The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-24
Career Of a Diplomat Who Began Lie
as a Worker IN Rlcs Fields.
RAGGED AND fRIENDlEss BEoaAR
He Worked His Way Up Uatu No oas
10 the Empire Can Approach Hin In
His Hsld on ihs People.

Ii Hung Chang, the "old fox with the
gray goatee." as vizevona, the Italian
freebooter once called him, is man
vNth that Of the Rockefcliers, Rots-
chiids and yanderbilts, though students
OF Chinese history will tell you that he
could buy up any two of them.
In 1910 this representative OF dead
nation was a puny orphan boy, working
on a rice boat in the marches OF Hewi-
Ling, where no was born. His life was
bounded on all sides by the rice fields.
In 1874 Ii Hung Chang. by some freak
of fortune that nobody has been able to
discover the truth about, reached Can
ton. and a year later, thafixs to the way
in which a ragged, friendless beggar lad
can seek and obtain an education while
the state feeds and clothes him I'm that
.'effete'' and "barbarous land, he was
admitted to the famous study cells.
In ls49, after FIVE years of hard work,
he had outstripped all competitors and
became secretary to the Viceroy OF kow-
loon province. In the following year
this viccroy led $1,000 men against a rebel
uprising. He was killed In action. and
Ia Hung Chang took his place, pursued
the enemy and won great victory.
In 1851 he was called TO Pekin and
became secretary OF war, and In the ten
years following he studied and mastered
the whole intricate system of his coun-
try's government. The year 1855 saw him
still a poor young man, but when he was
appointed governor Of Kfang Su, he be-
gan 10 accumulate money.
HE BEGAN TO GET RICH.
In Kiang su are the great salt mines
trict has the privilege OF farming the
monopoly. Then. too, he began to round
up the mandarins I'm his province.
They tried TO tell this young, quiet
hammered governor that they were only
earning a bare living out OF their fees,
but ne astonished them by exhibiting
complete knowledge OF their methods,
and soon 50 per cent. OF their emoluments
went into his capacious pockets.
In 1858 came the great rebellion. and
Gen. Gordon began his triumphal march
against the insurgents Ii nung Chang,
the war genius of the empire became his
right-hand man, ana after four years OF
marvellous success on. the field. his en-
peror loaded him down with more honors
and emoluments.
In 1865 he was appointed governor gen.
eral OF the Lang King provinces, with
four viceroys and 1900 mandarfns under
his orders. and In absolute control OF the
salt tax. the rice tax. the sampan tax
and the house tax-all infnitesimal
charges on the individual-but when one
directs the mulcting of 10000 people IL 10
the fractions that count.
In 1868 his wealth was estimated by
foreigners, who knew him intimately, to
he s45.000.000. Still he remained in i'm
perial favor. and I'm 1872 came his cul-
minating triumph. when he Was made
vicercy OF Pc Chi Ii. the imperial prov
ince. with palace in the royal city, and
practically the collection OF all the ma
tional funds under his control.
PECULIAR METHOD OF SQUEEZING.
Here he devoived peculiar method of
semi-moral squeezing. His emissaries
visited every province regularly and took
good care to guard the mass of the peo-
pie from extortion at the hands of the
mandarins. An ofncer found guilty of
demanding or accepting more than the