Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-14
CONGER ANECDOTE
Former Minister to China Re-
membered in Iowa as Never
forgetting a Promise.
ALWAYS REMEMBERED VETS
How He Obtained Release of Mission
ary-One of His Experiences
With Ii Hung Chang.

The late Major Edwin ii. Conger,
minister to China during the Boxer up
rising. gained his start in public lifel
when a resident of Iowa The DesI
Moines Capital says that when Mr.
Congratulated to Iowa after his sec.
Ond term as minister to Brazil his fel-
low citizens. III view of his distinction.
had planned Il demonstration in his
honor. The minister was met at the
train ana welcomed his family and
friends gladly. but when he heard of
the reception plans he Immediately
showed his modesty and said:
IF You do what will please me
you'll not have anything of the kind. L
have simply done my duty as any other
American citizen in like position would
do and am no hero. | Go not think that
any public Demonstration would be
proper, ami l know | do not want it,
The demonstration never occurred.
Couger'S attention to the old soldiers
is one of tile things most talked about.
y veteran, speaking of the major. said:
''ConSer never forgot il promise.
When an old soldier would speak to
him about pension or some reward
or action of congress. Conger would
take a great and immediate attention
and would listen to every detail of the
case. If il appeared to him to be MGR
itoriOus, he would say, Write to me
about this when congress is in session.
and I'll attend to it That is the old
song sung by most congressman who
want to be rid of any promise. but with
COnger it was different Whenever a
veteran wrote and recalled the circum-
stances COnger would take the matter
up before the department or congress.
and he always did as he promised"
The story is told of Chinese man
DARN who early learned that Mr.. Con
ger was not 10 he baked or blufTed. 4
missionary of the American Bible So
cipty. duly provided with passports and
credentials. was stopped by the officials
and held in the military quarters on
some paltry trumped up charge. Tie
missionary sent word to Minister Con
ger. and the minister went in person
to see aSDut it. When he learned the
trivial nature of the trouble. ne de-
LldllNatt inc ItltlSt Oh Iilt DllSSlDiltiTN,
saying he was an American citizen.
and as such his rights must be respect
ed
but my orders are to hold him
| here" said the officer
And my orders from the United
States are To demand his release"
He must stay here until it suits his
majesty to release him"
The United States of America de-
| mandS his immediate release" quietly
rcjoined Minister Conger, and were
| used to getting what we want"
The missionary was given his free
! dom at once.
/ Incident With Lii Hung Chang.
! Before China was civilized" Major
/ COnger. United States minister t.
! China, and Ii Hung Chang were hay
ing u friendly visit when clerk
( brought III II large bundle of De-
! Moines daily papers. says Il san Fran
/ cisco correspondent of the st. Louis
/ Globe-Democrat.
The Chinese diplomat asked the min
! lister if he read all his papers and was
|, commented upon the answer and said
that Chinas greatest need with an up
|. TO date press with daily issues. Mr..
COnger replied that although his pa
pers were six weeks old he found them
interesting reading and that in the lat
est issues he saw that the people of hi;
state We're suffering from the effects of
a drought and were praying for rain.
What" said Earl Ii. DO your peo-
pie pray for rain?'
Yes. some of them"
"Does it rainF"
Sometimes it does and sometimes it
does not
We'll" said the crafty Ii, with Il
smile, your God is Il good deal like
the Chinaman's joss. The white man
prays for rain and the Chinaman prays
for sun. Meanwhile it seems to shine
or shower about as it pleases"