Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-07
THE TSUNG-Ll-YAMEN.



tChicago Record.l
There are seven o. eight executive
departments under the Chinese emf
peror. His cabinet consists OF five
grand secretaries, OF which Iii Hung
Chang il one, and all communications
that pass between him and the rest
OF the government go through their
hands. When report OF "a PROPOSE
ton reaches the emperor 1t Is marked
with the vermilion pencil, according to
his pleasure, and then handed down
through the cabinet to the particular
bureau or board having jurisdiction
over that particular subject There are
boards of censors, revenue, civil off,
GERS, rites and ceremonies, army and
navy, punishment, public works ana
the Tsungli Yamen, with has iurls-
diction over foreign affairs, and is
composed of the presidents Of the other
boards, and the grand secretaries.
There IL also a council of state, COM
posed Of the same men, who have reg
ular meetings for consultation, but a
foreigner finds 1t impossible to COM
prehend their duties and distinguish
where their jurisdiction begins or ends
Before the war of 1860 with Eng
land. business with foreigners was
conducted at the colonial office, and
by the same officials who looked after
tlt lIlDult Ddlu tf1t emperor ms
vassals in Thibet. Manchuria Corea
and elsewhere. That was considered
the proper department for the affairs
OF foreign devils" and barbarians like
the queen of England. the emperor OF
France, and the President OF the Unit
ed States We're regarded as vassals of
the Son of Heaven. After that war
the ministers from foreign countries
refused to accept this situation any
longer, and the Tsung-li- Yamen was
temporarily organized of the presi-
dents of the permanent boards to con-
fer with the diplomatic representatives
residing in Pekin, and transact such
other business as the emperor might
nave with contractors and other for
eigners. Recent events have made It
the most important of all the govern
ment boards at Pekin. II Is the only
one that has offices outside of the for
hidden city whose gates no foreigner
is allowed to enter. except the mem
bcrs of the diplomatic corps, and they
only when they present their letters OF
credence to the emperor.
The Tsung-li Yamen occupies an old
temple within convenient distance of
Legation street, upon which nearly all
the foreign legations are situated. II
is now composed of the most eminent
men surrounding the emperor, Ii Hung
Chang. who Is the best known to for
eigners: Prince Kung. Weng Tung Ho,
Kang VI and CHEN Wing Pu. who COM
pose the emperor's cabinet, are par
ticularly Influential, and whatever they
say Is usually the law of the council.
Prince kung Is uncle of the present
emperor and son of the late emperor
Tao Taung. He is considered an eX-
cellent man, of liberal ideas and good
Intentions, but is old and in bad health.
Weng Tung HO was the emperor's tu-
tor during his minority, and Is con-
sidered the ablest and most influential
man at court. He is president of the
board of revenue, which corresponds to
the treasury department in our govern
ment, and is the most important office
under the emperor He was an i'm
placable foe to all foreign devils" and
resisted all progressive movements
until the late war with Japan, when
his eyes Were opened to the Importance
and necessity of undermining China
Since then he has been regarded as the
leader of the progressive faction, but
he has never been outside OF the city
of Pekin. He has no knowledge of geo.
graphy or foreign affairs or modern
civilization. except what he has learned
in conversation with foreigners, and
being stubborn and superstitious and
vain, is therefore very difficult to deal
with.
Kang VI Is the leader of the anti
foreign faction-a conservative OF con-
servatives, who resists all innovations
and believes that China represents the
highest degree of civilization. During
the late war with Japan he ordered the
soldiers to be armed with bows and ar
rows instead OF guns. and insisted that
those who carried muskets should have
bullets made OF clay instead of vast
ing money on lead. He is fair repre-
sentative of Chinese statesmanship in
the thirteenth century. Chen Wing Pu
Is president Of the board of public
works. and although he has never been
outside of China he has n very fair
knowledge of foreign affairs. Is earnest
in his efforts TO promote railway build
ing and other internal improvements.
and is free from prejudice against for
eigners II was he who recently intro
duced n postal service into China.
Jung Lu is Manchurian general.
who has spent most of his life In com
mand Of an army of Tartars on the
northern border, and is considered the
ablest military man in China. He IL
narrow, blgoted, ignorant and super
stitious. Ching Hsin, another Mnnchu.
Is also narrow and higoted and be-
lieves that China 10 the greatest and
most powerful nation on earth He
knows nothing about foreign affairs
and has never left the northern prov
inces of China. Chang Yen Huan. who
was formerly minister to the United
States, and went TO London ms she
cial ambassador 10 the queens Jubilee
is hesablest and most Intelligent mem
her OF the Tsung-li-Yamen. but his
comparatively low rank prevents him
from having much influence. There are
reports. also. that since his return To
China from the jubilee he has offended
some Of the more conservative and
punctilious of his associates by ASSUME
ing foreign airs. WI Ting Fen. the
youngest member Of the Tsung-li-Ya-
men. is proteGc Of Prince Kung. He
belongs to the reform marty, and Ia the
leader Of the Younger and liberal Gle
ment. His ability learning and diplo-
matte skill make him the most promis-
ing among Chinese statesmen. and his
influence with Prince Kung. through
whom he can reach the emperor, is
very great.