The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-23
L Run&ehars :%i5! ~: 1ater Chin

/ this during the afternoon He eats a good
lunch and then takes a nap for an hour
|, and short walk. After this he goes
( back to business until dinner time. He
spends the evening with his friends. and
makes II rule to be In bed by 10 O'Clock.
The conversation beginning in this per-
sondl way soon drlfted into public mat
tiers The interview was held about
month before the outbreak Of the Box
ers. and there was then no apparent dam
ger OF the war which has since come. The
yiceroy was much moro independent TN his
statements than he would be now, ana
when mentioned that I had been in the
Philippines he turned rather fierccly upon
me and asked what the United states
meant by excluding the Chinese. lie said:
''You people make a mistake IN keeping
the Chinese out of the Philippines. you
mus. have them II YOU want he islands
TO prosper. They are the only cheap and
reliable labor you can get out here. They
Will develop your country, build the rail
roads foi YOU and work in your factories.
! tell YOU you have got to have them"
II don't know about that, your excel
lency." said l. "Our people are afraid
that II we open the door so many Of your
Chinese win rush In that they VIII Hood
the country"
II don't believe there Is any danger of
that" replied Ii Hung Chang. You
would have some immigration. but not
much. The Chinese are not naturally an
emigraiing people They like home better
than anywhere else. All that you have In
the Philippines come from Two Of our
provinces only"
would the admission of the Chinese
increase the trade between the Philip
pines and China" ! asked.
"Yes, IL would said LII Hung Chang.
1.-THE Chinese now control the RETAIL as
well as much OF the wholesale business
of the Philippines. We are naturally
commercial people and every Chinese
merchant and exporter you have In the
Philippines is just one more link In the
chain which will tie the markets of
China to the Philippines and to the
United States. The islands should be a
base for your trade relations with China
and the Far East"
How about the Philippines? Do you
think 1t will pay for the United States to
own them?"
America and Chmese Territory.
II should think so. Your people seem
to want more territory. and the Philip
pines are a good piece OF property. /
wonder II your government wants still
more land. l should like much to know
what you want in China"
''All we went here, your excellency."
said I, lis the open door. We want free
trade ana no 1aNors-
Yes. but you have that now. said IL
Hung Chang China is now open to
all the world
But 1t is not open on the same condi-
tions, your exceliency," saidfi. ut is
said that you favor the Russians"
THAT is not so.'' said the viceroy. en-
phatically.
but Is there not secret alliance be-
tween Russia and China? | have heard II
x,ltfu in nj 10. OH ba har
is"
mo. there is mott said IL Hung
Chang. China has the same feeling
toward Russia that she has toward the
other powers. You are all on level with
us"
"IIow about the strained relations which
have prevailed between Japan and Russia
since the Chinese-Japanese war? DO you
think those two countries win fght?"
mo do not" said Ii Hung Chang.
Neither Japan nor Russia wants war.
The Russians are not ready for war. II
Is a mistake 20 think they are building
the transsiberian railroad for that pur-
pose. They are doing that TO develop
the country. Siberia is enormously rich.
IL has but few people. and II must have
a railroad IL IL Is to be opened up TO set
Element"
How about railroad development In
China? II seems to me very slow"
Eyes. II Is necessarily So" said III Hung
Chang. I'VE Chinese cannot move SO fast
as you people Of the West. We want 10
construct roads. but we prefer to build
them ourselves. just as far as we posi-
bly, can. We viii do II In time
How about the American concession
from Hankow 10 Canton7 win that road
be built. and will II pay7"
YES II VIII be built. and II viii even
'ually prove a very profitable road. II
may not pay at the start, but II goes
through populons country and one full
~ material and Industrial wealth.
The Yfceroy Goats OF the Empress Doxlaoer.
II understand, your exceilency. tina;
lie empress d0wager Is opposed to rail-
roads ana 20 all modern progress"
THAT Is not so" WAS rs Hung Chang's
diplomatic reply. she r. In favor Of the
good things that arc modern. but she
wants US TO be sure they are good before
she accepts them. Tho newspapers have
said many things about the government
OF china which are untrue"
Yes. hut. your exeelleney. IT "a hard 70
tell what u true IN China II Is said
that the empress dowarer has had the
emperor penRed up in the imperial palace
Tor months. l. that trueT"
mo" said iiarl H. ~ IA not, The EN-.
peror has held audiences with the ON
press dowageT and they have been doing
The business together"
But then. who Il the real ruler OF cal
uaF Who ~ governing the emplre--fhc
emperor ~ the c7upress dowagerf"
The above was leading question, and
il Hung Chang could not eYade a. lie
stopped "a moment. and auaiiy replied.
'~rhe empress dowager IS the real rul-
er."
but is not thar a strange way 70 do.
your excellence. - safd. go have = Young
emperor and lrt an old woman Fuiag