Arizona silver belt., 1895-05-25
IF lal LAPS TAKE pgKlNa.
The Chinese Emperor Must Hang Himself
 Among IIIs Anccstors' Tombs,

The Chinese Emperor Must Hang Himself
 Among Ills Ancestors Tonbs.
 The members,oi tho diplomatic corps and others familiar with conditions and customs in China are fond of specu- lating just now upon the possibilities that may follow the capture of Picking by the Japanese army, says the Wash ington Post It is assumed that the young emperor of China will observe the traditions of his race in ease he is overcome by so direful catastrophe as the capture of his capital, and hang himself among the tombs of his ances- tors, and should that occur there is no one to succeed him. He has TO chil- dren, and the most sacred of the tra- ditions that concern the royal family requires that the emperor shall have ancestors whom the may worship, and from whose spirit he may receive in- spiration and guidance in the adminis. tration of the government. Last fall gentleman of this city accompanied one of the most learned members of the Chinese legation to the soldiers cem- e5ery at Arlington, and while they were wandering under the beautiful ost,s the latter pointed out several pi tper locations for burial. He ex- lllaiued that any man who should bury his ancestors in a certain place, which he pointed out, would certainly enjoy great wealth, would prosper in busi- ness and accumulate money rapidly. Another location was favorable for the burial of the ancestors of one who aspires to political in- huenee. The advantageous con ditions of each site were ex- plained according to the mys- tical superstitions of the race, and the Chinaman expressed his amazement that Americans should be so indifferent se them. In China, if Rn ambitious pol
 does not advance as rapidly as
 res, he attributes his failure to
 satisfaction of his ancestors with
 site selected for their burial, and
 Aoves their bones with great cere- )uy to another which he considers
 70 favorable If he does not then
 ed he moves them elsewhere, and
 on doing so until he enjoys bet
 ok or gives up in despair.
 ignorance of the emperor of
 concerning the disasters that overtaken his armies and his fleets is beleved to be decided advantage To the Japanese, for no one dare tell him the whole truth concerning their continual and frequent defeats. No
 dy, not even the prime minister, can proaeh the emperor, except upon his knees; nor can anyone talk to him ex- cept while lying prostrate, with his srehead pressed against the rugs upon the floor of O platform that sur rounds the throfe. Such posture is DO. conducive to iuent communication, and, as 1t is a part of the religion of the Chinese to consider the emperor om- nipotent and. invncible, it requires more Una Mnlz courage to inform him to the contrary. IL is custom also for the emperor to hold those who ap- proach him responsible for the tidings they bring, and reyyard or punish them accordingly Ji Hung Chang was de- prived of Bis yeliety jacket, his peacock feathersand iiS golden rose for inform ing his ssrereign that the armies of Chips were not in Q condition to resist tho advances of their enemy, and the nan who notifies the emperor that the Iapanese are at the gates of Picking will certainly lose his head.