New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-16


on again In increased intensity; to understand
which bit Of past history must be recalled
The Emperor Hen Fung dying In 1851. LETT
the throne TO his infant son. Tung Chi. During
the atter's minority the Government was CON
Quoted by a regency of four-namely. Hen
Fung's wife, the mother Of Tung Chi: Hen
Fung's concubine the Empress-D Owager Use
Hs. and Hen Fung's two brothers. Drince Kung
and Prince Chun. When Tung Chi became egll-
teen years old he showed himself an ambitious
and headsrong young man, who wanted 10 DO
the real ruler Of his realm. He announced that
he would take the Government into his own
hands And two years afterward ne died. some
declaring that his exit bad been expedited by
interested parties. As he left no son. the re-
gents. now Increased 10 five in number by the
accession Of Ii Hung Chang. selected the son OF
Prince Chun to be his successor. and he Is the
present Emperor Kwang Su. Now. kwang Su
was at that time only four years old. wherefore
the five regents assumed full charge OF the ''oV
eminent and held ii for twelve years. Then
Kwang Su announced that he was ready To take
affairs into his own hands But they being
tactfu as we'll as able. contrived To retain con
troll for some years longer. artfuly persuadng
him that he was ruling and they were his most
obedient servants when really he was mere
puppe in their hands.
His eyes were opened TO the real state of af-
fairs at the time Of the Japanese war. He be-
came exceedingly wrOlh. and vented all his
anger upon Ii Hung Chang. because that ven
cradle statesman was the only one OF the re-
gents who was not Il member of the imperial
family. and the Chinese religious doctrine OF
flial piey forbade the young Emperor to turn
his hand against his own kin of an elder gen
Grafton That was why Ii Hung Chang was
on a hlmsy pretext deprived Of his Yellow Jacket
and Peacock Feathers; he was the scalHgoat OF
the whole regency. Since then there has Deem
pretty steady war between the two parties. Tn
the one side the young Emperor and his sate-
lites ON The other the five regents. or those
who are left of them For Prince Chun the
Emperors father the Sword OF the Manchoo
Dynasty" Is now dead and so IS one OF the
Dowager Empresses-the one who was Hen
Fung's lawful wife Prince Kung. moreover
has retired from political life. SO there are only
two left. the richest. ablest ard most determined
OF them a-the Dowage: Empress Use ll>i and
J.. Hung Chang.
When Ii started Oh his recent journey around
the world the Emperor received him at fare
we'll audience. at which Il more than Arctic frost
Is said 10 have prevailed ON his return 10 Pc
king Ii dutlfully repaired 10 the palace TO pay
his RESPECTS 10 the Emperor. But on his way
he stopped for few moments 10 call on his old
friend and ally. the Dowagrr Empress: Use llsi
at her house just outside the walls of The For
hidden City. And that was his fault. that he
called on her before he presented himself 10 the
Emperor For that the Emperor fined him
years salary and again deprived him Of the
Order OF the yellow Jacket. A. for the Foreign
Ministry, that was n deusion and snare. tn"
Emperor reckoncd Ii too powerful ana too dan
gerous man to be again nru>ted with the
Viceroyalty of a province. or even 10 be on "f
the Emperors own sight. So he created for HIN
an Office with the high sounding title Of Minis
ter for Foreign Affairs. with headquarters NJ
Peking but with merely nominal duties and
absolutely no power or authority. II was
mere fiction for keeping H. where he could do
no harm
Such Is the stor;. as II Is told. 10 date. What
the sequel vii, be is mattrr for interesting spec
ulation IL IA scarcely the man 10 endure such
suppression and Use Ilsl j. not The woman 10
desert her old ally or TO be beaten In the game
Of politics by the young nephew whom she
helped 10 nut upOn the throne. So those two, ont
Of the imperial favor and holding no real OH
clal places Will bring MI their grca, ability AMI
| indomitablp will and almost unmcasured wealth
| To bear against the Son OF Heaven 10 force him
back beneath their control 1t will DO a royal. an
! imperial, struggle. with the r,ilership OF IN"
| Empire for It's stake.