New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-29
HONOR CHINESE MINISTER
GUEST OF LOTOS CLUB.
Wants Closer Uni0n-LaCy, Wood
ford and Others Speak.

The Lotos Club. which some years ago was
honor OF WI Ting-fang then Chinese Minister,
paid similar honor to the new Chinese Min
lister, Sir Chentung LANG Cheng. last night.
The menus were novel Enclosed in what at
first appeared to be big frecracker was piece
Of imitation Chinese mating. between the folds
Of which was parchment sheet on which was a
halftone engraving Of Chentung Liang Cheng-
The printing in imitation Chinese script
Presiding over the dinner and acting as the
POSTMASTER was Frank r. Lawrence, the presi-
dent Of the Lotos Club. The Chinese Minister
sat at his right, and among the other guests at
the principal table were Henry W. Lucy, Of
London Punch; General Stewart L. Woodford.
General Joseph Wheeler. the Rev. Thomas r.
Slicer. James McKeen. Horace White, Governor
elect Myron T. Herrick of Ohio r. A c. Smith.
Senator Patrick II. McCarren and ex-Lieutenant
Governor Timothy L. Woodruff.
In introducing the guest Of honor. President
Lawrence referred to the dinner the Lotos Club
had given to his predecessor. WI Ting-fang,
and said that he was glad TO welcome the new
minister. He hoped that the result of his labors
would be a better understanding and closer
union between China and the United States
Sir Chentung LANG Cheng said that he ap-
preciated the compliment the Lotos Club had
done him by giving him dinner on the sixty
eighth anniversary Of the birth OF the En-
PRESS Dowager. He reminded the guests Of the
story Of Ulysses and the lotos eaters, and said
that he feared that his fate might be the same
and that wren the time came to go back to
China he would have eaten of the lotos Of
America TO such an extent that he would not
want to return to China. He continued:
But having become a lotos eater. shall be
qualified to ask that question with which have
been bombarded since landed. How do you
like American" Why shouldn't I like America
All my past recollections of it have been Of the
best; my boyhood was spent here, and l was
educated here at Phillips-Andover. Speaking
about my education here, am reminded that
1 had been only few days at the academy
when / found that the standards here were
quite different to what they were In CHINA.
There it was study, study all the time HeIe II
was different. When left the academy found
my sum total Of accomplishments was, little
Latin, less Greek, but a whole lot OF baseball
lore.
The reference to baseball was received with
much cheering for Sir Cheng was a well known
ball player in his day, and played his college
nine In talking before the dinner Mr.. Wood
ruff had made the statement that the Chinese
Minister was the real inventor OF the curved
ball Continuing his speech. the Chinese Min
lister said:
I have always understood that the chief duty
Of diplomat to uphold the honor OF his
the hospitable manner I have been since my ar
rival here l am afraid I shall soon be weary Of
doing so. NY bounden duty and my highest am
bition, however. are to create good feeling be-
tween the country of my birth and the country
of my bringing up 1t is hardly possible to con-
ceive of two countries like China and the United
States to be other than friends Every day S
happenings draw the two countries into closer
relations.
The present demand Of the United States is for
wider markets. What country offers better
markets than China? The new opening of China
offers untold opportunities, and what country Is
better situated TO improve the opportunities than
the United States?
General woodford said that for the last six
thousand years the movement OF civilization had
been westward. and that it had now struck
Japan. Corea and China He hoped that what
ever the future might bring forth it would at
least bring the countries of the Far East and
America into closer afiliation.
The other speakers included Henry W. Lucy,
whose address was humorous, beginning with
the story of his experiences with ten reporters,
nine men and one woman, who boarded the ves-
sci when it arrived at Quarantine, and wished to
have his impressions of America before he had
even landed in the country. Mr. Slicer replied TO
Mr.. Lucy good naturedly. and General Joseph
Wheeler. Senator Patrick II. McCarren and
others also spoke.