New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
THE MAYOR OF PEKlNG.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH THE
CHINESE OFFICIAL.
SOME FORMALrTIES THAT ARE Nol HN~'i''N"
u,trN CALLING on THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE
AMERICAN CITY.

SOME roRMALrrIEs THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED
WHEN CALLING on THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE
OF AN AMERICAN CITY.
Picking. Aug 1.-For ten years the feV' uiioe''
Reid was missionary under the presbyterian
BOARD OF Foreign Missions Last year ne returheu
% china as an independent missionary, his Work
hene confined chiefly to the higher classes In
,a,,rg some Of his experiences recently he said;
.rro an American accustomed to the dehnite dis-
| tnctions of political offices, the chinese sys'e"
seems like n muddle Every office seems miHed up
IN some other office. and every oficer Is aocou'a
HE for such lot Of duties that he almost becomes
accountable for nothing Inc system Vi "
checks has gone crazy.
.'The city OF Picking, as capital OF the Empire Is
governed differently from other cities IN lact' many
Foreigners visiting the city might Imagine that the
CITY was not governed at all, or at the best pady
m,sgoverned And yet there are plenty of officers
with paw and the system Of rule Is elaborate, put
sir,nIe There are two mayors or governors OF the
civ the one largely civil and the other largely
military. The latter is a military governor ana Is
technically the commandant OF the gehdarheFie'
This position IL especially the police commission
and street commission united under one head
While many of the boards and officers OF the metro
noIltan government appear 10 us as too many
headed the direction OF the officers OF the city Is
conspcuously autocratic. The rank or the man
holding the office is Of the highest. II is a'"ays
held by Manchu one of the ruling FAMILY III
the outside provinces he would be spoken or as
Tartar General
The mandarin holding the Office at present Is OF
| the name of Rung-I.uh. sixty years OF age lie Is
also one OF six hiSh military officers In control OF
the Picking Field Force. is one OF the members OF
the Foreign ONCE during the war member
OF the Council OF Defence and Is also one Of eight
anno.nted on the commission to raise loans for
| having III. indemnity to Japan Here surely Is a
stranale mixture Of duties. enough to puzzle the
| most efficient While connected with military az
! fairs he knows but little about warfare and would
be unable to lead army 70 conquer a foe or mod
| ern times It was "A good thing for him that the
Japanese gave up the idea Of pressing on to Pekins
| Though thus deficient in military knowledge he is
| none the less a bright intelligent man. Though
| less profound than many. he Is acute ana quick.
| In our American phrascology he would be called
| smart.
since my arrival in Picking last winter have
had two long conversations with him. the one
| during the war and the other after peace was de-
| clared Both occurred at his own private resi-
| dence one OF the most attractive places in the
| city Though he Is inclined to be friendly to for
eigners | was aided in securing the first interview
| because one of the imperial princes former i'm
per!a tutor and the present imperial tutor all men,
hers OF the Council OF Defence. had spoken to him
Of the interviews which they had had with me
and of their pleasure In 1t. Such testimony was
invaluable.
"In the first conversation we referred especially
TO the reasons OF Chinas weakness In the war
such az the lack OF proper training the poor quality
of the guns and ammunition and the hardships OF
| the soldiers with no likelihood OF recompense and
| the fact tina; China had been taken by surprise
The official courteously assented 10 all the points
which | brought forward. while at the time
was pretty certain that neither h. any other
official would determine change. The Chinese
Mandarin a gentleman of propriety never
10 offend any alter the natural OF
events lie is much OF fatalist that he never
attempts to interfere with the laws OF nature
II he Is to be ground the wheels OF fate. lie
commit suicide with air Of placdlty and the
spirit OF courtesy
The day after the first interview the Mayor sent
an attendant with sumptuous Chinese repast,
which decided 20 accept. and which lasted me and
my servants In wOnted simplicity for several
days. few days later | selected present OF
about the same price and sent Ii with my compli-
ments. The official. however In the Chinese way,
felt himself unworthy 10 receive II. The next day
! again sent my servant. saying that he need not
return TIL the official accepted my present This
succeeded. and reciprocal acts OF friendllness
were thus established
After the ratification OF the treaty an English
man was visiting Picking as the guest OF the Brit
ish Minister. AS anxious 10 show the
visitor some act OF kindness living In modest apart
ments. | did not assume TO invite him 10 my own
house Knowing that he would be glad to meet
some Of the prominent men Of Picking. thought
over my different friends and decided to ask the
Mayor to grant Interview, request which
was Immediately granted.
AT o'clock In the evening two carts drove
Nd to the residence OF the Mayar. whore the st-