The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-06-13
IIECDDTESOFC ONGER
s.msf Minister to China as Re-
membered In Iowa.
,gea FORGOT 4 PROMISE.

m..orable helsSsA- " - SeS~AS
n-.,o.. ws~e Always Attended 70.
-. He c5eaInSd Release Of = Mis-
.,...,y--ExperlOnes With II Hung
chasS.
rhs late Major Edwin. RI. conger,
-,.,ster to China during the Boxer up
-.,ng gained bis start in public life
80 a resident Of Iowa. The Des
So,nes Capital says that when Mr..
ca5rer returned to Iowa after his sec
~ ~ term as minister to Brazil his fell
a citizens. in view Of his distinction,
"a MANNED demonstration In his
sanor Thu minister was met at the
.-.,n and welcomed his family and
sdeods gladly, but when be heard Of
- reception plans he Immediately
.hoWed' his nodesty and said:
Tf YOU 90 what will please me
,on'Il not have anything Of the kind.
nave simply Jone my duty as any other
American c,tizen IN like position would
4 and am no hero. do not think that
nv public demonstration would be
inner ant know / do not want il"
The demonstration never occurred.
CoDger's attention to the old soldiers
! one of the things most talked about.
/ veteran, speaking of the major, said:
4Conger never forgot a promise.
when an old soldier would speak to
Nm about a pension or some reward
I action Of congress, Conger would
ake a great and immediate attention
md would listen to every detail Of the
,ase. If it appeared to him to be mer-
briOus, he would say, Write to me
bout this when congress is In session,
M I'll attend to it. That IL the old
Dug sung by most congressman who
uant to be rid Of any promise. but with
Conger 1t was different. Whenever a
,eeran wrote and recalled the eircum-
Innces Conger would take the matter
3 before the department or congress,
lna he always did as he promised"
The story Is told of a Chinese man
ain who early learned that Mr.. Con-
Y was not to be baked or blufted. A
ssOnary of the American Bible so
s9, duly provided with passports and
Hsdentials, was stopped by the officials
d held in the military quarters on
me paltry trumped up charge. The
EiOnary sent word to Minister Con-
and the minister went In person
zee about 1t. When he learned the
ial nature Of the trouble, he de
nded the release OF the missionary,
ing be was an American citizen,
4 as such his rights must be respect
But my orders are to hold him
BE- said the ofhcer.
And my orders from the United
ates are to demand his release"
He must stay here until 1t suits his
najsty to release him"
The United States of America de-
ands his immediate release" quietly
sOlned Minister Conger, and we're
sed to getting what we want"
The missionary was given his free
nm at once.
Before China was civilized" Major
aager, United States minister to
lima, and Ii Hung Chang were hav-
9 a friendly visit when a clerk
EOught in a large bundle Of Des
ones daily papers, says a San Fran
scO correspondent OF the St Louis
aObe-Democrat.
The Chinese diplomat asked the min
sf II he read all his papers and was
NEered In the affirmative. Earl Il
nmented upon the answer and said
pa China's greatest need with an up
date press with daily issues. Mr.
@ger replied that although his pa
2 were six weeks old he found them
Testing reading and that in the lat
Issues he saw that the people Of bis
me were suffering from the effects OF
afOught and were praying for rain.
What said Earl Ii do your PEG
pray for rainY'
les, some of them"
Does it ramp
Sometimes it does and sometimes Il
Oes not
We'll said the crafty Ii, with I
NE, Your God is a good deal lik'
Cninaman's joss The white mai
as Tor rain and the Chinaman pray
sun Meanwhile it seems to shin,
shower about as 1t plesses."