The Washington times., 1901-11-08

| the Minister here, and the latter served
| under him for several years in China
| FROM him Mr.. WI received his first tut
| ton in the study of Western civilization
forming then the determination to devote
| ms life to the education of China to the
| end that she might take her place among
| the nations of the world
Earl Ii was a great statesman" said
the Minister yesterday. What he has
| done for China few realize. For forty
years he has played conspicuous part in
the Government and always in the time
of trial he has been called in to straighten
out his countrys affairs and start anew
the machinery of the Government Al
most every official post has been held by
Earl Ii
Il am disheartened. l am afraid his
life's work has been fruitless. My people
do not understand"
An official Of the legation when asked
| for an appreciation of the Viceroy's ac-
tive life and his valuable services to his
| country, said
Ii Hung Chang rose from the lowest
ranks He came from a very poor fam
1ly-poor even for China. He succeeded In
the literary examinations in an. excep-
tional manner. lie graduated as a han
! lin the highest grade in the literary eX
| aminations, which are almost the only
!
Pekin. This was about sixty year5 ago.
He then became Governor OF Suchow,
and in the early bus was created an earl
of the first degree by the Emperor Tung
Tai-Ping rebellion. After this he was
successfully Viceroy at Nanlking and at
Niccroy of the province of Chill, in which
Peking is situated, he became practically
the head of the Government, and the pro-
tector Of the dynasty in all foreign en-
N OF g hsatf FlNa
last office he was also designated as Min
ister-Superintendent of Northern Trade
an Office which has q great deal 10 do
with foreign nations.
Earl Ii was always heartily in favor
OF the development Of the Empire by the
Introduction of telegraph and railway
lines, and the building up of steamship
service, and, naturally aroused much op-
position among the conservativ Chinese.
by the latter he was regarded with
great deal of suspicion. Practically all
the army and navy in provemcnts dur
ing the past thirty years were made In
consequence of his energetic propaganda
for the Introduction of Western ciViliza-
ton and customs. At first he advocated
these In a somewhat limited degree, be
cause of his intense loyalty to his native
l;,sd. But his meeting with distinguish
ed foreigners confirmed his progre ssive
ideas. In latter years, especially in the
peace negotiations with Japan, AMI as the
special ambassador of the Emperor to the
coronation of the Car of Russia. Viceroy
IL was or great service to the Empire.
His especial friendship for foreigners
was never emphasized so strongly as in
the case of General Grant. When the lat
ter made his tour around the world and
arrived in China, Ii Hung Chang was
Niceroy Of Chill, and at his yamen in
Tientsin entertained the great soldier
President Every year since General
Grants death, Earl Ii has ordered q
floral tribute TO be sent on Decoration
Day to the New York tomb of the great
American. This mission of love and evil
dcnce of devotion to the memory of his
great friend has been carried out in sue
cessive years by a representative of this
Legation.
There is great hope that the influence
of Ii Hung Chang may last for a con-
siderable time to come, though nearly ali
political precedents, of course, are to the
contrary. the three most powerful sub
have been Ii Hung Chang. Viceroy Chang
River. and Niceroy Liu Kun Yih at
Marking. The man who will probably be |
called upon to take up mis- work-the com |
ing man. as you say in this country-is /
Governor Yuan Shih-kai of the province I
of Shantung He is forty years Of age a 4
progressive advocate and popular among !
the people in his province. II is most (
likely that he Will be called upon to take |
up the great work where Earl Ii left it |
at his DEATH
The legation officials will probably have |
Chinese services I'm memory of the dead /
statesman, but no date has yet been fixed |
The entire legation staff is now in mourn |
ing.