The San Francisco call., 1909-12-12
SOCIAL AFFAIRS
KEEP CHINESE
MINISTER BUSY
Chang Yin Tang Has Round of
Visits, Banquets, Recep-
tiOns and Inspections
Oriental Diplomats Only Speech
Is to Children at School of
Six Companies

Starting al II o'clock his excellency,
Chang Yin Tang. Chinese minister to
Washington. proceeded on a round of
visits, banquets, receptions and inspec-
tions yesterday which lasted until mid
night and when he finally returned to
his suite at the St. Francis hotel he
was tired out
Every Chinese commercial organiza-
tion wished TO have the honor of ban
quoting him. schools were to be in
Spected, the city to be seen and private
calls TO pay. And he had i hours in
which Is cover the territory. The job
was Rooseveltian in its ma gnitude, but
his eNcellencE went through il without
ever losing his smile He paid all his
calls. bowed until his back ached sat
5n state at the solemn banquets, gave
fatherly advice 10 the school children
and pleased everybody. Prior 10 start
ing out he scheduled his days work
and he maintained that schedule with
the precision of train dispatcher.
His automobile would shoot to its des-
1ination. the. minister would briskly
step forwa I'd TO the duty in hand. make
the speech or cat the banquet, bow and
bow agsin and walk briskly back to
Ihc waiting machine.
40 SPEECHES TO MAKE
He was lucky in that the affairs in
honor were Chinese and not occi-
dental-there were no speeches. His
hosts took it for granted that he was
pleased 10 be among them on so auspi
cious an occasion and We're fully aware
that he was more than surprised at the
remarkable manner in which the city
had phOeniNlike. risen from its ashes
Also they knew he hoped that the ex-
sting friendly relations between China
and America would be maintained. So
having nothing 10 say. he made no
speech II was very strange.
His only set speech was to the chill
cren Of the Six Companies school and
those of the intermediate Chinese
school Of Waverly place. And then the
Eist OF his talk was that little bows
must be good If they wished to be-
come great To the teachers he said
that when little boys were not good
they must be made 10 be good but he
laughed when he said so and the tots
who ought to have been frightened
laughed with him. as did also the
coterie Of wealthy merchants surround
ing the minister. After his chat with
the children he gathered the elder stu
dents around him and asked them
questions about their work and lives.
He pointed out that many of them
were being educated at the expense
Of the Chinese government and that
one reason why they had been sent
abroad was that they might observe
and study foreign customs There
fore, he warned them, they should not
turn in displeasure from nor ridicuIe
such customs as were strange to them.
INVITED TO CHARITY BALL
His exceIIency was presented yester-
DAY with an invitation sent by Mrs.
Potter Palmer and the committee of
the charity bah to attend that func-
tion IN Chicago December Is. The in
vitation was presented by Major Cen
eral Barry, 10 whom 1t had been tele-
graphed by Major General F. D. Grant
To the official invitation of Mrs Potter
Palmer and the committee was added
the personal one of MAJOR General
Grant and Mrs. Grant.
The first place to be visited by the
minister yesterday was the headquar-
ters OF the Chinese six companies. It
was then shortly after il o'clock in
the forenoon but late enough for a
banquet. AT the conclusion of the ban
Quet he started on his round of visits
and receptions. calling at the Hop Wo,
sam Yup, Ming Yung. the Chinese
chamber Of commerce and the two Chi
nese schools. The hours between 4 and
10 returning the private calls that had
been paid him since his arrival. Imme-
oistely afterWard he was driven 10 the
headquarters of the Kong Chow asso-
citation, of which he is a member, the
organizatio being formed of those
coming from the same district in China,
and he remained with his friends until
midnight.
The party will leave for the east at
10 o'clock this morning. The departure
viii be unofficial, but the probability
is that many Of his personal friends
viii gather TO bid him farewell
The question Of the tong war now
disrupting Chinatown was Informally
discussed at the reception and ban
ouets yesterday. The minister held a
long conversation with the Chinese con-
sui eenral regarding it and was ready
10 do whatever he could to bring peace.
But he pointed out that he was power
less.
His excellency, like every other
peaceable Chinese, said Young Kwai,
secretary 10 the Chinese legation,
would only be too glad to see the
trouble end. but any command from
him to cease the fighting would be
about as effective as would have been
an official order in the old days forbid
ding a southern feud."