New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-24
TEXT OF THE DECREE RECEIVED
THE CHINESE MINIsTER TALKS ABOUT THE AC-
cEssION OF THE EMPRESS DowAGER

TEXT OF THE DECREE RECEIVED.
THE CHINESE MINISTER TALKS ABOUT THE Ac-
cEssION OF THE EMPRESS DowAGER
TO POWER
Washington. Sept 93-The Chinese Minister, Mr.
WI Ting Fang to-day received cable dispatch
from the Chinese Foreign Office Picking. giving
the text of the odct issued by the Emperor yes
terday. in which owing to the critical condition
OF Chinese affairs he calls back power the En-
press Dowager and commits to her hands the d.
rection Of the affairs of tho Empire. The edict.
freely translated from the cipher cable, is as fol-
lows:
Now that China IS disturbed and there is need
perez ag 81 from morning 70 evening for the
occur, observing from the beginning Of the reign
OF Tung Chi That the Empress Dowager mad twice
signal ability ard success so we now consider
ing the important interests OF the Empire, have
begged the Empress Dowager 10 give 70 the EN-
peror the benefit Of her ripe experience and her IN
struction. The Dowagor Empress has been pleased
good fortune Of the whole Empire that this auspi-
cious event is brought about From to-day the Em-
perial apartments and. the sth day ~ the pres
ent month Chinese calendar meaning to-day. Eng
fish calendar). will take all the princes and
Ministers to perform the ceremony in the Chin
chung Palace; Let the Yamen 0oreign odicsl
fitting honors
The Chinese Minister was seen az the Legation
today. and talked freely concerning the edict He
said thhre secrecy about H. nothing 10 In
dictate that II triumph Of one foreign element
over another. and that its essential purpose was
10 strengthen China a time when serious foreign
problems We're presented n was natural. he said.
that the Dowager Empress should he called to the
aid ~ the Emperor owing 10 dynastic reasons. The
present Dowager has survived three dynastes. be-
ginning with that NJ Emperor Hsen Flung She
the second wife ~ the Emperor. and bore him
a son. Tung chi. who on the death Of his father
he, ~ infan
and the mother. then and nov Dowager Empress.
directed for him the affairs NJ the empire. On
his death without issue the Dowager elected her
nephew. Kwang Hsu. become the Emperor. and
his reign is now in progress. He was child when
he took the throne twenty-four wears ago. and up
70 nine years ago the Dowaeer directed affairs for
him acting much as the Queen Regent OF Spain
acts for the boy King. II is this Dovager Empress
who now recalled to the active assistance Of tho
Emperor This the Chinese Minister points out.
IS a natural move toward the Strengthening Of the
hands Of the Emperor. giving him the same aid
which the Dowager Empress gave while the EN-.
neror and his predecessor were infant rulers
EFFECT OF THE DECREE
Concerning the report that the Empress's return
~ nower was a coup d'etat favorable 10 Russia.
tho Minister says he does not consider the move
favorable 10 any Power as against any other. its
effect ne says. will be toward strict importantly
in China's treatment OF Russia. Great Britain,
Germany. France, me lriten Std'eo' japan
the world at large In the former regency OF the
Empress she had shown marked friendship Tor tho
English so that IN the opinion ~ the Minister.
Il was unfair 10 presume she had anu-hnsns"
nroiudices As 70 its effect on Ii Hung Chang. the
Minister said that the Dowaser Empress had iohs
adrnired the rugged ability Of the old statesman.
hut he did not think this would result In the re-
,urn of ii 70 the Foreign Office from which post
he was recently relieved. owing. II was UNDERSTOOD
70 foreign influences 1t is probable the Minister be-
lieves that Prince Ii will continue IN MS hoininA'
post as Imperial Secretary
When asked if China had the strength TO resist
Acknowledgement by foreign Powers. the Minister
said
am confident that China will remain intact and
am elad 10 note that your late Minister to China,
Nr DENLY has the same opinion. China mas ne
native resources. wealth and population 20 na ar
looked that some OF the foreign influences; sucn
as concessions for railways, etc. Will nenen anu
develop China far more than they can benent any h
foreign country These concessions VIII zap tno
rcb Interior Of china give highways for tho prod
ucts now confined the Interior, ana carry theh
the outside markets
The Minister speaks with special satisfaction OK
a concession which he signed short tine ago. ny
which an American syndicate Will build a railroad
from Han-Kow 10 Canton. a distance or eisht
hundred miles II is understood that among thoso
Interested In this concession the Rockefelers,
Vanderbilts Morgans. ex-senator Brice ana ex-
Mayor Hugh J. Grant Of New-York. The Minister
signed the concession just before the war betweeni
Suain and the United States broke out. and this
led TO some delay in beginning work on inc road.
Now however he is informed that the American
engineers are about 70 start for tHeir surveys OK
the line and that construction will be pushed from