The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-08
Ii HUNG CHANG.

1t has not been many years since the
death Of a Chinese statesman would not
have been known outside of China; now
that of Ii Hung Chang has almost as much
international interest as would the death of
any European statesman. In fact, there is
not a European statesman living who has
negotiated and signed as many foreign
treaties as Ii Hung Chang did, or who has
impressed himself as powerfully on the
affairs of his country. General Grant
classed him as one of the three really great
men he met during his trip around the
world. the other two being Gladstone and
Bismarck, and he has often been called the
Bismarck Of him When General Grant
met him he was in the prime of life and his
career was as yet untouched by failure or
disaster. rs governor of a province he had
cO-operated with the British General Cor
don in a long and successful campaign, for
which he received the Yellow Jacket and
the Peacock Feather. He had commanded
successfully in other military operations
and had been made viceroy of the impor-
tant province Of Chilli, in which Picking is
situated. He held several other high offices
after General Grant met him, but he had
reverses as well as successes and lost some
of his honors. He undertook to organize a
Chinese army and navy on the European
model, and in 1894. when the war with
Japan began, he was given supreme com
mand of the naval and military forces sent
to Korea. Al that time he was practically
viceroy of the whole empire, prime minis
ter, foreign minister and commander-in-
chief of the army and navy. But events
proved that China was totally unprepared
for war, and as a punishment for his re-
missness and for the disasters that befell
the Chinese, he was deprived Of his highest
honors and publicly Inundated. He soon
got into favor again, and at the close of the
war was appointed chief commissioner to
negotiate a treaty of peace, and conducted
the negotiation with consummate ability.
He soon became again the most influential
statesman in China. though in 1898, on the
demand of the British minister, he was dis
missed from the administration by the En-
peror on the ground of his subserviency
toward Russia In less than two years he
was again restored to imperial favor and
received the unusual honor of appointment
as viceroy of two important. southern prov
inces. His more recent services as peace
envoy and plenipotentiary to settle all ques-
tons growing out of the Boxer war be-
tween China and the overs are matters Of
public record. During these negotiations he
affected great frankness and friendly re-
gard for all the powers, and especially for
the United States, but some persons init
mately acquainted with Chinese affairs did
not hesitate to charge him with duplicity
and with anti-foreign sympathy. This
would not be strange. Duplicity enters into
most diplomacy. and, as a Chinese states
man in favor Of his own country first, last
and all the time, Ii Hung Chang had a
right to be anti-foreign in his sympathies.
Whether he ever sacrificed the interests of
his country or not, he certainly knew how
to take care of his own. He is said to have
been immensely wealthy, and all accounts
agree that Chinese officials do not acquire
with receiving brides from the Russian
government, and that is quite likely, as
Russian morals and politics are not more
honest than Chinese. But, whatever his
faults may have been, and heather states
men are as apt as others to have them,
he was a great power in his country for a
long time, and his influence made distinctly
for progress. From a Chinese point of view
he was q grand old man.