The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-01

the modern system OF things some years
ago. Having heard Of Lord Salisbury
bereavement. he expressed his sincere
sympathy with the prime minister and
his family. and went on TO say how much
he regretted thai he had not had the op-
portunity OF meeting Lord Rosebery, who
had entertained him az luncheon by dep
utv when he went 10 Scotland.
The disinteRration OF China e. familiar
subject Of conversation. strange though II
may seem. with these statesmen OF the
empire, and II WAS anxious TO know
whether IN Great Britain the idea OF such
catastrophe was viewed with favor HE
counted. he repeated. much on English
support 10 avert H. The most interesting
part Of his talk had reference to his own
appointment as minister OF commerce and
the results that he hoped 10 bring about
His duty would. he said. be TO inquire
into the existing regulations OF trade ana
90 do away with the barriers that now
obstruct Il. I suggested that England
wanted nothing more than 10 open up the
interior 60 trade under lxtd customs du-
ties. properly collected. and TO secure the
abolition or Transformation OF iikin. T. e..
octroi on native born trafic. This. he as
sured me. WAS the exact object OF his mis-
sion, but. he added. We must always rec
ollect that the strongest barriers were the
He agreed that the forthcoming revision
OF treaties gave the opportunity 10 he
graspcd. and he believes that many re-
forms are now afoot IN the empire. though
the hot-headcd enthusiasts OF last year
wanted TO accomplish impossihilitles No
doubt the predominant trait IN Lis char
acter Is his love OF money. and he puts
innumerable questions In reference to the
financial position Of English millionaire
was particularly inquisitive. and he would
have liked to be furnished with such a
comparative list Of great fortunes as II
sometimes given In the press OF the
United States.
II Is easy to perceive that Ii thorough
~ indorses the Chinese provorb which
tells us chat with money you can move
even the gods; without money you can
not move even a man" In fact. he values
foreigner by his wealth and assesses
his influence. Among other things. ne
finds u curious 20 hear that members OF
Parliament are not paid. What do they
get7" he wants co know. and II Is lit
tie hard TO explain 20 his satisfaction
what Is admittedly an English paradox
He has been abroad. and he may feel
about his city like son Of the old Mar
uuis TseuR. who told an English friend
that he had not dared In the presence
OF the great officials 20 say other than
that Peldn was FAR inner city than Lon
don. Paris or Vienna. but than. person
ally. he was going 20 the West again as
soon as possible. Ii looks forward 20
seeing many sights ana people. whom
he missed last time. on his next visit 60
England. Win he ever come? Some Of
his attendants believe n 20 be quite on
the cards but n Is hardly credible that
the jealous bureaucracy will allow him
90 90. after tho almost royal honors
which were paid him In 1896 ii con-
stanily proclaims himself a firm friend
of Great Britain. and. although this be
open to doubt. and is doubted in dlplo-
matte circles, he IL probably as much a
friend 10 England as he IL to anybody. ex-
oeps himself
He Il at this moment Viccroy OF the
two great provinces OF the West river
Kwsng-si and Kwang- tung. and lives al
the capital city OF Southern China. Pri-
marily. he was sent to Canton to put
down che piracy Of the waterways with
n strong hand and 20 restore order to
the turbulent districts CT the interior. To
friendly diplomatists Il was whispered
that he was specially instructed to
oppose French aggression on the Ton
kinese frontier. He was 10 be the strong
man at the helm. All things IN China
are what they call on the Bunds show
piggin." and II Is probable that che real
and governing reason for LIS removal
from the capital 10 tho far south OF the
empire was 30 nullify his personal infiu-
ence with the Dowager Empress. and TO
give a free hand 10 the ancient intrig-
uers. who are always competing for her
favor. That Ii will deal effectively with
The pirates Of the West river Il possible.
but that. with his record. he VIII see the
administration OF The two Kwangs on a
satisfactory footing passes belief. All
comes II win be richer man than ever.
and the pirates will have 60 disgorge some
OF their plumber Canton, however. re-
quires n strong hand. even II II he not
overclcan. and that important trading
center will he in state OF greater secur-
ity for his powerful presence.