Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-30

for him in Picking and temples have bren
erected in his honor in the many cities
where he ruled AS an official | visited
the temple in rients.n. A is m the
neart or the new section of the city,
surrounded by great schools and fac
tories. Two mighty marble lions. larger
than life. guard the entrance: IL has
high wall about it, and also huge gates
cover acres. \ wide stone pavement
leads from the front gate 10 tile main
building. in which is a great tablet of stone
bearing an inscription concentrating Ia
Lung chang,s greatness and services.
The temple il large: il j. beautifully
carved and magnifcently decorated with
red and gold. On the road leading 70 i.
stand twelve marble tablets. each about
four feet wide and twice as tall Is a
man. Upon them Is inscribed n short
history of Ii. In this building is an altar
upon which sacrifices are offered,
There is statue OF Ii at Shanghai,
and he has a temple at Canton. l am
told that he could have made himself
Emperor of China at almost any time
during the last twenty years Of his life.
and that even before that Gen. Chinese
Gordon planned 10 do this. Gordon had
asked Ii for the use OF his army for
month and Ii had consented. supposinG
beilions nearby. He Was about TO start
when Ii asked where he was going. Gen.
Gordon replied that he was about 10
march on Picking and proclaim him En-
peror of China. Ii at once counterman6
ed his promise. and the plot fell through.
| have had half dozen interviews with
Ii Hung Gang during my several visits
10 Asia. Before ] iirst went 10 see him
i'm iNSS. when lac was NlcerON or Chill
| WAS warned by our consul tat il was
foolish to try to get a newspaper story.
Said the consul:
You will not have a chance TO ask a
question. The old viceroy will turn you
inside out like a glove. He VIII ask YOU
about everything under the sun and VIII
keep you talking while he himself SAYS
nothing.
Forewarned in this way. ] decided 10
tack 81 question to my every answer. and
did 80 The plan worked like charm.
LIS brain was dynamo which could not
help throwing out sparks II anything
struck it, and a result my questions
gave me three columns of excellent stun
| pursued the same policy in future con-
yersations and was always successful.
Ny last interview with Prince Ii was
at Canton in the year 1890. The CONVEX
sation covered a wide range. and among
other personal questions his eNcelency
asked me how much money ! made in ny
newspaper work. Ny answer was eYasiVe.
but | tackled the question at the end Of
IL, saving: 1T is currently reported in
est man in the world. our paTers say YOU
are worth one hundred million dollars. |
have wondered whether that is true.
The old viceroy laughed and replied:
Most of my riches are in American
newspapers Indeed ] am poor-here he
chuckled-that ! think YOU rio American
editors ought to raise fund for me.
When Ii died he left an estate which
was actually worth over Si2.Ws,en. He
owned pawnshors in almost every city
Of the empire and he had millions lent
out in that way. One-third of his money
was in pawnshops. He owned poppy
farms and opium factories, although ne
was avowedly an opponent of the opium
evil He had a great deal Of stock In the
Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. and was
interested i'm other banks and In railroad
and steamship companies. He was man
of great business ability. and had he
been one of our princes of finance he
would have led in the money market.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.