The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-20
He Tells Members and Guests of the Commercial Club of the
Vast and UndeveIoped Resources of
His Country
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE OPEN TO AMERICANS.
Distinguished Visitor Makes Talk at the Merchants Ex-
changs-Depzrts for Washington at Noon To-Day

states. last night delivered an tnteresttnl
address on Commercial Relations Wit
China" before members and guests of tn
Commercial Club in the elaborately deco
rated dining hall OF the st. Louis Club ol
Iindell boulevard near Spring avenue.
Fifty members OF the Commercial Clul
and twenty-one guests listened to the re
marks OF the Ambassador from the Orien
and frequently interrupted them with ap.
plsuse.
The spacious dining ball was decorated
with cut flowers. palms and American and
Chinese flags. The Emperor's siIken en-
b,em was the centerpIece in the flag dis.
pay and the tail of the dragon hung imme-
distely over the head of his Excellency. WI
Ting Fang. The American flag with its
stars and stripes, formed background for
the marching flag OF China, which
showed rising sun in distinct relief. Two
decoration
At O'Clock the Commercial Club MEM
bers and their guests sat down to dinner
with Mr.. WI Bishop ID. s. Tuttle occupied
seat at the Minister'S right and Mr..
h n. Davis. secretary OF the Commercial
Club. summoned the representatives of the
Commercial Club. in a short address intro
g9ced the guest OF the evening. Mr.. WI
Mr Moore prefaced his remarks by re-
ferrtng 70 Marco Polo the man who
opened Chinese commerce to the world.
mentioning the great travellers book in
which he narrates his experiences fin China.
De spoke of the primitive and present con-
dition OF commercial relations with the
Chinese Empire during the Nineteenth Gem
tury He spoke especially OF the northern
part of China. commercial reciprocity and
alluded TO the increase I'm the channels of
commerce throughout the world.
MIR. WI Is
CORDIALLY RECEIVED.
When Mr.. Wu arose from his seat at the
banquet board and bowed TO the assemblage
the applause momentarfly disconnected him.
Kegaining his composure, he commenced a
tions with China" which did not end until
near midnight. and was punctuated with
frequent bursts of applause. His voice was
low and well modulaied: his sentences were
short, but to the point, and he never lacked
for the right word in the right place.
From the moment Mr.. Wu commenced
speaking he held the direct and undivided
attention Of his audience of representative
business and professional men. His purple
silk gown. the upper portion of which was
covered with scarlet vestcoat and .ain
gauze, wss in striking contrast to the full
dress suits of the club members. On his
right breast he wore insignia emblemst-
ie OF his rank; and diamond crescent
brushed his gold-rImmed spectacles and fire.
qcently he adjusted his scarlet yest which
became disarranged when he gesticulated.
HIS ADDRESS.
At no time did he appear at a loss for
subject and only occasionally tid he refer 10
his notes. which merely consisted of a few
Chinese characters Indicating the subtopics |
on which he intended to speak. |
Mr.. WI said:
mir. President and Gentlemen: You
have heard just now very in
terestins story from the president about /
the famous name of Marco Polo A few /
miles from the city of Canton Is a temple
Going from Canton TO the island of Hong /
Kong We pass this temple, which Is called /
Polo Temple. / used to see II while on Il
board the steamer passing there and. on fu-
quiring from the natives in that locality. I 1
told III dQdiCaTe ed rn a
! think that the temple was Marco Pofo's
Thus We have the fact that Marco Polo
also was in the south of China and that
Is the temple We believe is dedicated to him.
but L must acknowledge the fact that
nave not read the book which the president
has read. and the account which he has 50
wildly given you.
HOW ST. LOUIS
RESEMBLES HANkOW
Now. gentlemen, 1 am expected TO say
something about the commercial relations
or China In coming to you this evening l |
am reminded of a city in China; that is the |
city of Hankow which is in the central |
part OF China. and which bears some re-
semblance TO the city in which We now are. |
tse-klang. a great river. and. as ] under |
stand II. your city Is the banks of |
great river. Another resemblance Is that |
Hankow Is In the center of China and
y distributing point TO other sections OF \
the country. l understand that your famous
city Is also on the banks of a great river |
ana tnat you go by central time and I |
guess by the same that this city is also the |
center of distribution of goods TO different |
OF this fact. that Hankow Is as far from |
the capital of my country as this city is |
confess If l we're in the Kingdom and in
vited by a commercial club in Hankow 1
vita ton Not because l dislike my friends
In H3nkow, but on account of the difficulty
Of travel
THINGS EASY TO DO HERE
ARE DIFFICULT IN CHINA. Id
Why. II would take me months overland.
and by steamer 1t would take me at least q
a fortnight. l think mans life is too | I
short. But In America, to travel 1000 miles !
10 go 10 dinner is nothing. This is due I
10 the great facilities you have. Why, you 4
being Journey. it is a pleasure So. when !
received your courteous invitation through I
me me secretary. secrets | did not hesitate to accept
with you. and l am glad to be with you. c
You Will see that, at least in point Of 4
the facilities you have. and this theretcrei sn Z
ts tsinss me TO the point that China is not i
think If Marco Polo was a faithful recorder
he would have said 80. China is a large :
country not properly developed. Recently | !
travel has demonstrated the fact. y
CHINA RICH IN
tNDEvELOPED RESOURCES. a
famous German traveller has been | Il
n MAJ kins a survey OF great part OF China. }
great coal mines. lead mines, iron mines =
sno silver mines. snd. 70 / am told there \ Y
ire gold and copper mines, too. But what / 4
: that with scarcely any development?
Nothing practical has been done up TO this | a
late. n
True. we have one or two coal mines |
ahd l may cay there Is a coal mine in the "
lorthern part OF China which for the last | n
en- years has been open and worked ac- | v
'ording to foreign system, and think of 1 e.
ate years the output has been from 600 to | n
200 tons Of coal every day. But that Is the | n
'nly coal mine that is. so far, In working | ii
'rder and properly opened under foreign | G,
luspices- Coal is there IN large Quantities | o.
rhe mountains close to Pekin are full OF | n
.osl; natives go there and pick up coal Il
lght and left without much difficulty. | h
With regard to copper and iron. II has been q
ound by competent experts that there is | n
olenty scattered about in various parts OF ~
-hina. -
AMERICA MAKES THE MOST
IF HER OPPORTUNITIES.
. But with regard to your country. II is "a
ifferent. Here you have SO MANY mines ~
urning out coal and also gold and silver a..
mines There is not place that has not -
been penetrated by the railroads. or auy SSe
1yer that Is navigahle that las NOT been ,s
'lowed by steamers s ns
:, further than that. everywhere that u
mere Is Goa. have grown up large manu- n,
actnr1es large iron works and coal works q,
ucn ~ IN Pittsourg and in various towns a.
,sq cities and In this city. which i have IA
1sd the opportunity OF witnessing. This ~
!. . sreat manufacturfng city where xn,, | ~ ~
Ill urn out All sorts of wares fer exnorf - q,
herent countries, Your ueoD1s -,
es.-sss. are wonderful people. you male "a a..
4s2 49, oi your opportunities You do every III III
m tne most systematic and orderly sn