The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-28
DID NOT FOOL
Ii HUNG CHANG
How the Old Viceroy Dealt With
a japanese Political
interviewer.

The Japan Weekly Times OF recent
date contains this account of a! charac-
teristic interview between a Japanese
politician and Ii Hung Chang:
MI Soichi Nobuyuki, who lately went
to Picking, has reported to the National
League an account of his interview with
Ii Hung Chang on the 18th ult The in
terview Is said to have lasted for an
hour, but the account Is comparatively
short and not so interesting as one might
expect. One thing that deserves notice
is the opinion the willy statesman is re-
ported to have expressed to his inter-
viewer about Japan's attitude in connec-
ton with the great question of the in
tegrity of China. The interviewer's en-
thusiastic representation of the object of
the National League elected this dampen-
ing remark from the host: THE Leagues
professions of regard" observed Lii 'for
the maintenance of China's integrity are
sure to end in mere table talk. Is not
the Government of your country greatly
opposed to the maintenance of that In
tegrity?"
"Your Misrepresentation of our Govern
ment's real motives" protested the In
terviewer, sis not unnatural Chere Ii
made a gesture expressing surprise and
doubt, for some of the members of the
Cabinet have declared the movement ini-
tiated by the League to be diplomatical-
ly injurious to the country. But you
must not take this remark literally; you
should rather regard it as mere sophis-
try resorted to from consideration of self
interest. i may go a step further and
declare that our Ministers of the Cabi-
net endorse In principle the shibboleth of
the League (here Ii shook his head, for
Is not the very fact that the Cabinet has
joired the Anglo-German compact a
strong proof of the correctness. of Try
explanation?''
Despite the foregoing ardent represen-
tation of Mr.. Nakajima the host SIN
remained outwardly doubtful, for he per
sisted in avowing that he believed in the
opposition of onr Government to the
maintenance of China's integrity. Then
the interviewer Dragged about the great
influence the League enjoyed in Japan.
browning his statement with the remark
that should the Cabinet fail to carry out
the policy of the League the latter. sup
ported as it was by the majority of the
people. would pull it down. The CONVEX
sation was then brought down from the
cloudy height of current politics to the
practical affairs of education, and Mr..
Nakaiima advised Il to thoroughly re-
model the educational system IN ali the
provincial and sub-provfncial schools,
which number 1000 in all. and to engage
In each one a japanese teacher.
Li-"Could 1t be really possible to en-
gage as many as 1000 men Of talent in
your country?"
Interviewer-''We can supply them
very easily"
Li-"At what rate of salary"
Interviewer-"From 100 to 15o.''
Li-"That Is too high"
Northumberland not 1t is real
ly with the object of serving your coun-
try, and of bringing China and Japan IN
to closer relationship. that I have made
this proposal. The teachers to he sup
piled will. of course. he well M In Chi
nese, and will combine that knowledge
with high virtue and knowledge Of
Western learning
Li-"Indeed! Then I stand corrected"