The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

one of a commission to get up the present
constitution of the Chinese republic, and
in a sense was the Thomas Jefferson Of
the new republic. During his travels he
stopped in Egypt and made collection of
mummies which he brought back with
him to found, as | suppose, a museum.
He showed me these nummies and also
many rare archaeological objects which
he had gathered from different parts If
the Chinese empire. Some of his finds
dated back for a thousand years before
Rome was founded. and he had one stone
tablet which was written in 1900 B. c.
The other day Frederick Mccormick, who
is connected with the American A Asiatic
Archaeological society," dropped in upon me
fresh from China. | spoke of Tuan Fang
and asked what had become of him lie
replied
His enemies have cut him shorter by
q head.e
Such was the fate of man who in
many respects was like Gladstone and
who was as much of a patriot as Was
jefferson or Washington.
| am told that Lii Hung Chang s. name
grows greater in China as the years go
on. memorial tablet has been put up
for him in Pel<ing and temples have been
erected in his honor In the many cities
where he ruled as an official. visited
the temple in Tientsin. 1t is in the heart
of the new section of the city, surrounded
by great schools and factories. Two
mighty marble lions, larger than life,
guard the entrance: it las high wall
about it, and also huge gates with tiled
roofs The temple grounds cover acres. \
wide stone pavement leads from the front
gate to the main building, in which is a
great tablet of stone bearing an inscrip-
ton commefnora ting Ii Hung Chang S
greatness and services. The temple is
large: it is beautifully carved and mag
Efficiently decorated with red and gold.
On the road leading to it stand Il marble
tablets, each about four feet wide and
twice tall as a man. Upon them is in
scribed short history of Ii. In this
building is an altar upon which sacrifices
are offered.
There Is a statue of Ii at Shanghai.
and he has a temple at Canton. | am
told that he could have made himself
Emperor of China at almost any time dur
ing the last 90 years of his life, and that
even before that. General Chinese Cor
don planned to do this. Gordon had ask
Ii for the use of his army for a month";
and Ii had consented, suposing he in
tended to put down some minor rcbellons
nearby. He was about to start when III
asked where he was going. General Coz
don replied that he was about to march
on Reking and proclaim him Emperor of
China. III at once coutnermanded his
promise, and the plot fell through.
| have had half dozen interviews with
LII Hung Chang during my several visits
to Asia. Before | first went to see him IN
1888, when he was viceroy of Chill, I was
warned by our consul that it was foolish
to try to get newspaper story. Said the
consul:
You will not have a chance to ask a
question. The old viceroy will turn you
inside out like glove. He will ask you
about everything under the sun and Will
Keep talking while he himself says moth
ing"
iiitb III tillS way, / decided TO
tack question to my every answer, and
did so. The plan worked like a charm.
LIS brain was dynamo which could not
help throwing out sparks il anything
struck It, and as a result my questions
gave me three columns of excellent STUFF.
pursued the same policy in future con-
Versations and was always successful.
MY last interview with Prince III was
at Canton in the year 1900. The conversa-
uon covered wide range. and among