Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-14

ter were as useful to him as II lheN
had been his own. Better yet. inns
acquaintance of Ii and Gordon hau
marked effect upon the civilized world
Ii was thus brought into intimate
relations with a man OF the hisneS'
type. Years later. when in Lohdoh'
the great Chinese statesman ana ny
hesitate TO kneel at the place whe'e
grateful nation had erected a molu
nent to the Christian soldier whose
name will always be linked with ms
own.
One action at this time tried the tenn
per and displayed the difference OF
character of the two civilizations they
well represented. The rebellion had
| been nearly reduced to nothing. a
city was besieged by Gordons ever
victorious" army. The so-called kings
! Of the rebellous forces saw that the
end was near. and began to plan for
| their own safey. They. too. had come
| TO see that while the Oriental does not
| hesitate to break the most solemn
promises. there was one people IN the
world which respected its own word
| In some way they got message TO
Gordon. asking that, if they surren-
dered. their lives might be spared
| Gordon assured them that they should .
| Ii was knowing to this engagement.
but when these kings trusting in
the plighted word Of Gordon. came 10
the imperial camp. they Were seized
| and beheaded. When Gordon learned
what had happened. there was very
angry F,nglishman-so angry. indeed.
that the story still crculates in China.
| l.. I I'M, Ia IN ~.
| wrath of Gordon. who hunted for him
everywhere with a sword, vowinS he
! would have the generals life Later.
peace was made between them. II. u
may be believed. making the most am
PIE apologies-and telling The most
| prodig iouS lies.
| In June. 1870, came the massacre %
foreigners at Tien-Tsin. The oc-
Icurrence convinced the chinese govern
mcnt that a stronger man was needed at
that port. and Ii was advanced tn be
the governor. or Viceroy, of Chill. The
! city OF PaO Ting-fu is the reg dldr
provincial capital. but Ii saw il would
be best 10 move to TienTSin. ana he
dd 50. From that time on. he was
brought into constant intercourse With
foreign officials. to say nothing Of
| globe trotterS. agents OF foreign firms
| seeking a monopoly. and the like. For
a man Who had upon his shoulders the
affairs of thirty millions of people, the
wonder is how he found time to trans
act them all. and have any leisure for
| these men from broad For many years
it became the thing" for distinguished
men from Europe who We're making the
tour of the world. to call upon the
most noted man in china. Ii received
them All. listened 10 them delu-sed
them with questions. and in this way
! stored his capaciouS memory with
| facts and theories about the West
| which would have astonised any other
| Chnaman in the empire. Nor did he
| neglect other means. He found a man
| who had had long experience in China.
and who today thoroughly understands
| the customs of the country. This
foreigner he took into employ Thus
he had at hand a man who could give
the most up-to-date information. and
predict with q good degree Of Ger
tainty the action Of any one govern
ment under such and such circum-
stances. Nor was his advice in
frequently called for. 1t was soon per
u
be accomplished by seeing Ii and hav-
ing a straight talk with him for half
an hour. than one might hope to 20 in
| months of time at the sleepy court Of
Pekin. As if to Kill him with over
work, he was given other offices. He
was made admiral Of the northern
fleet. commanding general of the
northern army and tutor to the en-
peror. still under age.
To find an official in China who is
| both honest and able. one might have
to hunt China with a microscope, and
! then not succeed. 1t is certain that
Ii made money in his high positions
and il Is also certain that had he de
| pended upon his salaries 10 support
i his household. he would long ago have
gone into bankruptcy. 1t is not to be
understood that Ii ever sold his coun-
try To the highest bidder. But as in
! his dealings with Russia. no one
doubts. though it is impossible to
prove. that he has received the most
valuable presents. he is proba bly,
pro-Russan from principle. The re
| lations of Russia to China. the danger
Of absorption by that power is so
great, that Ii sees no way out but 10
be her ally. His reasoning is that
| China is certain to be crushed if She
goes TO war with her colossal neigh
| Dor. If. however. Russia is or pretendS
! to be a friend. then there is a hope.
| Let the army be enlarged. and trained
according to Western methods. Put
| the differing of these soldiers in the
hands of Russia S foes, preferably Eng
| fish. If not these. then Germans In
| time il may be. China will come to be
as powerful as her friend and With
this power increasing, il may be posi-
bic To put of the eNi il day Of partition.
In the early part Of his rule poys
picked from the best families and Of
excellent scholarship came to America
, and We're educated at Hartford and i'll
other parts Of New England The re-
Ception which these boy had when they
returned to China. and appeared be-
fore the Niceroy. was peculiarly I'M
fortunate. Attending school With
young America. where they imh;bed
the ideas Of the West as to the equality
OF All men, it was q step back into the
dark ages for them to be obliged to
go through the degrading ceremonial
required of every Chinaman on appear
ing before his superior. The boys mad
not been drilled for the occasion. hence.
Whpn tnpy before tho ,inarny-