The San Francisco call., 1908-03-01
MINISTER WI TELLS
OF THE NEW CHINA
Celestial Kingdom Awakened
and Making Great Strides,
Says Ambassador
Guest at Oakland Banquet Ad'
vises Americans to Study
His Country

| OAKLAND, Feb 2s.-His excellency
WI Ting Fang, minister from China to
/ the United States, was the guest of
! honor at a banquet given by the cham
/ ber Of commerce tonight at the Hotel
/ st. Mark. Frank. A. Leach, president
master. The speakers included Mayor
Frank X. Mott; Owyang King, Chinese
vice consul at San Francisco; Judge
Henry A. Melvin, Ng Pong Chew, John
p. Irish. Prof. John Fryer of the Uni
versity OF California, Collector of the
Port T. S. Stratton and his excellency
| Wu Ting Fang.
The Chinese diplomat was the last
speaker on the program and his every
word was given closest attention by the
hundred guests about the banquet ta-
/ bles. In. the course OF his talk which
was OF a cordial nature, Minister WI
said:
MY first act will be to propose the
health of the president OF the United
States. 1 feel gratified at the warm
welcome that has been extended me
I and my suite by the. representatives of
this comm ercial body and by the mayor
Of this great city.
/ =. "I had no sooner arrived in San
/ Francisco than I was waited upon by
g. committee from your chamber OF
commerce and. invited to be the guest
of that organization and of the city OF
Oakland. Any doubt that might have
entertained as to the cordiality of your
welcome was dispelled when you sang
/ For. He's a Jolly Good Fellow
-. Il. was glad when I learned from
Vice Consul: Owyang. that Oakland had
been kind to my people after the great
disaster across. the harbor two years
{ago, From the bottom of my heart
want to thank the people of Oakland
on behalf of the Chinese government
for the splendid aid that they rendered
the Chinese refugees who focked here
after. the fire, homeless. and hungry.
II am not surprised that you were
kind to my countrymen, for Americans
are naturally kind to the Chinese. ]
have always felt that the United States
4 has had the most friendliest Of feel
Fings for China.
The two nations have never quar-
relied The world is getting smaller
every day. Americans are welcome to
China, and wish that your people
+ would visit more frequently. Go To
China If you want to see something
that; viii interest you. That country
! has much to. teach you and you have
much to teach Jus.
! Misunderstanding are, In my opin-
! ion, the. cause Of many wars and
TROUBLES. II we understood each other
better there would be more peace In
the world: I advise yeu all when you
have. an opportunity to pay China a
visit.
- "China is different now from what
/ she was 10 years ago. She has awak-
ened. When returned to my native
/ land i've years ago. after residence
of some years in this country, I was
/ surprised to see the strides that China
/ had made Great changes have taken
place and. the. greatest of these Is In
/ the matter of education. Teachers from
foreign countries have been installed
/ in. the schools and the Chinese are
! showing. a remarkable inclination to
Elearn what the people of the outside
world know.
! China has not the slightest fnten-
/ ton of shutting out foreigners. Her
doors. are open to all, and fhom this on
! will. remain open. Our people are good
business people and are noted for thel-
| honesty in business dealings. You can
1iearn, much from them, and they have
! much to learn from you IN business,
s:Conmercial intercourse and frequent
visits will do much to place both ma
+ tions on a footing where they will bet
ter understand each other. We never
forget a good turn. II you treat my
people. right you may rest assured that
they will treat you right.
"Kindness and fair play are things
! that they ever remember. / will say
that while 1 remain in the United
States /. Will do all in my power to