Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-21
CHrNA.s REFORMING EMPEROR.
Ne win Receive the Ferrlgn Ministers and 10
Likely to Make Other Innovations.

ne " III Receive the foretEn Ministers and IL
Likely TO Make Other Innovations-
From the chinese Times
The decree which was Published last week
ordering arrangements to be made for receiv-
ing the foreign ministers in audience in the
first moon Of next year. the seventeenth Of his
maiesty's reign. win have been received with
general satisfaction throughout the world.
The solution of the long-pending and appa-
rently unmanageahle question could not have
taken q happier form. AID if IL were pernis-
sible to deduce from this one act Of the en-
peror an augury of the character of his reign.
We should be tempted to say that the star Of
hope had arisen on this country. The grant
ing of audience removes a slur which has rested
for thirty years on the foreign Representatives..
and places their relations with the highest
officials in limit which is at once clear aud de-
fensible. while it, at the same time. removes
from the imperial pathway a stumbling block
OF really dangerous character.
Widespread interest has been shown already
IN the supposed idiosyncraeies of the young
Emperor Of China, which have hitherto been
wrapped up in palace mystery. He comes of a
hardy stock, noted for independence of char
acter. and his not very remote ancestors have
eyirced special curiosity in foreign matters
as well as considerable originality in state
craft There is no antecedent reason, there
fore. why his majesty should not take a per-
sonal interest In the affairs OF the empire ex-
ternal as well as internal. nor why he should
not find certain satisfaction in cultivating
friendiiness with foreign ministers at his
court and thus real revolution may be
silently effected in the mode Of conducting
public business.
The imperial power in China, hsmpered and
almost siiaed az IT Is by coneentric circles of
officials OF every grade in thickest array, seems
to be impeded in its administra ton by the very
overgrowtl Of the machinery which constitutes
the instrument of government. How il even
an emperor to break through these serried
ranks; how emancipate himself from the thral-
dom OF one set without getting more hopelcssly
entangled in the tolls Of another? II there be
any thing In the notion 10 which We have re-
peatedly given publicity that the exelusiyeness,
the insoience and even brutality of manner to
which foreigners have been subjected are
essentially the outcome of the Chinese
nature combined with Chinese tradi-
tions and especially Chinese ignorance there
ought to be a good hope of better thi ngs in
gaining access to the person of the Msnchu SOW
ereign. The recent public acts OF the sovereign
to which We drew attention last month appear
to be but the prelude TO an imperial career in
which the sovereign intends, as his heroic con-
temporary, the German emperor has done. To
take the reins of government into his own la nds
and rule according to his conscience and his
own perceptions.
Many depressing pictures of the future of this
great empire have occupied the columns of the
Chinese Times. We haze honestly cast our eye
to the north and south, to the east and the
west, without discovering amy signs of the
coming regeneration of the government aud
the social system, and if. as We believe, some
thorough regeneration is necessary to the pres
eryation OF the empire, the outlook is anything
but encouraging. There seems TO be but one
ray of hope. and that is in the personal initi-
alive Of q sovereign resolute and strong and
with long life before him in which TO develop
his reforms. 1t may be that such a ruler 4
now on the throne. and his proceedings viii be
scanned With very eager interest by both ma
tiyes and foreigners
the new relations which have been estab.
lished by imperial decree aud which may open
door to the exercise Of a healthy and Twins
foreign influence, put the emperor in posses
sion of auyilinries such as were not available
to any of his majesty's predecessors.