Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-16
THE CHINESE MAcHIAVELLl.
Ii Hung Chang Accorded That Dis
honorable Distinction.

honorable Distinction.
In the Forum Robert E. Lewis pre-
sents a graphic picture of Ii Hung
Chang, the "Machiavelli Of Chinese
diplomacy" For 40 years the veteran
celestial diplomatist has been cross
ing swords with European and Ameri-
can representatives of statecraft. He
knows, as Mr.. Lewis points out, every
thrust and every parry in the game OF
diplomacy and he can cut into every
unprotected point His adversaries in
the present negotiations are compare
lively inexperienced men. Minister
Conger has had about three years
contact with the east; the Russian
minister has been in China a shorter
time than the American; the French
representative is novice in dealing
with the Chinese. and the British Min
lister has been transferred within the
past few months from Toxic to Pekin
to conduct the negotiations in behalf
of his government. Ii Hung Chang has
more than held his own in the past
with the keenest European and Ameri-
can diplomatists, and, in Mr.. Lewis
opinion, he is better able to fight
losing battle than all his opponents
combined. Given fair field and no
favor he would deftly set them to
quarreling as to who should lead in
the assault, who should have his hat,
coat and shoes, with the result that he
would remain intact, while they would
wonder how it happened.
Undoubtedly Ii Hung Chang is the
shrewdest man in China today-and
also one of the shrewdest in the world.
Machiavellian diplomacy has no ADLER
exemplar than this veteran of many
a negotiation. He is master Of
Chinese politics and, so far as the
tellectual processes of Western civil
cation, he is a master of world politics
also. For years the foreign diplo-
macy of China has been guided by him
and he has accomplished marvels
when it is considered that he has had
to contend against the jealousies OF
the palace clique. If he had been not
only a diplomatist, but an absolute
dictator as well, there is no telling
what he might not have accomplished
in the way of opposing European de-
mands. But Machiavellian diplomacy,
to attain the greatest measure of sue
cess nowadays, must be supported at
critical times by something more than
skill in word Juggling, In artistic pre-
varication and in playing upon the
fears and hopes Of ones antagonist,
Even then it does not always succeed.
Russian diplomacy, it has often been
charged, is of the Machiavellian kind;
but even Russia, the greatest military
power in the world. has more than
once found that not even her might
could save her diplomacy from defeat
Europe has never feared China's army
and navy, and Ii Hung Chang's di-
plomatic victories have been won pure
ly by his own resourcefulness. His
strategy is all the more wonderful,
therefor, but it is doubtful whether
ever his cleverness can save China's
face" in the present crisis, or whether
it will be more effective than it was
after the war between China and
Japan, when the latter dictated terms
Of peace.
| China cannot hope to avoid humilia-
| ton and the payment of a large in
demnity to the powers for the outrages
committed by the boxers upon foreign
ers. Even Ii Hung Chang's diplo-
macy has failed to secure a modifca-
ton of the harsh terms imposed by
| the allies. This is case in which
Machiavelli himself would have failed
And the reason for the failure is plain
enough. Ii Hung Chang might quib-
BILE and stretch the facts to the ut
most of his ability; he might under
take to SOW the seeds of dissension
among the allies and bring their inter
| ests into conflict; he might use every
| art to make his antagonists view the
situation from his standpoint, but all
! in vain, for he was appealing to those
who had a definite program and force
sufficient to carry it into execution.
Acting upon his governments sugges.
ton Ii Hung Chang objected to the
demand of the powers for the whole
sale execution of the boxer ring-lead-
ers. He was partly Successful, but
when he would have delayed negotia-