The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-04
CHANG
= WAS FAMOUS HOST
Once Minister From China, He
Became Altogether Too
Progressive.
GAVE GREAT FUNCTIONS
While in Washington He Entertained
at the Stewart Castle, and Finally
Fell a Victim to the Anti-For-
eisn Party at Home.

Washington Star: Did you ever
know what became Of Minister Chang,
who represented China here during
Cleveland's Administrations" asked a
well known resident of a reporter the
other day. NO? Well, his career was
a very unusu one. o 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
owed In champagne.
Tried to Modernize China.
Chang was a very able man, and
made many friends in this and other
countries to which ne was accredited.
He had very progressive ideas about
the future China, and when he was re-
called he carried with him a firm deter
nination to put them in force. He be-
came n of the intimate advisers Of
the emperor. and was one Of that little
band Of Chinese statesmen who en-
~deavored to m~odernize China in the '90s,
and who were making very good prog
ress until the empress dowager as
5umed control and took all authority
from the emperor and made only a
dummy Of him. In order to do that she
had to get rid of these liberals, who
had held such influence over him This
she did by condemning all Of them to
Heath. Chang was among the number
condemned to be beheaded. Before
the sentence was executed an effort was
made to saw him, and it was success
full.
1T came about in this way:
Mr.. John w. Foster, who knows
China and the Chinese better than any
man III this country, and who was [
oeronal friend Of Chang, decided to save
his life, if possible. He called on Sec
rotary Hay and placed the facts in the
case before him, and asked him to use
his good offices in Changes behalf and
TO ask the British government to Join
I'm the good work. Mr.. Hay readily
agreed to do so, and both the American
and British representatives at Pekin
were at once directed to ask a com
mutation of sentence as a favor to their
governments.
Changes Life Saved.
Their efforts were successful and
Chang's life was saved, but he wal
banished for life. He wouldn't have
asked anything better than to live in
one OF the western countries that he
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 vas sentenced to
hard labor for life. He had to max the
trip In a crude oriental cart, and it 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,
and he was allowed to his
master part Of the way. The governor
of Mongolia, whose duty 1t was to see
that Changes sentence was carried out,
| mad at ono time haQn n r,rnfnro ~f
Changes, fortunately, and he saw to it
that Chang was not compelled to labor.
That much of his severe sentence was
not carried out. But there he was in
that distant province cut off from rela-
tives and friends, living the life of an
outcast.
Then came the uprising of the Box
ers, and the conservative element gain
ed absolute control of Peking. Changes
enemies used their influence with the
empress dowager to secure the execu-
ton Of Changes original sentence. A
secret messenger was dispatched to
Mongolia, and on his arrival Chang
unfortunate for China, for Chang's
advice would have been invaluable In
the unsettled affairs at Picking which
followed.
Appeal From Changes Son.
Now, here's the sequel to the story:
Not q great While ago MI. Foster re-
ceived a pitiful letter from a young son
of Chang, telling him that his fathers
property had been confiscated and the
family name had been degraded. He
begged Mr.. Foster to use his influence
to have his fathers good name restore,
SO that his descendants would not be
diSgraced forever. Mr.. Foster was
touched by the appeal. He promptly
called upon Secretary Hay, told him
the story and asked his assistance. 1t
was promptly given, and his efforts
proved successful. Changes good name
was restored, and I think some, if not
all, of his estate was returned to his
family. Curious country, that China,
isn't it?"
Thu Lions Price.