The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-19
II HUNG CHANGES DIARY
China OF the past fifty or sixty years

Said Cen Foster: The diary was
not written from day TO day, but only
as matters Of interest and Importance
sprAnE up Some parts or II came
from the private papers IN the poses
non Of Ii Hung Gangs family. Other
,a rts were found ia the records which
he left in the archives OF the pamens
at Shanghai, Tientsin and Canton |
Many Of the notes were written az
Peking, and not a few were oasheo
of at the close OF his interviews with
the empress doWager, Prince CHING
and others Of the highest Chinese ON
Gals. In all cases he handle things
without gloves, saying just What he
thinks, describing just what occurred
and making emphatic observation
thereon. He usually speaks OF the
empress dOwager as the "Old Budd-
ma" and often tells how she went into
a rag and ordered him out Of her
presence. At the end Of one inter
view, he writes that the Old Buddha
manifested an ebullition of passion
such as he had never seen, except in
his own family, and he rather pafhet-
ically continued that the chef diff
ference was that while he was al his
home he could control his own &C
tons, and, it might be, retire: but with
| the empress dowager this was not
not possible, for there one had to re
| main on his knees and bow his head
to the floor in humble submission"
Had Ii Hung Chang much inno-
nee with h empress dowaser?" l
asked.
Eyes, the old empress had great
confidence in him and l. had a great
respect for her, but he did not hest
tate to tell her what he actually
thought, although he knew it might
result in his own degradation. 1t was
his frankness that several times lost
him his yellow jacket, and once or
twice came near losing him his head
The empress dowager was surprised
and angry at the way things turned
out during the ChineSe-Japanese war.
She supposed that her army was equal
to that of Japan and she blamed Ii
because it was not. He was, you
know, at the hea OF the Chinese
military establishment as far as mod
ern methods were concerned. He had
organized what was thought to be a
modern army. n had TO a large ex-
tent dispensed with the old spear and
Hint locks. He was refused the
, money, however, which was needed t1
bring his troops to a state of eff
cheney, and he warned the empress
dOwager not to engage in tina war
The IMPRESS thought she knew better
and when the Chinese troops were
found wanting she denounced L
g Hung Chang and took away his high
honors."
t But. nevertheless, general, she ap.
pointed Ii Hung Chang the head O
the commission which made tn,
treaty of peace
e Yes, the Nlceroy remained in dis
grace until the time came when peac,
5 had to be n1ade. The empress dow
Is ager knew that he was the best maj
rs in the empire to head the treaty com
l., mission and SO she was forced to re
I, ceive him into favor again. After tn
q treaty ~stipulations had been settle
is they proved to be very unpopular i
v China. Expressions of disgust cam
in from all parts of the empire, an
the most prominent officials de
nounced Ii Hung Chang. He ha
10 many enemies and they all pounce
le down upon him. l was. you know
III the foreign counselor Of the treat
= commission. and was with Ii Hun
Chang at Tientsin at the time. W
~ had concluded our work at Shimono!
= eki and everything was thought &c /
- settled. Then the news came tn:
al the treaty might not be approved. ar
&c Ii asked me to go to Picking to S,
about it. ! urged him to go himse1
but he would not, and so I was force
to consent.
o. Now, in making the treaty. we hs
been careful to telegraph it, sectit
by section, TO the emperor for his a
prevail. This was given, and vas r
,ss ported to the Japanese. so that Il
mt emperor himself had endorsed eve
provision of the treaty When / m
ID the officials at Picking l told the
Of the treat had long since gone beyol
En- the hands OF Ii Hung Chang, a
90. that, stipulation by stipulation, it h;
OIL been ratified by the emperor. | to
ks them it was now the emperor's trea,
his and that if they refused TO abide
in it their emperor would lose ia
nd among the nations Of the world
a result they reconsidered their 6
tiop, and shortly after i left made
kes ratification.
I'm the meantime Ii Hung Cha
in was waiting in agony at Tientsin. a
ties when I arrived there Mr.. Pethiek. I
He vicerOy'S secretary, met me and s:
that the old man, meaning the vi
SO roy, was anxious to see me. He t
is me Of the ratification of the trea
ask Int said that must NOT let T. HI