The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-07-09
A HATED EMPEROR.
III Feeling Existing Between the
Chinese Ruler and His Subjects.
The Speedy Downfall of the Present Dyn-
asty Pruphetically Announced-The
Country to Be Divided Into
Three Kingdoms.

Reports of serious revolt against
the present Chinese government in
Manchurin and the issue of proclama
tions by the rebels declaring that the
Manchu dynasty is near its end have
created a great deal of interest among
the foreign colony in the treaty ports,
says letter from Shanghai. News
that bears directly upon the reported
disaffection in many provinces OF China
comes from Nanking. 1t appears that
all up through the great valley of the
Yangtse finely written prophecy OF
the approaching end of Manchu rule is
being circulated. 1t is almost impossi-
BILE for foreigner who has not lived
in China to understand the Importance
that is given by the gentry to anything
which is well written or carefully
printed. If such document does not
strongly violate the probabilities it
will be accepted as Gospel truth.
This prophecy, says the Chicago
Tribune, appears to be firmly believed
by all the Chinese who have read it. 1t
purports to have been written by Huan
Peh-Shan,' n,'who in vision describes
the downfall of the present govern
ment. It shows considerable literary
ability, but anyone who is skeptical
may readily see that the author has
thrown in local detail to clinch his
prophecy.
The sketch of the emperors of China
is very well done, but this historical in
PRODUCTION appears to have been writ
ten merely to lull the suspecions of the
reader and to induce him to accept the
sensational statements about the COM
ing ruin of the Manchu dynasty. The
prophet declares that the great prov
inces of Yunnan and Kueichou are the
first that will abandon the empire.
After this China will be divided into
three kingdoms, but this will not take
place and permanent peace will not be
secured until the woods are cleared
from Purple mountain and the waters
of Lotus lake are dried up. The
specious nature of such a prophecy may
be seen when it is stated that about
all the forest has been cut off of PURE
Pile mountain, while in dry years ona
may walk over the bed of Lotus lake,
which is converted into solid ground.
Any season of drought may therefore
be taken by the conspirators with the
assurance that the two main items OF
this prophecy will be found fulfilled.
In Human there is deep feeling
against the present dynasty because of
it's favor shown to foreigners. Human
is the seat of a set Of fanatics who
would rejoice to see every European
ehrown out of China. In this province
nave occurred the worst outrages on
Christian missionaries, and anyone
journeying up the Yangtse retains
Jivid recollections of the showers of
stones and obscenity that descended
Upon his house-boat from the neigh
,.oring banks. Intercourse with
foreigners seem only to intensity the
popular hatred of the European inter-
lopers, who, they think, are encouraged
5y the young Emperor and his advis-
RS. The worst feature of the situa-
Ion is that the central government
loes not dare to rebuke the insolence
f the Human people. This has beer
hown repeatedly in recent yeals, out
he most conspicuous instance was the
fGiir.re TO punish Chou Han, the author
Christianity, which caused all the peril
nd suffering of missionaries in the
ZauGste valley. This man was proved
be the author of these tracts incit-
,g people to murder Christian mis-
3naries, and the very blocks on which
icy were printed were found in his
ouse, Eu5 he escaped on the specious
retext. trumped UP by the governor
Chang Chu, that the man was insane,
nd therefore beyond the reach of the
w!
Again in the recent Suneku massacre
two Swedish missionaries the
iceroy of Human was first insolent,
len procrastinating, and finally,
hen forced to act, cunningly made
,apegoats of some of the best native
riends of the missionaries. He then
.ilated on the thoroughness of his
work and the impartial punishment
lealt out. Everyone recognized the
nockery of the thing, but as no
European could follow out an invest,-
cation his report had to be accepted.
Since then elaborate protests have
been filed with the Taung-i Yamen
against the injustice of the proceed
ing.
In any other country than China
such acts would have resulted in the
degradation of the guilty officials, but
the governor of Changcha and the
viceroy of Human are both in office
and complacently defy their foreign
critics.
1t is from Human, therefore, that we
may expect to see the first uprising
against the present dynasty. There
are already rumors of serious trouble,
but no one can ascertain the facts, be-
cause the province is closed to Euro
peans, and the few native Christians
dare not tell what they know for fear
Of the vengeance of the officials.
MASKED REEnRE MARRlAGE