Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

empress dowager Is opposed to railroads
and to all modern progress"
That Is not soy" was Ii Hung Chang's
good things that kfe modern, but she wants
us to be sure they refgood before she &C.
cepts them. The newspapers have said
many things about the government Of Chi
ma which are untrue"
Yes, but. your excellency, 1t is hard to
tell what Is true In China. 1t is said that
the empress dowaser Mas had the emperor
penned up in the imperial palace for months
NO sas said Earl L. 1t is not" The EN-.
peror has held audiences with the empress
dowager and they have been doing the
business together.Y 90
But them who is the real ruler of Chi
ma! Who Is governing the empire, the
emperor or the empress dowager?'
Inc above was a leading question and Il
Hung Chang could not evade it. He stop
ped a moment and finally replied:
The empress dowager is the real ruler. -
She is Like Queen Victoria.
But is not that a strange way to do
your excellency," said 1, ito have a young
emperor and let an old woman ruler
Il do not think So" said his excellency
at is not different here than it is in Eng
land The Prince of Wales is certainly old
enough, but Queen Victoria rules The en-
press dowager Is very clever
But, your excellency, what can she know
about the empire? She does not travel over
1t and she never gets out among the peo-
pie"
queen Victoria personally knows nothing
of her empire" said Ii Hung Chang "She
goes now and then to Scotland and some
times to the south of France She has to
take her information from the officials and
SO does the empress dowager."
but your excellency, will not the gov
eminent of China soon changer"
LII Hung Chang might make a different
above har he
said few weeks ago was as follows
Il think not. We hada revolutionist named
kang uh Web, and others, who wanted to
change China and make it a republic like
the United States. Such government does
Well for you, but it will not do for China
we have monarchy here, just as has
England Germany and Russia, and it will
continue So
Manufacturing in China.
How about modern manufacturing? Is
1t increasing here?"
Yes, many new factories have been built.
More Will soon be under way, and look for
the day when there will be modern fac
tories all over China. Our people can handle
modern machinery as well your people.
we understand how to combine capital and
organize industry, and we expect to do con-
siderable Of that sort of work in the fu-
ture."
But. your excellency, is there not danger
cheap labor your goods will flood the mar
kets and crowd the workingmen of other
nations to the WALTZ
II don't think SO. The Chinese is eco
nomical because he is poor. AS he makes
more money he will spend more and it will
keep us busy to supply our own wants.
don't think there Is any danger of China
bothering the world as an over-producer.'
This practically closed the interview. The
conversation was carried on while we were
seated at the table together. After a cup
OF tea, which was served in Chinese cups
with gold saucers and covers, his excellency
rose and led the way to the dining table,
where he again seated me at his left. Dur
ing the chat there cakes and crystal.ized
fruits were passed. Both were delicious.
but l noticed that the viceroy ate sparing-
ly. He took but one cake and one cherry.
He ate the cake, but left the cherry.
AS we chatted he smoked between the
paragraphs, a servant putting a great
water pipe to hfs mouth from time to
time. How he knew the exact time to hand
the pipe l could not understand, but 1 sup
pose he got a wink from the great viceroy
now and then. The interview closed by our
drinking some champagne together, where
upon his excellency walked with me to the
door and shook hands with me in American
fashion as he said goodbye.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.