Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-15
By The Rev. c. F. Aksd, D. D., LII. D

/ -
China continues to surprise us. News
has just been received that the govern
ment of great province in the inter
ior of China has asked an American mis-
sionary society to take entire charge
of the public school system of large
section of the country. Shansi is the
name of the province. 1t was here that
so many American missionaries were
murdered during the Boxer rising in
1900. Within the last few weeks
the provincial government has made this
amazing request Of the representatives
of the American Board of Foreign Mis-
sions. The government offers to fur
nish the schoolhouses and to equip them.
The government guarantees a certain
yearly cash subsidy. 1t guarantees, as
well, full religious liberty. The Bible
and the Christian religion may be
taught in the schools.
Such story seems incredible. 1t goes
far out beyond our dreams. But it is
perfectly true The information comes
direct from the authorities Of the mis-
sionary board concerned.
The "Memoirs of Lii Hung Chang"
have recently been published. They
have the interest Of an absorbing drama,
The glamor of romance is over them.
Two men in history would have de-
lighted in them, Shakespeare and Rob-
ert Browning. The play of charactc- :,
the development of great mind, les
emergency into imperial conditions, and
its influence in world-business would
have delighted the soul of either Il
these two supreme students of human
nature.
The editor of these Memoirs" il
an American newspaper man who was
privileged to interview the Chinese
statesman and convey to the world his
sence of obligation to the American
people. He prints as introduction to tue
Memoirs" sketch Of Ii Hung Chang
contributed by another pen.
With pardonable hero-worship this
writer speaks of Ii Hung Chang as moi
only the greatest man the Chinese ract
has produced in modern times, but, il
a combination Of qualities, the most
unique personality of the past century
amongall the nations of the world.
And he proceeds to explain this ex
traordinary eulogy.
Ii Hung Chang was a soldier, scholar
statesman and diplomat-and in eacl
capacity one of the worlds masters
Gle was distinguished as a man Of let
ters: as a soldier in important cam
paigns he rendered valuable services Il
his country: as a statesman for thirty
years he maintained a recognized pre-
eminence over his countrymen in the
Oldest and most populous nation of the
earth; and as diplomat his achieve
ments entitle him to front rank in the
international relations Of all history.
The editor of the "Memoirs" does
well to bring into prominence the friend
ship displayed by the United States foi
China in the day of her trouble, and the
abiding gratitude of III Hung Chang
CAN the foreign nations are against
us, y the statesman writes at one time
"No, there is an exception, and the ex
ception may prove our salvation" The
exception of course, is the United States
The powers had decreed the partition
Of China, what Ii Hung Chang describ
ed as "slicing up China like water
melon" America held ont against any
such cynical policy. The European
nations might think first of plunder
The United States thought first of jus
tice. 81 have received assurance from
the American commander" he writes
"and from the Washington Govern
ment that the United States will oppose
morally, and physically if neeessarv
the partition Of China" And later, in
10y over the deliverance of his country
from the threatened disruption, and in
gratitude; "The position taken by the
American nation means the integrity
Of China. The United States has woo
over the other powers to her way OF
thi. king"
The volume is a gold mine Of inform
otiOn and Of interest There are hun
dreds of paragraphs one would love tC
quote. The editor says truly thai
amongst them all nothing is more enter
tanning than the great man 3 views con
cerning Christians and Christianity.
First Of oil, while still a young mar