Evening star., 1901-07-04
Chinese Minister Orator of the Day in
Philadelphia.
GENEROUS PRAISE FOR AMERICA
He Draws a Parallel Between
China and This Country.
ALIKE IN. SOME RESPECTS

| PHILADELPHIA, july 4.-Severa1 thou
sand persons gathered in Independence
| Saaure today to see and hear WI Ting
Fang. the Chinese minister. Minister WI
was orator of the day at the municipal cell
ebration OF Independence day. and the
friendly reception given the distinguished
guest must have allayed all fears for his
safety. despite the fact that he had re-
| ceived an anonymous letter threatening
him with bodily harm. When Minister WI
| appeared on the speakers stand he was
| accompanied by two detectives, who had
been assigned as special bodyguard dur
Ing his stay in this city. But from all out
ward appearances the services Of the de-
| tectives could easily have been dispensed
| with. After prayer by Bishop Whitaker
| and addresses by Councilman Henderson
| and Rev. Wallis w. Fisher Minister Wu
was introduced by Chairman Hammond.
When the Chinese diplomat stepped to the
front Of the platform he was given rous-
Ing reception. and it was some time before
| quiet could be sufficiently restored to per-
| nit the distinguished speaker to be heard.
AS he proceeded with his speech he was
listened to with marked attention. and
cheered.
PREVIOUS to the addresses the Municipal
band played the Chinese national air. star
spangled snsnis Banner" Columbia" and other
|
sang Star Spangied Banner"
Minister Wu's Address.
Mr. WI said. in part: Last year I was
| honored with an invitation to deliver an
address on the anniversary Of the birth of
this republic on this historic spot But cir
cumstances beyond my control. which many
OF you. no doubt recall. and which need
not here repeat. prevented my appearance
| as speaker at the last moment The re-
| newal Of the invitation this year is espe-
| cfaily gratifying to me; for I am informed
| this Is the first time that the people Of
Phiiadeiphia have ever conferred this un-
usual honor upon the representative of any
foreign country
We are assembled TODAY to commemorat a
the birth of this great nation II is an
event which has changed the history OF the
western hemisphere, and has powerfully
| innuenced the course OF political develop
ment throughout the world. 1t Is an event
| or so transcendental importance In Amer
lean annals that the Fourth Of July will
ever be known and observed as Indepen-
oence Day Strange to say. the Fourth of July
Is oay made specially memorable by other
occurrences OF great national interest also
so that it may be called a peculiarly Amer
lean anniversary. It was on that day In
is@oIexactly fifty years after the signing
or the Declaration of IndependenceNthat
Jonn Adams and Thomas Jefferson the
TWO men who mad most to do with the
framing and PRONUNCIATION Of that famous
instrument. took their fight together To tho
world beyond. It was on that day. in 1Sr'
tnat the surrender OF Vicksburg to Grant
raised the dropping spirits Of the north in
the gigantic struggle for American union,
ana also on the same day that the lifting
OF smoke from the battlefield of Gettvshur9
revealed the shattered army of Lee and
the shattered hope OF the confederacy.
The Victory of Santiago.
II was on that day three years ago that
the news Of great naval victory spread
like wildfire through the country, and was
In everybody's mouth. You are right.
therefore, in celebrating such glorious
anniversary with the ringing OF bells. the
nrins OF cannon. the singing Of anthems
and the beating Of drums
But there is no place throughout the
iengtn ana breadth Of the land where an
annual observance of the great day is more
ntt1ng than at Independence Hall 1t was
here that the famous bell from yonder bel
Try nrst sent forth its joyous peals to an
I.ouhce the birth of the United States OF
America and proclaim liberty throupbout
an the land unto the inhabitants thereon
It's reverberations have awakened the world
-, 70 newnesS OF life. have gladdened the
.sles OF the Paclf1c. and have even pene-
trated into the forest of the Philinntnes
Chfna's Part in the Celcbratto,
The participation by China in tha ce,e-
bration Of the American Fourth of 1r,,, .,
by no means an innovation 1t dates hack
from the time whereunto the memory Of
man runneth not. From the very first
Americans have depended upon China to
supply them with the necessary means for
aoequateiy expressing the exuberence OF
JOY called forth by their country's deliver.
ance. CHINA has. accordingly. responded
year aIter year with ship loads of fire.
crackers. Now. what man in this hrnod
lana does not associate the celebratton of
the nations birth with the sound of f,re-
crackers? What boy that has the trna
american blood in his veins does not look
upon the Fourth as the most glorious dsv
OF the year from the fact that he can In.
duige in firing off all kinds of crackers
to his hearts content? Thus, It seems this
Is not not the hrst time you have called upon
Chifa to assist you in the celebration of
the great day. According to popular heller
China is as far removed from the United
states as the east is from the west not
lneley IN geographical position. but in
other respects also. China is an eastern
monarchy: the United States Is a western
republic. 1t might be supposed betwean
the two countries, no common point Of con-
tact. Va Soi'-
Both Have Like Foundations.
The truth Is that the government Of Chi
ma and the government Of the United
states rest upon the same foundation, that
the people are sovereigns. The difference
"SH'SSAi eiAC Oh the TWO conn
trise lies rather in the manner in which
this principle is carried out. In this coun
Try all men are equal at the polls The
chief magistrate OF the nation as the day
laborer has no more than one vote Every
vote Is just as good as any other, and
counts as much. Those who get the most
votes are entitled to represent the people.
Thus the governors are recruited from the
governed.
In China. we endeavor to attain the same
end by a different road. The competitive
examinations are open to all. At the ex-
amtnations all the candidates stand on the
same ground. and have an equal chance of
success. The son of minister of state is
accorded no more consideration than the
son OF the humblest tiller Of the soil. In
deed. poor hard-working student is more
apt to pass the examinations successfully
than the luxury loving scion OF an nlustri-
Gus house.
Significance of His Invitation.
This is day naturally set apart for
patriotic sentiments. Your invitation to me
shows that your patriotism is not of that
kind which cannot see anything good in the