The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06
An Asiatic Gladstone
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

or II was able to quell the rebellion and
thus save China. He went himself to
the seat OF the trouble and his spies
told him that there was scheme to
shoot him on the way from the cars TO
his house upon his return. He foiled
the assassins by having four carriages
sent to the station. Each of these was
the exact counterpart of the other, each
was driven by a coachman in the vice
roy's livery. and when the train stopped
four yiceroys dressed exactly alike ana
made up to resemble Tuan Fang stepped
from the car and entered the four car
riages. The makeup was so sKiiitui
that no one could tell which was the
viceroy and his excellency thus had three
chances out OF four of some one else be-
ing killed in his stead. The result was
that no bombs were thrown.
Behind the Scenes With Viceroy.
It was shortly after this that I met
Tuan Fang at Marking. He was then
ruling from ninety TO one hundred million
people. and the machinery of his palaces
was somewhat like that of the White
House. He was working harder than
President Taft and dispatching his ousi-
ness almost as promptly. He used the
telegraph for his business correspondence.
Tbo reports from his officials were sent
In by wire and his answers were the
same way. He was daily receiving dis
patches from all over the globe the news
of the Associated Press coming to him
before it went to the newspapers. He
worked at his correspondence with a
stenographer, and had his translators,
who gave him extracts from the foreign
papers in Chinese.
He began to work at o'clock in the
morning and seldom went 10 bed before
midnight He was particular as to his
eating though he used simple fare. He
ate breakfast at T. luncheon at and din
ner at nightfail His cooking was done
by Picking chef, and he used chopsticts.
His work was thoroughly systematized,
and he had enough time in connection
with 1t to carry on literary hobbies and
to make archaeological Investigations.
Shortly before Tuan Fang was appoint
ed viceroy he made a tour around the
world. visiting Egypt on the way. He
studied the civilization of the Nile and
brought back tons of statues and n half
dozen mumrnies. Some of these l saw
during my visit, as we'll as other curios
and archaeological objects relating to
China, upon which he had spent more
than half a million dollars.
A Warming to Grafters.
But let me tell you something about
these vice regal palaces. I have been in
Every viceroy has his official home,
which covers acres, and is composed of
enormous Chinese buildings with gardens
about them. In these palaces are hun
dreds of officials and servants There are
soldiers and clerks and all the machinery
of government
The palace here at Marking is entered
by several gates. on the walls near which
is painted a warning to grafters. This
is In the shape of a hideous animal
40 feet long, with body as big around
as hogshead and neck the size of my
wrist. The head Is like the body. enor-
nous. The animal looks something like
a hippopotamus. with the neck of snake.
According to the legend this beast once
tried to swallow a great quantity of SILL
yer, but 1t burst Its neck and died in the
act. Its picture is, therefore, placed at
the entrance to every viceregal palace to
warn the officers within against over