New-York tribune., 1908-05-07
MR.. WI TO LOTOS CLUB
FOR CONFUCIAN CHURCH..
But Says His People Are Not after
Concerts.

L
In a genial vein last night his excellency WI
Ting fang declined speak at the IotOs Club
til after all the other speakers had finished. So
he had the final summing and the choice Of
answering or not the questions put to him or sus-
gested by the previous speakers. Every one had
good word to say for China whether from an eth
ical, military religious point OF view. And then
Mr WI got up and said good word for the
United States. Right at the end of his speech ne
referred the Confucan Temple which the
Chinese hope TO build here and for which he spoke
In Chinatown IN the afternoon. 1t was after mid
night when he began to speak and while the
speech vas in progress a good many of the guests
glanced at their watches and fled few staying TO
hear the end OF the speech.
"Confucianism is deeply rooted in China said
Mr.. WI. we have sent missionaries yet.
but that many Cinnamon going abroad
want the Confucisn Church in other countries.
We people to cleave to Confucianism in
the United States and we want 10 establish Con-
fucian church in this city.
We may be a negative people; only wish
establish Church for people We hope that
you Will be interested in our religion. But don't
be afraid. will not try TO convert YOU You see,
We negative people; we preach our golden
rule instead OF forcing it on one We don't send
battleships force IT you.
Mr.. Wu followed this by saying that he wished
10 give a rule OF living TO his hosts so that he
might be with them every eight years for score
OF times
counsel. that Is. not in direct sense-I only alb
stain from flesh. I a 'santitarum. If | may
word coined not by me- but by an Amer-
lady. There are great advantages in my SIM
pie diet. / will detain you by description
of the Ills had before adopted this simple diet.
but since then / have been free of all ills have
been IN all weathers without taking cold. and
! have been happy and cheerful In fact. l am
sure that shall live least two hundred years
L am your sincere friend in giving you this
advice for / you TO keep me company. l
wish YOU long life. When | am hundred
and nifty years older | want you very people 10
entertain me again. ! want 10 come back here
every eight years twenty times more
Mr. WI began by saying that he felt something
like Chinese widow. When widow went back
to her parents she had 70 be married of again
and here he was forced 10 speak once again II
was eight years, he said. since he had been a
ruest OF the club. but then they had given SO
cordial a welcome 10 him that he had felt Ike
a fellow countrymau He said he had been asked
what he thought Of this country and It's people,
but that he thought his views were pretty well
known.
IF ! did like your people and love your IN
sttutIons even the point of being enamoured OF
them" he said II would not have come oacK 10
this country second time
to told of the guilds and clubs for social and po-
uticaI improvement which have been formed in
China and went on To say
..It &c interesting TO note that last year the an
cient forms of examinations were abolished. They
are conducted far differently now Only couple
of vears go students who had studied abroad went
up 10 Pektng for their examinations for certain
rank Among the subjects they had TO pass on
uere the PHILOSOPHERS of the West One question
alone was: What has the philosophy or John stu
.r+ Min ~ do with the philosophy OF China?
The learned Rabbi Wise has said that the Je"
in China have not been successful peg io uiiVi
with him He may have referred TO the ancient
Jewish colony in the interior. but | would remind
him that the Jews in China are successful in Hong
Kong Shanghai and elsewhere. Some of them are
millionaires and after making their plies nearly all
of them go home
The other speakers the most part mace
sr.scbes aulogistic of Mr.. WI and of the awak-
o,sd china Patrick McCarren made a witty ad-
dress IN which he contrasted Chinese and Amerl-
can democracy. and Rabbi Wise toId no" ali ule
great religious and ethical teachers had come out
of the East.
.,,rro,,dir1 President Frank r. Lawrence. who
acted as toastmaster were Minister WI Generai
Frederick D. Grant, Rabbi Stephen = WISE 6lsnop
7 W Bashford John Barrett, Martin W Little
,o, T,r Robert : Macarthur. W w Yen, JOB
1Iadr.- Senator T II. McCarren, John S. Wise
and Timothy l.. woodruff
The menus were in the form Of chinese legal
.ao.,,r,,a,t and when the Chinese characters wers
solved they we're found to represent: Dinner to His
I-x.aIIe,cv yyr Ttng-fang. His High Imperial Maj
estv's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pieni-
potentiary to the United States, Peru MEXICO ana
cuba" A picture of the minister was on the
menu.
Minister Wu said he not going TO make any
long talk but as General Grant, who sat on his
right had an engagement, he would allow him 10
take his time and he would, if permitted, speak at
a later hour
President Lawrence said that Minister WI was
LAWYER and knew the effect of having the last
word to the jury The toastmaster 'hen miro
duced General Grant. who thanked the members
Of the club for honoriDg him in asking him 10 meet
Mr.. Nu.
The general thanked the minister for the COM
plment paid his father by China in sending
wreath every Memorial Day to his fathers TOMB.
He said that he was sorry that the Chinese hao
not carried out the advice his father gave them IN
not allowing foreigners to get an fnroad INTO lher
country and he said that now they were gettins
back to the idea mot to give franchise untii
they could get an army and navy that couid lick
snvtbi that came their borders
9Th mas not been a war for years. said the gen
ara, At has not had commerce as its beginning
He said the Spanish-American War had commerce.
as beginning and that a big army is the best
preservative of peace He continued; Il nave al
wavs believed a big stick with spikes in 1t had
moro influence In IL than a stuffed club"
President Schurman OF Cornell University, the
next speaker took exception TO General Grant
remark about nation being prepared for peace