Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1896 — LI HUNG CHANG [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LI HUNG CHANG

1* s> IJI T 1 HUNG Ps I Chang R 21 H J J 1 eserves I 0 S the title of th® & > B rt "grand old I ■ ¥ B 3 man” of Chifl ■ * r.a. In length BMHSHQBttfI if " i VujS ice, iu the char-z-'7’*i 6 '‘- ‘ i “‘ 6s< eL acter and imp iSmT®3 " porta nee of VlllU£9 that S er v ice and of the myriads of people in whose behalf it was rendered, in his intellectual •attainments, his unique characteristics and in his commanding personality, Li Hang Chang stands shoulders above any •ther citizen in the Celestial empire. He is, says Hon. John W. Foster, the renowned American diplomat and who was the adviser of I.i Hung Chang in the peace negotiations with Japan, the most distinguished visitor that the great continent of Asia has sent to Europe or America during this generation. • He is a striking illustration of the workings of the social and political system of the Chinese empire. Although it is the oldest monarchy on earth it may be said to possess no hereditary nobility. Tt is the only land which bases its aristocracy on letters, and in this respect is a near approach to a pure democracy. The highest posts in the empire, except the few places held by the princes of the imperial blood, are open to the lowest anbject, and the road to them is through the three grades of the competitive scholastic examinations held in the district, the province and at Peking, the imperial capital. Li Hung Chang, whose father d’ns in ao wise distinguished, passed in all the

grades and in the final contest at Peking came out with distinguished honors among 20.000 competitors. He therefore has reason to take pride in his accomplishments as a scholar, though judged by the Western standard of education Chinese scholars would hold a very low grade. They have no conception of learning as understood in the West—of mathematics, chemistry, geology, or kindred sciences, and of universal history. Indeed, they have a very imperfect knowledge of geography. Their curriculum of study embraces the Chinese classics and philosophy (a voluminous compilation, especially holding in eminejice the teachings of Confucius), the theory of government, and Chinese poetry and history. It is the standard fixed 2,000 years ago. and has undergone little change in the succeeding centuries. One of our diplomatic representatives tells of a conversation had with one of the most distinguished scholars and highest officers ih the empire, in which they canvassed

their respective systems of education; and Me reports that his Chinese friend had •ever heard of Homer, Virgil, or Shaksj>eare; knew something of Alexander having crossed the Indus, had a vague knowledge of Caesar and Napoleon, but none whatever of Hannibal, Peter the Great, "Wellington, or other modern soldiers; and Me was ignorant of astronomy, mathematics, or the modern sciences. When the American minister expressed surprise at these defects in Chinese education, the mandarin replied: “That is your civilization, and you learn it; we have ours, and we learn it. For centuries we have gone

•a satisfied to know what we know. Why 'should we care to know what you haoTr?' 1 iFrom Student to Warrior. In China the competitive examination •nds jyith admission so office-; beyond that step promotion niust'cOTfie through other methods. Li Hung Chang secured the right'-of admission to office through his •sridtwus application to study and every ancceeding step in his upward career has boon attained by his own genius and eap»<ftty. It was the intention of Li Hung Chanfe tb deyote himself to study, but an •rent occurred just after' his return to Ms father’s home on the Yang-tse-Kiang River," after his successful examination at Peking, that changed the current of his Sfe. The Taiping rebellion, which was (faceted against the reigning dynasty, wM-then at its height and its leaders had «*pturod the ancient capital, Nanking, mm! were marching at the head of a tri■■aphant army toward the capital, Pe■ag. Li Hung Chang, bis yoathful ar-

dor inflamed, raised a force of militia and harassed the rear of the rebel army on its march. The rebels were checked in their advance on the capital and were forced to return to Nanking Li Hung Chang’s services in contributing to this end were recognised by the general of the imperial army, Tseng-Kwo-fan, and Li’s army was attached to the main army and Li himself was assigned to an important post. He soon displayed great military qualities and became the active commander in the field. He joined to his army a band of adventurous Europeans, organized and commanded by an American sailor named Ward, and afterward, on Ward’s death, led by Gen. Gordon. This army was called “the ever victorious army,” and victory after victory was won until the rebellion was crushed. The rebellion had cost the empire dearly, hearty half of it had been laid waste a nd' 20,000,000 lives had been sacrificed. Li Hung Chang emerged from it with a high military reputation and the most famous man in the nation. He was made an earl, was presented, with the yellow jacket—the exclusive emblem of imperial favor—and was appointed viceroy of an important province. But he was not suffered to engage in the administration of civil affairs. Numerous revolts occurred after the suppression of the Tai-ping rebellion, and for several years Li Hung Chang was engaged in suppressing them. And then came, in 1870, the horrible butchery of French missionaries and nuns and of the French consul at Tientsin. The French Government demanded heavy reprisals and the Chinese Government became alarmed. Li 'Hung Chang was transferred as viceroy to the province of Chihli, where the riot had occurred, and so well did he rpanage the affair, that peace was restored, complete atonement made to the French, and war was thereby averted, to the evident benefit of the Chinese. French honors were conferred on Li Hung Chang; he was made imperial tutor, grand secretary of state and was created a noble of the first rank. These offices made him ever since the first official and statesman of the Government under the Emperor. As Governor of Chihli he became the guardian and protector of the Emperor, the capital being within the province. His office ns imperial tutor brought him into intimate relations with the imperial household and his diplomatic duties at Tientsin, following the massacre, distinguished him as a diplomat in every important treaty negotiation or diplomatic controversy of his Government. Probably no living man has received such signal marks of respect from his diplomatic antagonists as he. In the Margary affair, a most serious controversy with Great Britain, he was so straightforward and just in meeting the demands of that Government that Sir Thomas Wade was led to make an important concession, “in recognition of the frankness with which he had negotiated this very troublesome business.” In the adjustment of the French conflict with China of 1884-85, the French minister inserted in the treaty a renunciation of all claims for indemnity, in order thereby “to pay a mark of regard to the patriotic wisdom of his excellency Li Hung Chang. Bis Work as Viceroy. As Viceroy of Chihli much of his time was ocupied in the organization of the army, the building of a navy and the fortification of the approaches to the capital, a work in which he was greatly hampered by the conservatism of the central government. In addition to periodical revolts, China is often afflicted with disastrous floods and terrible famines, and with many of these the Viceroy had much to do. In 1577-78 Chihli and other neigh-

