Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-10
C0FFMAN is HOME
FROM THE ORIENT
Old Time R. G. W. Chief Clerk Re-
turns from the Pekin Legation.
SECRETARY T0U.S, MINISTER
Talks In an Interesting Strain He-
gardiDg the stirring Times in China
During the Past Year

Harvey G. COfman came to town
this morning direct from Pekln, China,
and at once made straight for Railroad
Row to renew the acquaintance he
made ten years ago when he was chief
clerk for General Passenger Agent
Bennett Of the Rio Grande Western
Mr.. Coffman's friends recognized him
at once and pronounced him to be the
same old jolly Bohemian Of days gone
by.
Since Mr.. Coffman left Salt Lake he
has seen considerable Of the world and
accomplished a great amount OF tray
cling. Immediately after leaving this
city he accepted a position as private
secretary to the business manager Of
the New York World, to later spend
fifteen months In Cuba in a similar ca
pacity under Major General Wilson.
Then ne went over to Manila as private
secretary 10 Judge Taft, president OF
the United States Philippine commits
sion. lie subsequently returned to New
him once more and he sailed for China
with the result that he has been acting
In the capacity of an attache to the
United States Legation in Peltin and
virtually private secretary TO Minister
Conger, who has just returned TO San
Francisco from the Orient.
II had enough Of China, said Mr.
Cofman to a News representative
tf,ay nd gA 4 an
home again for spell Mr. Congef Is
Of the same opinion too, and | do not
think that he will return to China.
Right here | wish to say that all these
stories that have been liug the rounds
Of the papers here regarding an alleged
misunderstanding between Minister
Conger and the administration are en-
tirely without foundation. | know this
10 be a fact and ! have also seen tele-
grams from Washington in which were
expressed the greatest confidence
of the administration In Mr..
Conger The fact Of the matter
Is that he does not want to stay
In Pekin. W. w. Rockhill Is slated as
being the next man there, | believe, to
represent the United States, but he,
too, expresses himself as not being de-
sirious Of living there. The next man
in line is II. j. Squiers, an accomplish
ed lnguist, a thorough master Of the
Chinese language, and who Is In every
way fitted for the important position.
He has considerable diplomatic expert
ence. having been a secretary In the
legation al Berlin for several years; in
addition TO these qualifications he is
man OF wealth. refinement and educa-
g., l. NIT. a
of the entertaining for the United
States legation in Pekin now. He Is
in every sense Of the word fitted for
the post and viii, have no doubt, be
appointed
U. S. MAKES POOR SHOWING.
Coming down to description Of the
daily life In Pekin Mr., Cdffman said;
ct goes without saying that the
United States legation, as a building,
Is the poorest structure among those
Of the powers. The United States does
not even own the ground upon which
II stands; this belongs TO Col Charles
DENLY, who bought 1t some years ago,
and makes good thing out of II by
renting II to the government believe
however, that the government Is seri-
ously thinking Of buying some land and
putting UP decent place in addition
to barracks for the legation guard of
$50 men, which will henceforth be es-
tabllshed in Pekin,"
In answer to a question Mr. Coffman
said "The missionaries out in China
have been greatly ma.igned When |
first went out there | was full Of pre-
JUDGE against them. For the first three
months ! was there | lived In mis-
slonary compound presided over by the
Rev. Dr. w. S. Ament who, by the way,
is the same gentleman with whom