Evening star., 1901-05-31
Mr.. WI EULOGlZES GRANT
MINISTER SPEAKS AT
RIVERSIDE PARK.
Parallel in the Lives of the American
and Ii Hung Chang-Their
Strong Friendship.

mat OF the orient as the leading orator
paying a warm tribute to the memory Of
Gen. L. 8. Grant was the feature OF the
Memorial day ceremonies at the Grant
tomb at Riverside Park. New York. Gen.
Stewart l.. Woodford introduced W.T. Ting
Fang one fitted to deliver a message Of
friendship from an old to q new people.
MY task is difficult" said the Chinese
minister. at is not one for a foreigner. 1t
calls for a Webster, Sumner, an Everett.
But 1 could not well decline the honor Of
paying homage to one whose fame has
spread to far-off lands.
''Twenty-three centuries ago Mencus
said. When heaven is about to confer a
great office on a man she exercises his
mind with suffering. his sn.ws and bones
with toll. exposes his body to hunger and
confounds his undertakings. BY sll these
methods it hardens his nature ana supplies
his incompetencies If the Chinese sage
had had Grant in mind he could not have
given better description of his early
manhood.
After going through the Mexican war
and many years of hard life IN The frontier
he turned his sword into ploughshare.
Later he went into business. But he had
a hard time to keep the wolf from the
door. These trials taught him fortitude
and perseverance and enabled him to over
come formidable difficulties and achieve
splendid success.
Foremost Soldier of His Age.
The breaking out of the civil war found
Grant ready. Steadily he arose from COM
parative obscurity to the foremost rank
among the worlds great comma nders. His
comprehension grasped the whole military
situation. Grant united the north and the
south into a political whole more favorable
for expansion and prosperity than they had
ever been before.
1.-The foremost soldier of his age. Graut
was also a man OF peace. During his
presidency he stood like a rock against ap-
pealing to the sword in the settlement OF
international difficulties. The Virginius
affair well Illustrates this. The demon
strating that arbitration was a satisfactO-
ry mode of concluding international dis
putes was the crowning glory Of his ad-
mnistration. The submission Of the Ala
bama claims by Great Britain and the
United States was a memorable step to-
ward the Improvement of permanent rela-
tiOns between nations. 1t showed that
there was another last resort besides war.
1t was the putting into practice of The no.
BILE declaration which the great soldier
made in his first letter of acceptance: Let
US have peace.
Nothing shows more clearly the high
estimation in which Grant was held by
the world at large than the spontaneous
enthusiasm with which he was greeted
the world. Princes, potentates and the
common people alike We'd in paying the
homage due to great leader. In no coun-
try / dare say, was he welcomed heartier
than in the old empire of China. The ca
reer of Grant was just such as is calcu-
lated to fire the Imagination of the Chi
Tese. If Grant had performed his exploits
in China, temples would have been built
all over the empire to him. He would
have been worshiped at his shrine through
out the breadth of the empire. But here
in America you Go things differently.
Grant and Lii Hung Chang.
There was one Chinese official who took
an especially keen and personal interest in
the visit of General Grant. That was the
viceroy Of the Province Of Chill, Ii Hung
Chang. When Grant arrived in Tien Tsin
there began that singular friendship be-
tween the two great men. The parallelisms
which are to be found in their lives are
striking. They both sprang from the peo-
pie. Statesmen and generals do not come
from an exclusive stock is one of our IA
yorite sayings.
Both Grant and Earl Ii won their first
laurels in war. While Grant was putting
down the civil war. Earl Ii was taking a
leading hand in suppressing the great Tafp-
ing rebellion. The Chinese statesman be-
came practically prime minister of the en-
pire in consequence of his eminent service
to the state The American general was
twice elected President OF the United
States. Gen. Grant was fond of cigar
smoking and Earl Ii was fond of tobacco
LII Hung Chang's Tour.
by a strange coincidence Grants ia
nous tour around the world In 1879 was
almost duplicated by that of his friend in
1896. Over seventy years old, Earl Ii left
his native land to visit the countries of
Europe and America. Grant had already
gone to his grave. But strange to say. the
first American that rusted down the gang
plank to meet him bore a startling likeness
to his departed friend. 1t was Col Fred
erick Grant. After Grants death Earl Ii
gave instructions to the Chinese legation
in Washington to bring each year. as has
been done this year, offering of flowers
to the generals tomb on Memorial day as
q token of his enduring friendship When
he was in this city during his visit to this
country he deemed it his first duty to
make a. pilgrimage to the final resting place
Of his deceased friend.
Grants Simplicity.
When 1 first met Grant in Hong Kong
where he was the guest Of Col. Mosby,
there was nothing of the stiffness in his
manners that is usually associated in mems
minds with the distinguished and the great.
He was the personifcation Of democratic
simplicity and modesty. While ne was re-
ceivtng his visitors he had all the time a
lighted cigar in his mouth have been
since Informed that the general and his
cigar was practically inseparable through
Hfe. What an important part the fragrant
Havana plays in the world Of affairs Inn
agine what a clear head 1t gave the great
soldier in planning his campaigns and in
ordering his victories and what a mental
calm and equipoise 1t enabled him to main
tain IN the confusion and excitement of
battle