The Washington herald., 1909-08-13

Wa Ting-fang. the Minister OF China
to the United States, has been recalled
and viii be succeeded by Chang Yin-tang.
deputy vice president OF the Chinese
board Of r0Teign affairs.
The reasons for this action on the part
Of the Chinese government are not known
here. officials Of the Chinese Legation
say they are in the dark. and the state
Department has not been officially in
formed OF the intention Of Pekin to
withdraw the Minister. All that the le-
cation viii say is that 8lr. WI is re-
called to Pelzin for further assignment
The Minister himself is now in South
America. He is Minister 20 Peru as well
as TO the United States. and he left here
some weeks ago for Lima, where he in
tended to present his credentials TO the
President Of Peru.
second Time Recalled.
This is the second time Mr.. WI has
been recalled from his post in Washing
ton lie first appeared here in a minis
terial capacity in 1897. He Immediately
became one Of the most picturesque fig
ures in the diplomatic corps. his Eng
lish was perfect and his Oriental inquisl-
tlveness. which was always naive and
bold. was a source OF everlasting amuse-
ment. and sometimes embarrassment
He was IN constant demand for speech
es on public occasions. and was really
the most popular diplomat OF them all
{ He became very American in his ways.
ana sent his children 20 school here. IN
Z the meantime his people at home were
watching him closely. and with some dis
/ approval
! In 1872 he was suddenly recalled. There
( has never been a full explanation for
the withdrawal but it is pretty well
understood that the authorities IN Pelin
resented Wu's attitude and his intimacy
with Americans and American ways.
Then. too had # not been for the as
sistance of Minister Wa, Il would have
been practically impossible 10 get mes
sages into the legations at Pel1in during
the Boxer troubles. The Minister helped
the state Department much in those
days. and this was resented by the au-
thoriJies az home. who thought that Min
lister WI was becoming altogether too
foreign.
There were rumOrs that the govern
ment at Pekln intended 10 punish him
severely, and il has been said that the
State Department hearing this report,
made representations 70 China concern
ing the matter. intimating that the
United states could not tolerate anything
Of the sort. SO the Minister was given
an inferior position in the foreign office.
He persevered however, and with the
growth of power Of the refOrmers IN
China was restored TO a position Of in
/ flueuce, and in 1907 he was selected 10 be
Minister TO the United States to succeed
/ Sir ChentUng Liang-cheng. He present
ed his credentials 10 President Roosevelt
on March II. 1908.
Do Not Know Assignment.
There was nothing TO Indicate here that
Minister Wu is in trouble with the gov
erument at Pei,in. The attaches Of the
Z legation say he is TO be given work at
home but just what they do not know.
There were rumors that the minister
would be taken away from Washington
two or three months ago. They cropped
out from Shanghai and Pekin. They said
at the time that he did not believe he
would be withdrawn.
Minister Wu has not been 50 much IN
/ evidence during his recent service in the
United states as during the period be-
tween 1897 and 1gG. He was glad 10 re-
turn here for the second time, and his
friends regarded his reassignment to
Washington as a vind!cation OF his atti-
tude which led TO his first recall.
His welcome from President Roosevelt
when he presented his credentials was
cordial and the minister was compli-
mented for his previous effort to strength
en- the bonds Of friendship between this
country and China There was nothing
In what President Roosevelt said to sup
port the stories that the government here
was not inclined TO approve Of his re-
appointment.
According 10 a well-known and reason
ably well established Washington story,
the minister was at one time privately
and personally admOnished by the state
Department for his zeal IN the interest
Of certain legislation pending before Con-
gress. but the matter never went so far
that the state Department made any rep
resentations to China on the subject.