The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-14
CONSUL AT HANKOW
DR.. L. S. Wilcox on Leave After
Four Years. Service.
HAS FACED MANY HARD PROBLEMS.
These Cover Il Wide Range From
Clothes to Commerce-Foreign
Enterprises Handicapped.

Dr. L. S. Wilcox, United States consul
at Hankow, China, who is the guest Of
e. G. Root for few days, is on his first
visit home since his appointment over
four years ago by President Mckinley.
Among other causes of rejoicing over his
return to his native land is that he may
have some well-fltted clothes made. He
does not agree with the common tradi-
tion that Chinese tailor can initiate
model to satisfaction and parts of his
wardrobe fashioned by natives afford his
friends much amusement when they are
inspected.
The inability to get clothing made in
the orient to suit European taste is one
of the minor, but constant annoyances of
life in those far eff countries. There are,
however, many compensatiOns and in
many particulars Mr.. and Mrs. Wilcox
have found life in China very pleasant.
Like all close observers who spend
much time in China, DR.. Wilcox has
found the number and variety of problems
to be faced a source of great beWilder-
ment. Hankow being outside of the ter
ritory of greatest disturbance in the Boxer
uprising, Dr. Wilcox has given his chief
attention to commercial affairs.
Hankow, which is 600 miles into the in
terror of China, is the greatest inland
mart of China, being the commercial CEN
ter of eight provinces with a popula
tion of $4,000, ,0OO 1t is on the Yangtse
river and is at the head of navigation
for large steamers, of which there are
nine lines owned by foreign companies
plying between the city and Cant on at the
sea. These vessels are usually of the
model Of Mississippi steamers and range
| in tonnage from 800 to 5000 tons. Navi-
cation by native boats continues on the
Yangae river and the Han river is nav
igated for 1900 beyond Hankow, to the
| fartheSt confines of the empire.
| Railroad building is bound to increase
| the Importance of this city from for
eign standpoint. Constructor has already
begun on line between Peking and Han
kow. Work is in progress at both ends OF
| the line and it has been completed for a
distance of about $50 kilometres at the
| Hankow end. Another line has been pro-
jected for some time between Hankow and
I Canton and work was just beginning at
the Canton end as Or. Wilcox left China.
This is an American concession, while
the former is the work of Belgians.
Although there are extensive exports
of tea, rice, oil, hides, bristles, etc., from
Hankow and growing trade in canned
meats, hams, flour some kinds of cotton
goods, clocks, watches, etc., DR.. Wilcox
| does not see much encouragement for the
entrance of foreign capital into Chinese
ventures in the present unsettled pol1t1-
cal state of the empire. While trade con-
= cessions can be quite readily secured
Chinese guile manages to impede forelgn
enterprises in a. way to insure their fall-
ure unless the natives are convinced OF g
benefit to themselves in the plans. Fol
this reason foreign companies owning
mining concessions are unable to WORE
them with profit.
Chinese industries are developing tt
some extent but economic methods art
very primitive and often ruinous. AS al
example, DR.. Wilcox cited the very higl
price of hard coal, most of which Is i'm
ported from Japan, while only shor
distance from HankowFare practically in
exhaustible coal fields. The Chinese have
neither the knowledge or machinery tt
operate coal mines with any degree O.
success or profit, but they will not permi
anyone else to do it for them. This con
dition, with the absence of transporta
tion facilities, makes the country almos
wholly agricultural.
About mile and half is the exten
Of road in or about Hankow upon whicl
one can drive. There are no roads IL
China, the getting about being ent1rel.
on footpaths or by water. Freight l
transported overland on wheelbarrows
Amazing loads are moved in this way
but such methods will not answer. TO
large business operations and the Chimes
are not disposed to try others more pro
gressive and adequate, but new and .un
familiar.
Cholera was raging IN all Of the Chimes
ports when DR.. Wilcox left and it wa
only with great care that long stay II
quarantine was avoided. DIR. Wilcox /
accompanied by his wife and they will
spend most of their leave in champaign
I'LL