St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-24

health and strength. He is described
as pupy youth with an exceedingly
large head and melancholy counte-
nlnee, combining an exceptional ac'
| Quaintanee for his years with the Chi
ntSe classics with extreme ignorance OF
the outside world, and showing in all
| his acts and sayings that his education
has been conducted in accordance Win
the old ideas of his race and country,
and not with what we are disposed TO
consider their new and essential re-
QuirementS.
The youth of Kwangsu-he is only
Just eighteen-is in itself not an un-
favorable fact, for he ascends the throne
at an impreSSionable age, and his Opin-
ions. we may hope, will be matured by
his own personal observations. There
is still one important point about which
considerable uncertainty must be felt,
and that is his future relations with MS
father, Prince Chun. Prince Chun has
only become known to Europeans gen.
orally since the final disgrace of his
brother, Prince Kung. in 1884; but he
has taken an active part in affairs ever
since the death of his brother. Emperor
Hien Fung, III 1861, and the selection OF
his own son to ascend the vacant throne
in 1875 was an unequivocal testimony to
his tact and influence.
The advancement of his son entailed
his own retirement, for by Chinese law
father cannot serve under his own
son; but in 1880 Prince Chun thought 1T
so far safe and necessary to emerge
from his ObScurity as to accept the COM
mand of the Pekin field force, which
comprises what may be called the
household troops of China. In 1884 he
tlxr fnr.paf I N
connection with the circumstances that
led to the deposition of Prince Kung,
and there is no doubt that he was mainly
Instrumental in bringing about the fall
of his brother He showed no hesita-
ton i'm accepting the post of president of
the grand council, which is the most
important office in China, and there is
no question that during the last five
years his influence has been the DOM
inant one in Chinese affairs, rather than
that of the empress regent. During the
twelve months which have elapsed
since KwangSu nominally took over
the reinS of government, Prince
Chun's prominent place in the admins
tration has renamed undisturbed.
Much curiosity will lie felt as to whether
Prince Chun can maintain his position
permanently; and also as to how the
SticklerS for COnfucian law and etiquette
will regard with any tolerance so
fragrant a breach of them as father
serving under his son in the highest
places in the realm.
There is no evidence to show what
are the feelings between the Emperor
KwangSu and Prince Chun, and it may
be only due to malevOlence that report
has been spread to the effect that they
10 SNf ,al l,..%
the young sovereign has already shown
signs of chatting at the presence of his
father at the council board in a posi-
ton which give him practical control
of the executive. If tits little better
than guesSwork to speculate on the I'M
formed opinions of youth of eighteen,
we find ourselves on surer ground
when we say that the Emperor
Kwangsu stands i'm the path of
Prince Chun'S ambition. For the
suggestion that the present exceptional
arrangement of the father being head
of the cabinet, with his son OH the
throne, may be prolonged indefinitely
cannot readily be adopted, because the
Chinese are far too consistent in their
conservatism to tolerate a breach of
custom that would expose their whole
system to general ridicule and COLI
tempt. We may. therefore, assume that
before very long Prince Chun's with
draWal from public affairs will be an
nounced, when Kwangsu will be finally
released from the leading strings in
which he has so long been kept.
Whether this will be wholly for the
young emperOr's own good, or whether
Prince Chun will find his enforced Sc
clusiOn too irEsome to be borne, time
alone can tell. Any attempt to cut short
the present rulers reign, as was sus-
pected by many to have been the case
with regard to his predecessor, Tunche,
would be attended with very great risk,
and it might be doubted if those who
perpetrattd the crime would derive any
benefit from it. Prince Chun will prob
ably have to seek his opportunities in
the private influences parent may eX-
ert over a son, even in palace, and in
impreSSing upon him the political max
inns and advice drawn from his own long
experience.