Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1886 — AWAKENING CHINA’S ZEAL [ARTICLE]

AWAKENING CHINA’S ZEAL

Minister Benby Tells How the Adoption of Railroads Ii Being Urged in the Far East. Factories of Glass, Woolen Goods, and Paper Springing l T p Rapidly in That Country. [Washington telegram.] >. Mr. Charles Denby, United States Minister to China, has sent some interesting dispatches to Mr. Bayard which deal with two questions of vital import to the development and safety of the empire. The first is the construction of railroads, which Li Hung Chang is urging with all the vigor of his intellect. The other is the building of a navy to replace the useless junks which at present fly the imperial flag, and to organize n system of coast defenses adequate to protect the harbors and shores of the country: Mn, Denby says: I have the honor to state, as a matter of interest to a great many persons in the United States and as a part of the current history of China, the position of that empire as to the construction of railroads: The most prominent man in China tOjdav is Li Hung Chang, who is Grand Sucretnrymf the empire, Viceroy of the province, a*vl one of the heads of the Admiralty Boa d. H s residence is at Tien-Tsin, but he lately spent 8 .me weeks at Pekin. He has for Borne years been in favor of building railroads. He has had a hard fight in China to haw his views approved. The opposition comes chiefly from t ie censors and the Board of Revenue. The censors Kpl res nt that numbers of men would be thrown out of employment, graves would he desecrated, and internal troubles would ensue. The Board of Revenue-claims that if railroads are Duilt the whole revenue service of China would have to be changed. It seems likely in effect that theLekin tax, which is one of the chief sourc s of revenue to China, would havet) bo abandoned or materially modified. This is a consummation that the foreigners most ardently desiro. id Hung Chang, through ail the changes of men and measures, lias maintained h’s power, and there seems every roason to believe that he will succeed in has plan of construct n; railroads. I send to the department the dving mem >rjal of Tso Tsung Tang, which don tains na able presentation of the argument in favor of construoting railroads in China.- By way- of parentbeStsI nicy soy that a dying official always leaves a posthumous memorial to the Government. It a’so happens often that after he is dead some distinguished honorary office is conferred on him by imperial decree. This memorial to Tso Tsung Tang preceded by a very few days the visit of Li Hung Chang to the capital, and furnished him aTine"opportunity to press hts railroad views. It was considered, certainly with reason, that the best mode of inviting the attention of the members of tho Government to the merits of railroads would be to oxhibit a working-model of an American roadway and rolling stock. Last t-eptrmber a working model of an American railroad train, consisting cf locomotive and tender, mail and baggage cars, passenger cars, Tnllman parlor and sleeping cars, different kinds of freight cm, together with 100 feet of main track and sidings, switches, turn-table, otc.—in fact, a ccmpl te representat’on of an American railroad in m mature—wax exhibited to Li Hung Chang. It was, by ord< rof Li Hung Chang, taken to Pekin and exhibited by him to Prince Chum, the Emperor’s father, and two days later it was taken to the imperial' palace i’nd.exhibit’d to tho Emp ror and the Empress dowager. Their majesties were much interand spent some tins in a minute examination of tbs model. It was the first complete representation they had-ever seen of a railroad. After examination they agreed to allow Li Hung Chang to prepare for the introduction of steam-cars.