Evening star., 1901-01-17
MR.. WI TALKS TO LEGISLATORS.
The Difference Between Chinese and
American LaWmakinx.

American Lawmak ing.
Minister WI Ting Fang visited the cap
itol at Albany, N. Y, yesterday and spoke
in both houses. The minister is in the city
as the guest of the State Bar Association.
When his presence became known in the
lobby of the assembly chamber Mr.. Aids.
leader of the republicans, addressed the
chair by saying: "Mr. Speaker. I under
stand that there is in waiting distinguish
ed representative of a foreign country, and
I move, sir, that a committee be appointed
to escort him to the assembly chamber
Mr.. Aids, as leader of the republican
contingent, and Mr.. Frisbie, as the leader
of the democratic minority, then conducted
the Chinese minister to the chair. He was
dressed in the conventional robes of the orr
ent which appeared to be exceedingly uncon-
ventional when he stood beside Speaker
Nixon and faced the chamber from the
speakers desk. He bowed modestly at the
burst of applause with which he was greet
ed, and then said:
Il feel greatly embarrassed in being asked
to say something. My intention was to
come here to learn something from you;
to see how you work, how you legislate.
Now. no sooner l am here than the speaker
of the assembly calls upon me to address
you. / can only say this: 1t is great
honor for me to see you assembled here
and doing your work in such an orderly
way-Qaughter)-a way we have not in
China. although this Is. comparatively
speaking, new country. Still, an old
country has good deal to learn from a
young country, and this is one of the things
we ought to learn. / hope the time will not
be distant, but still l cannot say when we
shall be able to adopt your system of thus
allowing the people Of the district, of the
state, to legislate for the government Of
the state. You see. in China we have about
twenty provinces. all governed by the i'm
perial government, In the king. OF course,
his power is delegated to the governors,
and these officers govern the different prov
inces; but the governors and the of1cers
have almost actual power, subject to the
disapproval of the sovereign, to legislate
what is proper for the welfare of the prov
ince. But as to d thing of this kind-that
is, power being delegated to the people to
legislate for the welfare of the people In
the privince-that is unknown in CHINA.
So ] say it would be good thing for us
to take a lesson from you, because then.
you see, all the wants of the people would
be known
The short speech of the minister was
greeted with great applause. He was later
introduced to the senate.
In the course of his remarks in the SEN
ate WI Ting Fang paid a compliment to
Lieutenant Governor Woodruff which
brought forth roars of laughter from the
senators and a series Of strangled emotions
from Mr.. Woodruff himself. The minister
had said that he regarded the lieutenant
governor as a man destined to fill a most
exalted position, and then added: Il sup
pose that this Office which he now holds
is only a stepping stone to higher place
This sentence was received with such ap-
plause from several parts Of the chamber
that the speaker in an endeavor to cap the
climax. wrought an anti-climax. But he
concluded, 81 fear that you find him so
valuable here that you can't even dis
pense with him" Mr.. Woodruff could only
respond with an ilI-concealed blush.