The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-02-26
MINISTER CHANG
!, WAS FAMOUS HOST
Once Minister From China. He
Became Altogether Too
Progressive.
SAVE GREAT FUNCTIONS
While in Washington He Entertained
at tho Stewart Castle and Finally
Fell a Victim to tho Anti-For-
eign Party at Home.

know what became Of Minister Chang.
who represented China here during
Cleveland's administration" asked q
well known resident Of q reporter the
other day. MOI Well, his career was
a very unusual one. You remember,
doubtless, that he resided In Stewart
castle, fronting on Dupont circle, and
his prodigal hospitality broke the rec
ord. He gave entertainments ON the
most lavish scale, and invited hundreds
Of people. some Of whom fairly wal
lowed in champagne.
Tried to Modernize China.
Chang was q very able man, and
made many friends in this and other
countries to which he was accredited.
He had very progressive ideas about
the future China, and when he was re-
called he carried with him a firm deter
minatlon to put them in force. He be-
came one Of the intimate advisers of
the emperor, and was one of that little
band Of Chinese statesmen who en-
leavored to modernize China in the COS,
and who We're making very good prog
ress until the empress dowager as
sumed control and took all authority
from the emperor and made only q
dummy Of him. In order to do hat she
had to get rid of these liberals. who
had held such influence over him. This
CAV AAo ~ h13 VA ~ ~
death. Chang was among the number
condemned to be beheaded. Before
the sentence was executed an effort was
made to ave him. and 1t was success.
full.
TT am about In this way:
Mr.. John w. Foster, who knows
China and the Chinese better than an
man In this country, and who was L
peronal friend of Chang, decided to save
his life, if possible. He called on Sec
rotary Hay and placed the facts in the
ease before him, and asked him to use
his good offices in Changes behalf and
10 ask the British government to Join
In the good work. Mr.. Hay readily
agreed to do so. and both the American
and British representatives at Peldn
were at once directed to ask a COM
governments.
Changes Life Saved.
Their efforts We're successful and
Chang's life was saved, but he wat
banished for life. He wouldn't have
asked anything better than to live In
one OF the western countries that hi.
admired so much, but that. of course.
was not allowed. He was sent two or
three thousand miles into the province
Of Mongolia. and he was sentenced to
hard labor for life. He had to make the
ZIP IN q crude oriental cart. and 1t took
him a long time to reach his destina-
ton. He was always fond of good liv-
ing, and succeeded in gaining permis-
sion to take his cook, a good one. with
him.
The present Chinese ambassador
was at that time Changes secretary.
n he was allowed to his
master part Of the way. The governor
or Mongolia, whose duty 1t was 10 see
that Changes sentence was carried out.
mad at one time been a protege of
Chang,s, fortunately, and he saw to 1t
that Chang was not compelled to labor.
That much Of his severe sentence was
not carried out. But there he was in
mat distant province cut off from rela-
tiVes and friends, living the life of an
outcast.
Then came the uprising of the Box
ers, n the conservative element gain
ed absolute control Of Picking. Chang's
enemies used their influence with the
empress dowager to secure the execu-
lion of Changes original sentence. A
secret messenger was dispatched to
Mongolia, and on his arrival Chang
was promptly b%eheaded. 1t was very
unfortunate for China, for CHAMPS
advice would have been hle in
lne unsettled affairs at Picking which
followed.
Appeal From Changes Son.
NOW, here's the sequel to the story:
NOT o great while ago Mr.. Foster re
celysd a pitiful letter from a young son
OF Chang. telling him that his fathers
property had been conliscated and the
family name had been degraded. He
begged Mr.. Foster to use his influence
70 nave his fathers good name restore,
so that his descendants would not be
u,ssfaced forever. Mr.. Foster was
called upon Secretary HAY. told him
me story and asked his assistance. II
was promptly given, and his efforts
proved successful. Changes good name
WAS restored, and I think some, If not
el,, o. ms estate was returned to his
Isn't it?' NANs SAA
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