Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-06-11
CHINA, The NATIONS MARKET
Minister WI Says His Country is
Ready for Commerce.
ADDRESSES ILLINOIS STUDENTS
Celestial Empire Alive 90 Opportunity
of Hour-wiIIinE 60 Accept
Ideas of Civilization
of West.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill, June lo.-wu Ting
Fang. Chinese minister to the United
States. delivered the commencement ad-
dress At the University Of Illinois today.
His subject why China and America
should be Friends" afforded an oppor-
tunity for him to tell Of the rapid advance
ment of his country and its reception Of
western ideas.
Strange as It may seem to you" the
minister said. there are many points Of
similarity in the character OF our people
and yours We are democratic. Practi-
cally speaking, we have no aristocracy Of
blood or birth. but only that Of genius and
education. Every Chinese, however hum
BILE his origin may be. can by dint Of study
and ability raise himself to the highest
post of honor and trust within the gift Of
the emperor.
I'VE have a strong sense OF humor. and
so have you in this country, as in mine.
honesty and integrity are virtues occupy
ing important places in our moral code,
and especially with our merchants their
word is as good as their bond. In typical
Chinese life you will find a simplicity and
happiness very much similar to the rural
life Of this country. We are intensely do
mestic and 1t Is asserted that wherever
we are found to make good husbands, In
our love or argument and reasoning. In
our mental acumen, in our taste for the
picturesque and the beautiful, do you not
recognize that we are alike in essentials
and unlike only in small details? AS this
nation is noted for being of a practical
bent of mind, so are my people sometimes
dubbed the Anglo-Saxo of the far east"
Continuing he r,,ipfetar
A Century of Commerce.
But the twentieth century is pre-emi-
nently the century of International COM
merce Without modern means OF COM
munication and transportation and with our
progres in geographical and political knowl-
edge. there Is not a spot on the surface OF
the earth too far for the trader to reach
and not want that the merchant cannot
supply There is a tremendous struggle.
although it Is peaceful one, for fresh
markets. and merchants Of different nation
antics compete with one another for the
patronage OF buyers with a keenness
usually associated with the acts OF bellig-
erency. That the Chinese empire win soon
constitute one of the biggest buyers IN the
world is universally admitted. Our i'm
ports are increasing by leaps and bounds
ana the ultimate magnitude of our foreign
that at present 1t is only dollar per cap
ita. In a decade. when our natural re-
sources in the shape of coal gold and sill.
! yer are developed on large scale, when
railways domestic trade Is fully established
and when the dissemination of modern
knowledge and creation of modern wants
the standard of living is raised higher, the
! imports will reach figures that will sur
pass the representation of the most op-
timisuc statistician. In the development
and after large share OF the trade will
come TO this country. II you are wise, as
1 believe you are, II you adhere to the
enunciated by President Taylor in his let
ter TO Emperor Taokuang, II you seize the
opportunities enjoyed by you on account OF
| your geographical position, your traditional
| friendship. your vigorous and inspiring civ.
! ilization and of the fact that our youns
men are thirsting for your knowledge and
| philosophy, your commercial supremacy IN
| the FAR east is assured. And with this ad.
! dltional bond in the shape Of a community
| OF commercial interest between my country
! and yours the friendship between us will
| be adamant in fi-mness and strength