Evening star., 1902-08-14
America and China.

Sir LANG Chen Tung, who will succeed
Mr. WI as Chinese minister at this capital.
was the spokesman for Prince Chen during
the New York visit and he said some very
bright and interesting things. Educated IN
this country and speaking English fiuently,
H.. was at no disadvantage in meeting peo-
pie; and in answering questions he proved
himself to be quite the diplomat and wide
awake observer. The following is taken
from an interview which appeared in the
New York Sun. in which some conditions in
China and America were contrasted:
AS for me. my father and my mother
determined that | should have an American
education. The Chinese government issued
a circular calling for boys to go to the
United States to study. | was sent to An
dover in this country, where | was grad
uated in 1881. l had prepared for Yale. but
when | was about TO enter that university
all Chinese students abroad We're ordered 10
return to their homes. The government was
afraid that We were becoming too Amerl-
canized and would desert our own country
a great mistake.
Sir LANG was asked if an American edu-
cation was likely TO make a Chinaman less
loyal to his own country:
e No. no., he exclaimed The most loyal
Chinese are those who have been educated
here. those who have been abroad to learn.
They have come to America to learn what
loyalty is. We love our country as you love
yours. buL We must come mere TO learn NO"
best to serve her.
e This trip is doing Prince Chen great
deal of good. He is learning many useful
things which will make him better qualified
to take important part in the public life
of China. He studied hard before taking
this trip and learned from the books much
of the geography of the world that he was
to see. He has studied your language. l
was his tutor in English for two years and
he can speak some and understand great
deal more, but he IS afraid to try it here. "
The hope of China is undOubted in the
men she sends abroad to study the customs
and accomplishments of the wideawake
tions- She viii herself in time take a place
among those nations. She Is waking up.
Twenty years ago. as Sir Liang recalls, he
and other Chinese students, after having
been sent TO the United States to be edu-
Gated, were ordered back home before they
had completed their studies. The authori-
ties had grown distrustful of the effects of
an occidental training on the young men.
Today, WI Ting-fang. after a five years
service al this capital. during which he has
distinguished himself by his close study
and feliCitous Interpretation of our habits
and institutions. is under orders to return
home and give his countrymen the benefit
of his observations and deductions. What
ever he has found here capable of trans
plantation and growth there the Chinese
government wants the benefit of.
Prince Chen scarcely did more than shake
hands with US. But since leaving home he
had seen a great deal of what is called
progress. and has met many of the men
who today are directing the affairs of the
great nations. That he will benefit by his
trip We may well believe. and that it may
lead to another at no distant day is not
unlikely. The next time we shall hope to
see more of him. and show him at his
leisure over the country which before he
gets TO be an old man will be mistress of
the trade of the Pacific ocean.