The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-09-24
TEXT OF THE CHINESE EMPER-
 OR,S FDTCT OF. MEDICATION

TEXT OF THE CHINESE EMPER-
 OR'S EDICT OF MEDICATION.
 Washington, Sept. 23.-The Chinese minister, Wu Ting Fang, to-day receiv- ed a cable dispatch from the Chinese foreign office at Pekin giving the text of the edct issued by the emperor yes- terday, committing to the empress dowager the direction of the vast af- fairs of the empire The edict, freely translated from the cipher code, is as follows:
 Now that China is disturbed, and there is need that all business shall be well done, we, the emperor, agitated from morning to evening for the vel fare of all affairs, and fearful lest er- TOTS may occur, observing from the be- ginning of the reign of Tung Chi that the empress dowager had twice given instructions to the emperor, each time with signal ability and success, so we now, considering the important inter- ests of the empire, have begged the em- press dowager to give to the emperor the benefit of her wide experience and her instruction. The dowager empress has been pleased to accede to this re- quest
 Therefore it is to the good fortune of the whole empire that this suspicious event is brought about. From to-day the empress dowager conducts the bus mess In the imperial apartments, and on the eighth day of the present month Chinese calendar, meaning to-day, English calendar), we will take all the princes and ministers to perform the ceremony in the Ching Cung palace. Let the Yamen foreign office) prepare that the ceremony may be performed with fitting honors."
 The Chinese minister was seen at the legation to-day and talked freely con- cerning the edict He said there was no secrecy about it, nothing to indicate that it was a triumph of one foreign element over another, and that it's es- sential purpose was to strengthen Chi na herself at a time when serious for eign problems were presented. It was quite natural, he said, that the dowa- ger empress should be called to the aid of the emperor owing to dynastic req sons. The present dowager has sur vived three dynastics, beginning with that of Emperor Hsien Flung. Concern HE lIG IepOII llldl lIS tlllpICSS IStui II would be favorable to Russia, the min- ister said he did not consider the move favorable to any power as against any other. Its effect, he stated, would be toward strict irnpartiality in China's treatment of Russia, Great Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Japan and the world at large. During the former regency of the empress she had shown marked friendship for the English, that in the opinion of the min ister 1t was unfair to presume she had English prejudices As to it's effect upon Ii Hung Chang, the minister said the dowager empress had long admired the ability of the old statesman. But he did not think this would result in the return of hi to the foreign office from which post he was recently re- lieved owing, it was understood, to for eign influences. It was probable, the minister believed, that Prince Ii would continue in his nominal post as imperi- al secretary.
 When asked if China had the strength to resist dismemberment by foreign powers, Wu Ting Fang said: T am confident China will remain intact, and I am glad to note that your late min ister to China, MT. Denby, has the same opinion. China has the native re- sources, wealth and population to make her strong within herself. It should not be overlooked that some of the for | eign influences such as concessions for railroads, etc., will benefit and develop | China far more than they can benefit any foreign country. These concessions will tap the rich interior of China, give highways for the products now confined | to the interior and carry them to the | outside markets"