The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-13
THE REFORMS IN CHINA
AN EPTTOME AND DISCUSSION OF THE
EMPEROR's DEGREES.
He Realized His COuntry's Condition
Ways Beyond His Times,
London Times.

London Times
Whatever the precise position Of the EN-
peror of China may be at this moment, it
seems to be agreed by all those in the best
position to judge that the recent coup d'etat,
or palace revolution in Picking was caused
by the reforming zeal of the Emperor and
OF certain persons who were in his conf
dence and on whose advice he acted The
odd gang" in Picking has for the moment
been successful. and the reforming Emperor
has been checked, If not wholly overthrown.
This, in word, seems to be the situation,
and it will, therefore, be of interest to ex-
anime the recent edicts issued by the EN-
peror to see how far he is justly credited
with eagerness for reform. and what direc-
tions his energies took. The Picking Gazette
like official publications in other lands, is
somewhat belated in its information; but
the native papers seem to have eagerly
sought for early copies of the imperial
edicts never very difficult enterprise in
Pe1ing), and with their help it is now pos
sible to bring down the list of these to
very few weeks before the coup d'etat.
Making every allowance for the natural
habit of the rulers of China to turn their
best side out in these public documents, the
edicts of the present Emperor, of which 1
have recently read perhaps couple of hun
dred, do seem to me to exhibit a deep i'm
preston of the humiliation Of the country,
and desire to put an end to the evils of
the administration which have caused this.
Some of the reforms ordered may seem pue-
rile and foolish; this, perhaps, is natural
also; the same could with perfect truth have
been said'of many of the early reforms at
tempted in Japan. The point is that there
is unquestionably a zeal for improvement
evinced in the edicts; the circumstances
with corrupt and negligent officials are
sharper and more frequent; the punishments
are prompt and severe, and again and again
there is exhibited a holiness in departing
from precedent, not to say a certain con-
tempt for ancient and useless customs.
which is as unusual as it is refreshing.
Thus, early in August, an edct addressed
10 nigh mandarins all over the country re-
itered previous eXhortations to set earnestly
to work and help the Emperor TO reform the
country. His Majesty says:
1T has been the habit Of one-half of our
officers TO observe only the technicalities of
old and obsolete uSages. and We have tried
once before to lay bare the utter useless
ness of such practices in the government
or the empire in the present crisis. We en-
larged upon the high Importance of keeping
up and educating ourselves with the proceed
ure of modern times and warned our officers
from treading in the footsteps of the an
clients of the Sung and Ming eras. The
times and crisis which hang over US must
force us TO take steps toward Streng hen
from us sincerely the practices of old, en-
brace at once a thorough reformation. and
make a new era of progress and education
there is no hope of success before us. The
bane of the country has been the deeply
rooted system of inertness and cinging
to obsolete customs. This, indeed, 1t should
be the true duty of each and every officer
to shake off, in defiance of the hostile at
titude of the uneducated majority" After
loo iZfV1 hn fNnNTnF 0f
Human to overcome obstruction and bigot-
ed conservatism in his province, the EN-
es desTe at All hs oces high and
low, should keep this edict in mind, rouse
themselves to activity enlighten and edu-
cate themselves to what is going on at the
present moment and do, every one, his
best TO cast off the shackles Of obsolete
and useless customs These somewhat
to the sainted Sungs and Mings must have
appeared fiat blasphemy to nine out of ten
of the persons TO whom the edict is ad-
dressed.
USELESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
His Majesty, however, was not content
Citations Later on, in August, he abolished
the old system of literary essays on ancient
topics, and substituted practical essays on
modern, up-to-date subjects. thereby doing
away, for good, with the hollow, useless
and impractical methods of an obsolete
age" Further, he ordered the highest ex-
animation of all to take place in his own
presence, and directed the test of fine pen
manship to be wholly discontinued, las cal
igraphy Is but an empty accomplishment"
The pride of Chinese scholar in his pen
manship is greater than the pride of the
proudest young mother in her first baby, or
of the young poet in his first poem, and here
is the Emperor calling ii IAN empty ac-
complishment!' No wonder there has been
Init EDEn TO rfNrs
had heartily approved of a suggestion that
rules for more modern examinations for
military candidates should be prepared and
that modern military schools should be es-
tablished throughout the country Further
he approved of the disarmament of troops
drilled in the ancient style. Now is not
the time to adhere strictly to ancient pre-
cedents in organizing the imperial armies,
and example should be made of the modern
style Of drilling, clothing, and feeding the
troops. We must first do away with the
frauds hitherto prevalent in the army. Ac-
cordingly he comes down with a heavy
hand on the officers of dummy or ''skele-
tom battalions. banishing them forthwith
into Mongolia or Eastern TurkeStan. he
approves of the establishment of mining
schools on the western system; IN li re IN
found possible. similar schools should be
established in other provinces in order that
there may be competent Chinese engineers
to develop the mineral wealth of the coun-
try. Several edicts complain bitterly of the
lulxewarmness of the high officials:
scolded the princes. mobiles, ministers and
subordinate officers of our court for their
ingratitude in neglecting to help him; they
perpetually shirk their duties, even the
simplest and the imperial heart is filled
with wrath and indignation. The Emperor
will himself in future SedulouSly examine
into all such cases, and he promises the Of
tenders that their punishment will in no
wise be light Now, after this decree, let
no one say that he has not been given fair
warning to desst from such evil practices,
concludes the angry Emperor. Three
months later the complaint is repeated. His
Majesty is resolved to stop once for all,
applications for leave of absence under pre-
tense of Illness. and will severely punish
officials pretending to be i'll when they are
in perfect health. Again in August, the
provincial authorities come in for a Sc
we're wigging for their lukewarmneSS in
the cause of reform. and in particular the
much delay in reporting on the facilities for
education in each city of the empire. Hard
w one viceroy or governor has sent in his
report with suggestions, and the viceroy of
Marking and the Governor of Canton are
singled out for special denunciation. If.
saws the edict the Emperor cannot trust
TO the gratitude of men in whom he has
shown such confidence and whom he has
promoted to high honor, where is he to look
for support?
TOURS FOR CHINESE ROYALTIES.
One very important reform which might
have been productive of untold good to
China was approved by the Emperor in a
decree issued early in June. 1t was that
,,,a,,,le,s IF the immortal houSe should he