New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-21
MINISTER WI TALKS.
SAYS ALL THE TROUBLE IN CHIN. ?,
DUE To MISUNDERSTANDING
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BUxE.1

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUyE1
Washington June 20.-Wu Ting Fang -.
Chinese Minister whose popularity in Wasbi,
ton Is undiminished in spite of the pecuI,a-
position he occupies in The present crisis -
still without official advices. but vigororsI,
pooh-poohs the idea that war exists between bI
sovereign and any Of the great Powers. esna-
cially with the United States. He insists tbo,
the trouble is all due to misunderstanding
and the fact that Chinese have other points ~
view than WesJerners. He said to-day:
see the Taku forts have been taken. Thai
came about through a MISUNDERSTANDING / am
sure. suppose il was the result of indiscraat
action on the part of somebody When the or
GERS in the forts the warships coming nm
the river they didn't know what it meant and
Iney considered 1t their duty to keep them out
Ihere must nave been some misunderstanding
The fact that kilograms in the newspapers
snow that the Empress has been degrading
some officials connected with the Taku forts
shows that the Government did not sanction the
affair. That is clear enough I wish peoDle
would understand our customs manners eduea-
ton and language ard then it would an be DIFF
ferent. You think one way, and We think an
other way. That is the stumbling block and
great hindranCe 70 a free exchange Of ideas and
cordlal friendships II our peopIe could under
stand foreigners as L understand YOU there
would be no disagreement
There are many good foreigners in China hut
they are fndtscreet and offend the sensiblftias
OF the people, and / guess that is the cause ~
all this trouble. 1t is a pity of course In anv
tent You cannot say either party is wholly to
blame. We have but few men among our of9
Gals in China, / am sorry TO say, who under
stand foreign ideas and who can avoid these
dltculties. | am very sorry have very few
such men. especially in Picking. From their
point OF view they are perfectly right They
have their way of thinking They saw that
as China has been going on many centuries
they do not see why they should reform. They
DO not understand the present situation For
eigners are now scattered all over China.
Referring again to the Taku forts episode OF
last Sunday morning, Mr.. WI added:
Such a thing occurred some years ago in
Tien-Tsin. One Of the officials wanted TO honor
the officers of a WarShip that was coming in
and he ordered the firing of a salute. The salute
was fired and the foreigners were insuIted and
there was great trouble 1t was all mistake
The Minister is satisfied that the pending
trouble in China will soon be cleared up and
better understanding be had He said he had no
means Of getting news from Picking and no
cables were sent him unless his aid was wanted
in communicating with the United States Gov
eminent He had heard nothing about Il Hung
Chang being ordered TO Picking except from the
press but he expressed satisfaction over the re-
port, as, he said, Ii Hung Chang belonged to the
progressive element and had dealt with the
Boxers successfully before
Mr.. Wa lays much stress the fact that Ii
Hung Chang is hOnOred and trusted servant
of the Empress DOwager and a man belongins,
u the progressive element in his country. II
was for his valuable work in past years in deal
ing with organizations like the Boxers that
II received some Of the hOrors conferred upon
him.