bojring'provinces were visited by one of the most fearful famines in their history, in which it is estimated that about 9,000,000 persons perished. The Viceroy Li was the most prominent agent in staying the ravages of this fatal scourge, and his energy, administrative capacity and largehearted charity were conspicuously displayed in the measures for relief. While Li Hung Chang is the greatest statesman China has ever produced, and ranks among the topmost men of the, age, he is also conspicuous for two widely diverse things—great wealth and great happiness. He is one of the teb-'riefaest men on the globe, and goes world laughing. Gen; Grant said he was the happiest man he had ever known. This wealth is estimated at near five hundred millions of dollars, and it was acquired by him in a typical way. Before Li Hung Chang rose to power, China possessed neither railroads, telegraph, telephones nor hospitals. Now it has all, four, mostly owned by 1 " Li. Through the powerful influence of Prince Kung, he was enabled to establish factories and reap the benefit of them, while giving occupation to thousands of his countrymen. By the introduction of silk-looms he has made Chinese silk, once so rare and costly, cheap; and he has engaged artists who can work by stepcil as well as by brush, so that Chinese decoration has been reduced to a pittance. In one of Li’s factories candlesticks are made' at a cost of 10 cents each, and they are sold to importers at $9 apiece. His latest. mercantile venture is the manufacture of bicycles. They are made on land granted Li by the Chinese Government, which is untaxed property, and he pays no rental for the buildings, which were built by granted workmen at no expense to himself. The material in the bicycles costs only a trifle, and the labor even less, for a Chinese workman will cheerfully work for a turnip a day and a dinner of rice. Th-se mq'dMnjes, it is said. 1 (XfnJbeisold in the United States for sl3 apiece, and they are excellent specimens of workmanship. Li Hung Chang is a monopolist upon a gigantic scale. Other Chinamen may have been shrewd enough to realize the wisdom of introducing and conducting

such tremendous enterprises, but they did not have the influence with the court at Pekin which is so necessary to the successful introduction and operation of any innovation in China. Li Hung Chang made himself indispensable to the Emperor and the late Empress-Dowager—the latter, in fact, being the real ruler of the empire—as the first step in the consummation of his scheme, and bis success is shown by the size of his bank account. But Li Hung Chang's career has not been an unbroken record of success. He has had formidable political enemies and three rimes, owing to their influence, he was degraded by having his yellow jacket taken from him. Li Hung Chang's yellow jacket means more to a Chinaman

than it does to an American. To a Chinaman it means that Chang is about the most powerful subject in all the empire. Chang has many yellow jackets. The one he wore when presented to President Cleveland was made of gorgeous yellow shiny plush. It looked like a fabric made of spun gold. It is cut in one piece and is the perfection of textile art and garment cutting. The last time the jacket was taken away was on the occasion of the defeat of the Chinese in Corea and in the uaval battle off the mouth of the Yalu River by the Japanese. But he was soon restored to imperial favor and successfully conducted the peace negotiations with Japan. Seeks to Reform China, Li Hung Chang has introduced some important reforms into China and hopes to introduce many more, although he is greatly hampered by the antiquated customs of the empire. He has greatly improved the educational system and he is striving to make fitness and not scholarship the test for entranee into public service. While a disciple of Confucius and a firm believer in Confucius philosophy he is tolerant toward Christianity and welcomes the aid given by foreigners toward the betterment of the Chinese nation. Though a military leader, in the Chinese acceptation of the term, he is a man of peace and deplores war. His visit to Europe and America is to study their systems of governments with a view of adopting that which commends itself to him in the systems. Li Hung Chang, since his attendance at the Czar's coronation in Moscow, has been traveling in Europe and America and has been everywhere received with marks of the highest coi{sideration. It ruav be remembered that on the occasion of Gen. Grant’s tour around the world he was the guest of Li Hung Chang and the recipient of much honor. Li Hung Chang still remembers the dead General, and on each Decoration Day the Chinese embassy in Washington places a wreath of flowers bn Grant’s tomb in Riverside,

New York. It was thus doubly iheet that America should honor the greatest living Asiatic. Li Hung Chang is now in his 74th year, and is a man of commanding presence, standing fully six feet in height. Judged in the light of his education, his first experience and fiis surroundings he must be regarded as the first of the living statesmen of Asia and one of the most distinguished of the public men of the world.

LI'S FAMOUS YELLOW JACKET.

LT HUNG CHANG. (From a late London photograph.)

COPY OF THE PICTURE TAKEN IN CHINA SHOWING LI HUNG CHANG AND GEN. GRANT.

LI HUNG CHANG’S HAT.

DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF LI'S SUITE.