New-York tribune., 1900-07-05
AS SEEN From PEKING.
AN UNFAvORABLE VIEW OF MR., WI TING
FANG. FROM AN AMERICAN IN
THE CHINESE CAPITAL.

The following letter from an American who has
lived thirty years in Tien-Tsn and Peking has
been received IN this city recently, and is OF
special interest for its comments on Wa Ting
Fang the present Chinese Minister in Washington,
and on the question Of trade with China:
Peking May %. 1900.
First, nv thanks for your two letiers OF MaIra
ana the many C~tS " w -1aItai ,neaI The
Chinese Minister Wu Ting Fang Is now very
these cuttings and my own newspapers show
Some people appear I" be charmed WIN MS C 80
nlents. but I think Ee is much oyerrated l know
him well and consider him very ordinary man man.
in pettcoats and pigtaiI. addressing an american
audience in their own language, something never
heard OF before. But he is greatly misleading 'he
public. -, ,., .,,,,,os,,t,,s
First China will enlarge trade with us when we
deserve it, and, second we are not dealing Justly
quent over these supposed grievances, you must
in the United States VINO went there coolies
paupers-and a million more would go II they couiq
as little as they and go back 10 China with
their hoardings. They only leave the work Of
on the other hand, there are but one thousand
Americans IN Cha haII OF theih women it c,li @ eil
porting people. most OF them well educated; many
to improve the civilization of China How is this
handful Of Americans. as well as all other for
ie baL1a heir ira de hanDered and restrict
not allowed 10 live there: foreign residence is OFF,
caIly confined 10 few and river ports and
foreigners go into the interior their risk
their lives and property never entirely safe
there: anti-foreign riots often occur. the Gov
ernment rarely interfeTes until mischief is done
Even now there is great movement around Peking
bv an ant-fOregn society which the Government
would suppress in spite OF urgent warnings
China has nothing but trade to offer She is too
far behind the West in everything but population
You will look in vain for national personal char
acterIstiCs that command admiration in the West
country their principles with their lives;
Government worth defending no patriots pure
minded statesmen: religion with active, vital
force: no social religious combinations for pro
Jurisprudence inventions worthy of Western
study and imitation. China has contribution
make to promote the welfare of humanity at
larFe-she has everything TO learn and much to
unlearn.
our people should know the whole truth about
this question; they should not encourage cant or
false sentiment. Unrestricted trade with China?
Certainly all the European Powers want ii and
we should have our full share. But 10
look upon it as a favor from China any more than
we should consider dinner pay for in
taurant favor. 1t is mutual accommodation
and common benefit; in fact, China has
ment If only the scales would fall from her preju-
diced eyes.
why then, should Mr.. WI Ting Fang assume
an air OF Importance and patronage when speak
ing of which will directly benefit his country
equally with ours, and Indirectly more so?
Instead of carpng at injustice in the United
States. where hundred thousand low class Chi
nese find refuge. and such they would
million more would go If they could Mr. WI
would do better to suggest reforms his own
Government whereby the surplus population
could easily he supported at home.