privations OF
women and children in Pekin.
During the interview Ii Hung Chang
asked the correspondent if Ministers
Conger and Macdonald appeared to
have suffered much, and when told that
Mr.. Conger had lost seventy pounds,
he laughed merrily and remarked that
this was "a poor recommendation for
horse flesh"
Ii Hung Chang also inquired whether
the correspondent had seen much abuse
Of the Chinese Or any ravishing or kill
ing OF women and children, and when
told that the abuses were practically
confined to the Russians he said this
was doubtless due to lack of disci-
pline' and turned to the subject of
looting, being anxious to know how
much government treasure the allies
had obtained. When informed that the
Japanese were reported to have taken
fifty million taels from the revenue Of
ficers at Pekin, Ii Hung Chang said:
The rumor must have added two ciph-
er's to the real amount" Il
Throughout the interview Lii Hung
Cnang appeared to be In fine SPIRITS and
talked as one removed, by reason OF
his age and experience from the field of
controversy. He regretted all the re-
cent troubles and said ne had no de-
sire except to smooth them over i'm
partially"
At another stage of the interview Ii
Hung Chang said he deplored the fact
that the newspapers were prejudiced
against him and asserted that this OPP
position originated with the English
press of Shanghai, which influenced the
papers of the world
The correspondent remarked that the
Americans had never been prejudiced
against him. whereupon Ii Hung Chang
quickly demanded: why don't they
accept me as negotiator?"
Questions put to Ii Hung Chang con-
corning the settlement which the Chi
nese government wanted TO make were
automatically parried He said: China
has her views as to what settlement is
desirable, and the powers have their
views. We win meet and negotiate"
Asked whether he expected demands for
the cession of territory as indemnity, Ii
Hung Chang replied:
Il am In communication with some of
the governments I have found they have
no disposition to ask for land
The correspondent said: There is great
curiosity abroad 10 hear an explanation of
the contradictory edicts issued in the
name of the dowager empress during the
siege"
Ii Hung Chang maditated moment
and then, speaking deliberately, said:
The empress, at the beginning, was
badly advised. She was told the boxers
had supernatural powers, that they could
not be injured and were able to make IL
very hot for the foreigners. She believed
this, but afterwards found it was not
true.
The papers are incorrect in saying she
was coerced into issuing edicts. The Chi
nese government is a despotism. No one
can coerce the empress. She, like all
other rulers, is dependent on her advisers,
and sometimes their advice is bad and
she may be misled.''
When the correspondent was leaving
the interpreter said:
The viceroy hopes you will not give a
bad impression of him to the American
papers. He says he Is a very old man
the oldest TO take part in these negotia-
tions-that he has had much experience
in these affairs, that he is the only man
who can help the foreign governments as
we'll as the Chinese. and that he will try
to arrange a settlement fair to all par
ties"