New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30
ABOUT THE CHINESE.
THE TSUNG-LIYAMEN.
THE FOREIGN OFFICE OF THE SON OF
HEAVEN" ALIAS THE EMPEROR
OF CHINA
W. E. Curtis In The Chicago Record.

ments under the Emperor His Cabinet consists
OF five grand secretaries, OF which LII hung
Chang Is one, and all communications that pass
between him and the rest Of the Government
go through their hands. When report OF
proposition reaches the Emperor II ls marked
with the vermilion pencil. according to his pleas
ure and then handed down through the Cabinet
to the particular bureau or board having )uris-
dctiOn over that particular subject There are
Boards Of Censors, Revenue Civil OficerS. Kites
and Ceremonies. Army and Navy, Punishment
Public Works and the Tsung-li-Yamen, "hich
has jurisdiction over foreign affairs and is com.
posed Of the presidents cf the other boards and
the grand secretaries. There is also Council
of State composed OF the same men, VINO nave
regular meetings for consultation, but ior
eicncr finds it impossible TO comprehend their
duties and distinguish Whcre ther JurlsICuoi
begins or ends
Before the war Of 1860 with England business
with foreigners was conducted at the Colonial
Ofiicc. and by the same officials VINO lookcu aite'
the tribute paid the Emperor 10y his vassiLlS IN
Thibct. Manchuria. Corca and elsewhere ina
vas considered the proper department TOT the
Affairs Of foreign devils" and barbarlans IKE
the Queen Of England the Emperor Of France
and thc President Of the United states were re-
garded as vassals II the Son Of Heaven Aite'
that war the Ministers from foreign countries
refused To accept this situation any longer ana
the Tsung-li-Yamcn was temporarily organized
Of the presidents OF the permanent boards u
confer with the diplomatic representatives r.
siding at Picking and transact such other DUST
ness as the Emperor might have with contrac-
tors and Other foreigners. Recent events nave
made it the most important Of all the Govern
rpent boards at Pekin. L. is the only one tha'
has Offices outside OF the forbidden city whose
gates no foreigner is allowed 10 enter. eXcep'
the members Of the Diplomatic Corps and they
only when they present their letters OF Gre
dence - the Emperor.
The Tsung-li- Yamen occupies an old temple
within convenient iistan e OF Legation-st.' upon
which nearly all the foreign legations are STU
ated II is now composed OF the most eminent
men surrounding the Emperor. Ii Hung chang
who is the best known to foreigners. Prince
Kung. Weng Tung Ho. Kang Vi and Chen fins
Pu who compose the Emperor's Cabinet. are
particularly influential. aad whatever they say
is usually tho law Of the council
Prince Kung is uncle Of the present Emperor
and son Of the late Emperor Tao Taung. He IS
considered an excellent man. OF liberal ideas
and good intentions. but Is OLD anu III pao
health
Weng Tung Ho was the Emporor's tutor dur
ing his minority. and IS considered the ables'
and most influential man at Court he Is presl-
dent Of the Board Of Revenue. which CORE
spends to the Treasury Department in our GOV
eminent. and is the most important Once uinei
the EmperOr He WAS an mplacahle zoe 10 al
foreign devils" and resisted all progressive
movements until the late war with Japan "het
his eyes were opened 10 the importance ana
necessity Of undermining China Since then n
has been regarded the leader of tn" progress
siye faction but he has never been OUTSIDE o.
the city Of Picking He has no kno"lrdSe ol
geography or foreign affairs or modern ciFll|A
ton except what ne has learned IN conNeisa
ton with foreigners and being stubborn ant
superstitiOus and vain. Is therefore very dHl'ui'
to deal with.
Kang vi is the leader OF the anti-foreign fac
tion--a conservative Of conservatives VINO re-
siete ali Innovations and believes that China rep
-esents the highest degree OF civilization. Dur
ing the late war with Japan he ordered me
soldiers 10 b. armed with bows and arrows ID
stead Of guns and insisted that those "h,
carried muskets should have bullets maze Ol
ciav instead Of wasting money on lead He is
a fair representative OF Chinese craftsmanship
in the thirt arnth century.
Chen Wing Pu IS president OF the board OIL
public Works and. although he has never peer
outside # China. n has a very fair knoWledS'
Of foreign affairs is earnest in his efforts L
prorrote railway building and other Internal I'm
provements and is free from prejudice aghinsl
foreigners 1t was he who recently introducec
a postal service into China
lung Iu is a Manchurian general who mas
spent most Of his III in command OF an army
~ Tartars on the northern border. and Is con
sidorod the ablesf military man In emma. liz
IS narrow. bigoted ignorant and superstltious
ching Hsin. another Manchu. is also Mario"
and bigoted and believes that CHINA ~ tn'
greatest and most powerful nation on earth
He knows nothing about foreign affairs. and IA:
never left the northern provinces or emma.
Chang Yen Huan. who was formerly Minister
10 the United states. and went 70 LONDON rs
a special ambassador to the Queens Jubilee. Is
the ablcst and most intelligent memp"r 81 IN,
Tsung Yamen. but his comparatively low ram
prevents him from having much influence There
a 70 reports also that since his return 70 emma
from the jubilee he has offended some ~ th'
more conservative and punctilious OF ms asSo
ciates by assuming foreign airs.
WI Ting Fen. the youngest member oi th'
Tsune-li-Yamen. is prot"g@ Of Prince hung
He belongs to the reform party. ana Is IN
leader u the younger ana hberal ei,ilth.. ~, LIE
ability. learning and diplomatic skill make hin
the most promising among Chinese statesmen
and his influence with Prince kung. throuSi
whom ne can reach the Emperor. Is very great
TRADEMARKS FOR THE ORIENT