The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-11-13
WU'S EUL0GY OF Ii.
Chinese Minister'S Tribute to
the Deceased Viceroy.
WAS oHINA's GRAND OLD MAN.

Incidents Connected with Earl LIS
Visit to This Country-Piants Tree
at General Grants Tomb-Visit to
Mrs. Grant.
Wu Ting Fang, the Chinese minister
at Washington, was greatly shocked
when he heard of the death of Ii Hung
Chang.
"Oh. this is too bad, too BAD he ex.
claimed. "It will be n frightful blow
to China. I hope the news is not true.
l hope Ii Hung Chang will be left to
serve his country many years, for his
country needs him now IL she ever
needed him. brilliant as have been his
services IN the past.
"For more than foWy years" said
Minister WI Iii Hung Chang has
been in the service of the Chinese gov.
ernmcnt. He is the Grand old Man
of our country. There iS none like him.
and it will bc generations before an.
other will come NJ TO take his place.
II know the man. served under
him. | was taught 10y him. He rec
ommcndcd me FOR promotion and put
me In line for the advancement that
finally sent me rs minister TO the Unit
cd States
His experience was vast. and in all
China IL Hung Chang alone of all our
statesmen has been tho one man who
could deal with the problems constant
ly arising In the ticld or diplomacy, our
civil relations with others and the con-
duct of our army and navy. He has
been progressive and yet conservative.
"rhe new China OF today Is the result
of his genius. his foresight and his in
domitable will. All the sensible re-
forms inaugurated In our country are
due TO him.
HE built the first railroad. the fret
telegraph. He opened the first mine
that gave promise of developing the
mineral industries OF the empire--the
Kalpin mine.
He originated the modern navy, the
modern drill and improved tactics in
the army. II was Ii Hung Chang who
employed General Gordon.
"In short. II was IL Hung Chang
who did everything to make China pro-
gressive. and II was his will and his
will alone aided 10y few who believe
In his genius. that pressed upon China
the few modern ideas she has accepted
and made 1t possible for her to shake
off some of the barnaclcs that clung TO
her for many centuries.
eli Hung Chang had the foresight TO
see the superiority of foreign appli-
anccs, apply them to his own coun-
try and use them 90 the advancement
aud bettcrmcnt of his own people. He
would have done more and would have
made China n powerful nation and a
strong people had 1t not been for the
opposition Of certain members of the
imperial cabinet. who, looking at things
through tho narrow light they possess
ed, saw only barn in the progressive
ideas of Ii Hung Chang, who knew
the world and realized the danger that
would come to China IL at any time
China should be brought into con dict
with the outer world. OF which our
people knew so little
He was opposed to the war with
Japan because he knew what the re-
suit would be. Ii Hung Chang had
suppressed native rebels successfully.
but he knew what it meant to cope
with superior force. His advice was
not needed. and when the disaster came
he was Inundated and made to suffer
because the advice he had given had
not been needed.
"IIis death will be bad for China,
She needs his advice and counsel more
now perhaps than ever before"
III Hung Chang visited the United
States in 1898 and was the recipient
OF many courtesies, official and other
wise. One OF the notable incidents OF
his visit was the planting OF a jingko
tree native of China and Japan, at
the tomb of General Grant, in River
side park, in New York. The tree is
still nourishlng there. Its queer palm
shaped leaves without a rib are famll-
lar 10 those who notice trees, for It
grows readily in our climate. Perhaps
the extreme simplicity OF General
GRANTS manners touched n kindred
chord, for, Notwithstanding the elabo-
rate etiquette of China which Ii Hung
always followed, he was "A man of very
simple habits.
During III Hung Chang's soJourn 10
this country he called upon Mrs. u. S.
Grant, who has thus referred TO the
visit.
The visit of his excellency II Hung
Chang to me was the renewal OF an ac-
quaintance made in China when Gen.
cral Grant and | were travelling around
the world. Ii Hung Chang always had
the warmcst admi latlon aud friend
ship for the general, and his eXcellen-
cy asked 70 visit me as the widow of
the general, his friend.
"When we were in China, Ii and the
general became friends. The premier
extended every courtesy TO us. lie has
been very progressive and is so liberal
that while we We're there he allowed
his wife, the late Lady Ii, TO give n
dinner 10 me. Lady Ii was lovely