The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-11-15
I'll HUNG CHANG DEAD
Brilliant Career of the Chinese Dip
lomat Closed. =
Persisted in Working Almost to the
Last, Although Very I1l-Brief
Account of His Services
to the Empire.

Peking, Nov. iii Hung Chang died
at IL o'clock Thursday morning.
Earl Lis death was expected, as his.
physicians have known for some time
that his health was precarious. On
Tuesday he was free from pain and
cheerful. He worked far into the
night, even against peremptory orders
of the physicians, and retired'in anex-
hausted condition.
At two o'clock Wednesday morning
the attendants found the aged states
man unconscious. His physicians were
summoned, but in spite of their exer-
tions the patient sank steadily during
the day.
Toward nine o'clock Wednesday even
ing the dying man showed unexpected
vitality. Digitalis was frequently ad-
ministered, and the patient's%life was
thus prolonged until IL o'clock, when
he was pronounced dead.
Lii Hung Changes Successor.
Picking, Nov. 9.-The special edict has
arrived here appointing Yuan Shi Kai
governor of Shan-Tung province) to
be governor of the province of Chi Ii,
and appointing Wang Wen Shao, who
is vice president of the foreign office
and a member of the cabinet; to sue
coed Ii Hung Chang as plenipotentiary.
They are both ordered to come to Pc
king forthwith.
Another edict creates Ii Hung Chang
a marquis and bestows on him the new
name of Ii Wen Chung, by which he
will be known in history.
Life of Lii Hung Chang.
Ii Hung Chang was born-some biog-
raphers say on February &c. 1922, others say
on February IL, 1922. Between that time
and the day of his death he had been a t
different times governor of cities, COM
mander in chief of the imperial armies,
yiceroy of most of the great provinces,
grand chancellor and prime minister. He
negotiated most of the modern treaties be-
tween China and the western powers He
did much to advance the progress OF clVlli--
cation in China. He was liberal-mlnded-
from a; Chinese standpoint He was re-
puted to be enormously wealthy, owning
most of the railways, telegraphs and pub
lie works as well as grea6 plantations,
mines and factories.
Puts Down Rebellion.
Ii Hung Chang first attained prominence
in China during the Tai-Ping rebellion,
inces and spread so rapidly that the city of
Picking itself was threatened. At this
crisis young and distinguished scholar,
who had passed two examinations and was
among the eXpectantS or ONCE gathered
together friends and relatives in his men
aced native town, organized them into a
regiment, and fell upon the rebels rear.
His victories won him a staff position in
the imperial army, and later chief COM
mand in the field. With the aid of a foreign
T.
tie by Frederick E. Ward. an American
sailor adyenturer and later by Lieut.. Col.
Gordon. who was doomed to be the victim
of the mahdi the new Chinese leader
crushed the rebellion after a tremendous
struggle Though Ward and Gordon did
the fighting Ii cleverly appropriated the
credit, referring grandiloquently in his re-
ports to Picking to his lever victorious
army
Official Career Begins.
Ii Hung Chang came out Of the war IN
1866 provincial governor, with high rep
utation in Chinese eyes for administrative
capacity as we'll as military skill. He had
been fortunate in having nothing to DO ac-
lively with the war with France and Eng
land which ended in the allies, 1884, 600 strong,
taking Tientsin and Picking and eXacting
a large indemnity from the helpless rulers.
In 1870 Earl Ii was promoted to be vice
roy of the province of Pe-Chi-Li, in which
port, Tientisin. For % years Ii Hung Chang
held sway at Tientsin, and in this quarter
of a century he gave to China practically
all of what little western civilization China
possesses.
China's War with Japan.
During the Chino-Japanese war Earl LIS
service to his country was invaluable. He
carried the whole burden of official respon-
sibility acting as minister of war, navy
fipa staff
He organized and equipped the army. orig
mated and bought the navy, and raised the
funds. He was further placed in supreme
command of the naval and military forces
sent to Corea. He was disgraced during
the war and deprived of the yellow jacket
and the peacock feather. Later he was dis
missed from all his offices. When emma,
humbled by defeat was forced to sue Tor
peace, Ii Hung was restored TO faVor anu
sent to Japan to negotiate for terms. he
succeeded far better than China had any
reason to hope for. but returned only 10 De
disgraced.
Journeys Round the World.
In 1896 Earl Ii was again in favor with
the emperor, and was sent to st. Peters
burg as China's representative at the cor
onation of the czar thus beginning his
famous tour of the world. He visited Ger
many The Hague, Brussels and Paris after
leaving ST. Petersburg He then crossed
the Atlantic coming to the United States,
returning home after a tour of the con-
tinent.
After his forced retirement in 1898 Earl
Ii was virtually without influence until an
outbreak in the southern provinces in 1899
brought him employment as Viceroy of
Kwang-Si
Then came the Boxer uprising, the siege
of the legations at Picking, the massacre
of the Christians and .the gathering of the
armies of America and Europe for the
march on the Chinese capital Picking was
captured. The armies of the hated foreign
ers marched through the deserted palaces
of the imperial city China was PROSTATE
at the feet of the powers. In this emer-
gency Ii Hung Chang was recalled from
practical exile and given practically UNI
limited powers in negotiating with the in
dignant ENJOYS of Europe and the United
States. He performed his greatest and
his final service to China in the recent re
gotiations at Picking, for he preserved the
territorial integrity of the empire.
"MOther" Bickerdyke Dead
Bunker Hill, Kan, Nov. 9.-Mother
Bickerdyke, famous for her work
among union soldiers during the civil
war, died here Friday, aged "a years.
L Il i How