The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
BAD PROSPECT FOR MR., WI.


Washington Letter in Philadelphia Record.
Well. Mr.. WI is going back to China.
and to his "fnish' if all precedents are
to prevail and all signs are true.
What will be the process of that in
glorious wind-up of a career which, if
China were animated by an intelligent re-
gard for her own interest, If European
ideas and customs obtained, would insure
for this man the acme of national appre-
citation and exaltation?
The Washington Post, on the day of
his departure. reminded Mr. WI in one
of its pungent paragraphs, that "the ak"
was favorite method of terminating Of
fetal relations in his beloved country.
Let us hope that it will not be so bad
as that.
But even this CHASTITY suggestion as to
the future is not impossible of realization
When the picturesque and variegated per-
sonality of ex-Minister WI impinges on
the solid wall of Chinese officialism, a de-
plorable tragedy is among the most immi-
nent of probabilities.
1t must be kept i'm mind that he has no
official rank or standing whatever at home,
according to the immemorial tenets of
government and administration. When the
nabobS OF China were working their slow
way up through scholastic routine TO their
present eminence, WI, the son OF peas
ant, was first the servant, then the private
secretary or Ii Hung Chang He had re-
ceived only the merest rudiments Of what
passes in China for an education, when by
order OF his patron, he was sent to Eng
land and passed through its universities
All that Is useful and valuable in the edu-
cation he actually received goes for nothing
at home. If his life depended on IL ne could
not stand an examination either in the
BOOK OF Kites or the technicallties of an
cestral worship, or the eight triangles
which embody incomprehensble climaxes
OF mundane wisdom.
Consequently, he has no standing what
ever among the dominant scholars and
statesmen who control events, and he can
by no possibility ever attain to the knowl-
edge which is their stock In trade and pat
ent of nobility.
He has been ordered home as have all
the other intelligent, educated representa-
tives OF that country at the capitals of
civilized nations Their places have been
filled by men confessedly far less able and
experienced, but this is done i'm pursuance
of the settled policy of stagnation which
has ruled in China for hundreds of years
broken.
Mr.. WI has been called home professedly
TO take position on board of revision
of laws. This IS believed by those con-
versant with affairs to be a hollow pre-
text, and is undoubtedly so considered by
the astute diplomat himself He had no
option but to obey. and II will be noted
this country until his own fate is developed.
What that fate will be can only be con-
jectuIed by past experience and the known
motives of the imperial court at Peking
The worst that can happen TO WI is to
be accused of pandering to the whims and
prejudices OF the exceptionally vicious and
depraved foreign devils" who hold forth
I'm Washington; of absorbing too much
knowledge of and sympathy with the in
situations which prevail among this bar
barous people, and of actually doing some
measure of useful work for his own coun-
try among a population which is nit only
for the scorn and loathng OF orthodox
Cinnamon. He would be promptly con-
victed on all these and many other similar
counts. and IL the sentence should be de-
captation or involuntary suicide, IL would
be worse than has often been inflicted
on equally jealous, but less meritorious pub
| lie servants In the past. IL he has been or
dered 10 commit suicide he must promptly
obey. else he and all his descendants TO the
remotest generation will be outlaws and
beggars. void OF all political rights, ineligi-
BILE to hold property and objects OF jeers
and contempt to the whole natisn.
1t may be that he will not be dig .,ified
by this much attention and recognition.