The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-04
MR.. W.T. ON INDEPENDENCE.
The Chinese Minister'S Patriotic
Speech at Philadelphia.

He Says There Is Bond of SYM
P&thy Between the Celestial and
the Arnerican-ThinI>s This Nation
VIII Become the Greatest Power.
PHILADELPHIA. July 4.-The princi-
pal event in the Fourth Of July ceIebra-
ton at the nations birthplace this
morning was an eloquent oratton by WI
Ting-fanE, the Chinese Minister to the
United States His address could not
have brcathed more of the spirit of lib
erty and patriotism had it been made by
an American.
The Fourth Of July, 1I55, he said. mark
ed an event Of transcendentai Importance
in American annals and had powerfully
Influenced the course of political deveI-
opmcnt throughout the world. July
Fourth had been made memorable. too,
by other events of national Importance,
and ne cited the fact that on that day
in IS26, John Adams and Thdnas Jeffer-
sen, two Of the foremost signers Of the
Declaration of independence, took their
fight together to the world beyond. It
was on a Fourth Of July that Vicksburg
surrendered to Grant, and on the same
day three years ago that the news Of
the great naval victory off Santiago
srread like wfIdfre throughout the coun-
try.
He thought It was not inappropriate for
a Chinaman to participate in the celebra-
tion Of the nations holiday under the
shadow of independence Hall, for he
said, from the very first Americans have
depended upon China TO supply them with
the necessary means for adequately ex-
pressing the exuberance of joy called
forth by their coUntry-s defverance Chi
na has" he continued. responded year
after year with shipIoads of Grecrackers
Now, what man in this broad land does
not associate the celebration of the ma
tion's birth with the sound of frecrack-
ers? What boy that has .he true Ameri-
can blood in his veins does not look upon
the Fourth as the most glorious day Of
the year? Judging from the sounds I
hear about every place today.sff I could
divest myself Of all consciousness of time
and place, I should without mich diff
Guilty imagine myself to be in my own
native land in New Year season.
According to popular belief. China is
as far removed from the United States
as the East is from the West. not merely
in geographical position, but in other
respects also China is an Eastern mon
archy; the United States is Western
republic. The one is old; the other is
modern It might seem that there could
be no bond Of sympathy between the two
But not SO The truth is that the Gov
ernment Of China and the Government Of
the United States rest upon the same
foundation-that the people are sover-
eign- You believe in the choice Of public
officers through the ballot box: we.
through the examination hall. IN China
ne endeaVor 10 attain the same end Of
good government by A different road The
competitive examinations are open to all.
and the son of the humble tilIer of the
soil has the same chance as the son of the
Minister Of State
This nation he said in concluding
has not sprung into existence without a
manifest destiny-to demonstrate what
great good TO mankind j free and indie
pendent people can do; TO make American
patriotism synonymous with fair play
freedom, and liberty, in accordance with
law and justice. By pursuing these noble
ends this Republic will become the great
est power upon the earth. and you, citi-
zens Of this great country, will become
more than ever respected and loved by
ALL