A DIARY OF QUIET DAYS, AUTUMN OF 1916
September 3: Judge Elbert H. Gary has just been in Peking for ten days with Mrs. Gary and a small party. I took them to call on President Li who is now living in a private residence with extensive rockeries and gardens, in the East City. We threaded our way to a central pavilion where the President received us. He talked amiably about his desire to see the great resources of China developed with American coöperation. In the evening I gave a dinner to Judge Gary and the new Ministers of Finance and Communications. Charles A. Coolidge, the Boston architect, was also present. On the following day I arranged for the American guests to see the Winter Palace; Mr. Coolidge afterward said to me that the trip through the palace grounds had been the most interesting experience of his life from the point of view of architectural beauty. Someone with Judge Gary told me that every lunch, afternoon reception, and dinner engagement, for the entire stay in Japan, was already arranged for, together with many engagements for breakfast; adding: "The Japanese certainly know a great man when they see him, more than the Chinese." As a matter of fact, the Chinese are so unartificial that they do not think of organizing their hospitality to any distinguished guest. What they do is quite spontaneous; they are truly hospitable, but they do not understand the first elements of the art of advertising.
September 9: I took a trip to Dajessu with the Austrian minister. This temple lies about twelve miles beyond the summer palace. We walked part of the way; a Chinese fell in with us, and, as is customary, opened conversation. Without seeming unduly inquisitive he elicited information about the size of our families, our age, income, and the cost of our clothing, the material of which he greatly admired. When the Austrian minister told him that he had about four hundred men under him, our companion looked rather dubious, and finally asked: "Why, then, if you have so many attendants, are you walking?" The explanation that we preferred to walk did not seem to remove his doubts. He told us in turn all the details of his family and business affairs.
We spent the week-end at the beautiful temple, from which we took walks to the surrounding mountainside. A deserted temple on a high hill overlooking the valley is picturesque as any castle on the Rhine. We ascended to the summer residence of Mr. Hsu Un-yuen, a temple perched on a precipitous spur of the main mountain range. The temple had evidently been erected originally for a semi-residential purpose, though it was in a quite inaccessible place, where neither worshippers nor vacationists would ordinarily have sought it out. We found Mr. Hsu and his wife enjoying the magnificent view from a terrace opening out from the living apartments.
September 13: I gave a dinner to Mr. C.T. Wang, the vice-president of the senate, and a few representative members of parliament. We engaged in a general after-dinner discussion of politics. Most of the men present were Progressives. They argued volubly. The arguments and illustrations were such as one would hear in a Western country. I missed, as usual, a thorough discussion of underlying facts, traditions, and practices of Chinese life, out of which institutions should develop. I mentioned this; Mr. Wang said that they needed a guiding principle of organization, which they must get from the experience of constitutional countries. The question uppermost was the proposed election of provincial governors by the people of the respective provinces, instead of their appointment by the Central Government. Most of those present considered this change necessary, as through union and mutual support the appointive military governors could exercise great power and defeat the aims of Parliament.
September 14: Failing to get financial assistance from America, the Chinese have been considering Japanese offers of loans. Dr. Chen Chin-tao, forced by the situation and the importunities of the ministers, who need money, has signed a preliminary agreement for a loan of eighty million yen, on which an advance of five million yen is to be paid over immediately.
September 18: The House of Representatives to-day in secret session discussed the Japanese loan. I am informed that it was strongly attacked on the ground that certain mines in Hunan Province had been pledged to secure the advance. The Minister of Finance was not present, the vice-minister appearing to answer questions. The minister was violently condemned for signing the preliminary agreement without the consent of parliament. The argument was made that it related to an advance, but not to the main loan itself. That argument was not considered valid.
September 19: Negotiations were concluded with the Minister of Communications for a satisfactory adjustment of the American railway contract. Most of the proposals made were accepted, so that the American corporation ought certainly to be thoroughly well satisfied, considering all the changes and difficulties that have occurred since the original contract was made. That of the 17th May was allowed to stand, the changes being introduced by way of annexes. After the Chinese have thus gone to the limit of making the undertaking attractive to Americans, it is to be hoped that there will be no further delay; that, at least, some important constructive work will be done by Americans.