Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-25
THE PRESIDENT
Formally Receives Special Chinese
Commissioners at the White House.

Washington, Jan. 24.-China's 1mper-
ial commission sent to the United
States to study American conditions
social. educational and industrial. was
received formally by President hoose-
welt today at the White House.
The commissioners, Tai hung Cni'
one of the most eminent scholars IN The
Chinese empire, and Tuan rang.
governor of the province of Human, ac-
COMMANDED by Chentung LANG Cheng.
the Chinese minister; Charles Denky.
chief clerk, and Prof. jeremiah w.
jerks. of Cornell University, repre-
senting the state department, and 10
members of the commissioners suite
reached the White House about 23O p.
NJ
Sec. Root formally presented the COM
missioners to President Roosevelt, in
the Blue room. Tai Hung Chi address,
ed the President and presented an au-
tograph letter from the Emperor Of
China.
The President replied:
I'm the name Of my fellow country
men 1 have great pleasure in welcom-
ing you to the United States. Every
thing. as we do, feeling of sincere
amity and of the highest regard for
your great people. whose progress in
invention and discovery stretches back
through the centuries to eraS which to
the communities of the West are pre-
historic, we who stand among the
younger nations, are glad of all Oppor-
portunities to bring our people closer
together and to diffuse among each a
better knowledge of mutual interests
| tending to mutual advantage. The
kindly sympathy of this county for the
Eastern empire has found many oppor-
| tunities of expression in late years and
trust that the new century will bring
a larger realization of our common de-
sire for peace, prosperity and advance
Eent of China. l appreciate the friend
ly sentiments thus testified by your
| sovereign to whom 1 ask you to make
known my sincere wishes for his
| majesty's health and welfare
The letter of the Chinese Emperor
was written on delicate parchment and
| enclosed in a handsome case covered
| with saffron colOred silk The letter,
| as translated, reads in part:
with the increasing years of friend
ly Intercourse, the relations between
China and the United States have be-
come closer and more intimate.
| The United States government has
| lOng been known for its excellent or
ganiZation by the adoption of new prin-
| ciples of government with satisfactory
and beneficial results. AS we con-
| template the existing condition of af-
fairs with firm determination to i'm
prove the present order of things, we
desire to avail ourselves of your close
friendship and neighborly kindness to
| obtain the necessary information for a
| comparison with view to proper Sc
| lection. Therefore we have appointed
Tai Hung Chi, junior vice president to
the board of revenue, and Tuan Fang,
governor of the PROVENCE of Human, to
be commissioners, with instructions to
proceed to the United States and study
the political system of your country
We trust your excellency will receive
them favorably, so that they may be
able to study the theory and practice
| of your governmental system to the
best advantage and obtain the neces-
| sary information for future USE
After a few minutes of informal
talk the President led the way to the
state dining room, where tea and a
| buffet luncheon were served.
Before the commissioners left the
White House, the President presented
| to them de luxe editions, suitably au-
| tographed. of his messages and papers.
as President