Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-04-13

present Emperor, who, she realized,
would be but wax in her hands. Even
before the death of the first Emperor
she was a power In the government of
China, but since his death she has
practically controlled the nation. That
she was the power behind the throne
has long been recognized in the diplo-
matte circles of Europe. 1t has been
written of her: she has created gov
ernmental policies, placed crowns on
several brows, made Viceroys, out
witted diplomats and caused kings to
tremble."
AS CLEVER AS CHANG.
It has been known that it was her
shrewdness that Wrested the fruits Of
victory from Japan; it has been real
lied that even Ii Hung Chang was as
much a puppet in her hands as the
Emperor himself, and the great men Of
Europe have been compelled to admit
that in diplomacy and statecraft few,
If any of them, were her equal.
All this has long been an open secret
among those who were in a pos Ion TO
know such things, but no one realized
that she would ever have the splendid
audaCity to undertake the final coup
that has placed her in absolute control
of the empire. The weakness of the
Emperor opened the way, however, and
with the instinct of true greatness she
seized the opportunity to bring her
long cherished plans into execution
The Emperor was always an effemi-
nate character. From the Chinese
standpoint he was also a refOrmer, and
that was worse. Those who have met
him say that he is a charming young
man, but one of most ordinary mental
calibre. To influence him was not diff
ficult, and he quickly turned a willing
ear to those who had reforms to pro-
pose.
1t has even been said that he has a
leaning towards Christianity, and that
he has been seen to wear European
clothes. All this, however, was all
right so long as he Contented himself
with scheming. When he put his
schemes into practice and proceeded
to inaugurate reforms, not one, but
scores of people held up their hands in
horror Was it possible, they said, that
the traditions Of their ancestors were
to be overruled in this manner? Was
the nation to be turned over to the
Europeans without a struggle?
ROSE ABOVE PREJUDICE.
In China woman has always been re-
garded as an inferior. Female chill
dren are protested at birth, and are
often drowned in infancy like so many
kittens, but when the Empress came
forward and boldly announced that she
and that in the future she, and she
alone would rule, they were willing to
overlook this tradition to save those
that were more sacred to them.
This, then, is the story of the rise
of Tuen Tson Hsi.
Fifty years ago she was the child OF
a family of beggars, whose chief con-
Germ was where the next bowl Of rice
was to be found. To-day she is the
ruler over six hundred million Of peo-
pie.
She has proved that circumstances
are nothing and that woman may rise
to power in any land. While it is true
that her rule has been one long reign
that no single act Of hers has ever
of plot intrigue and bloodshed, and
aided in the civilization of China, it Is
unjust to judge her from an Occidental
point of view and to condemn her for
having failed to bring about the much
needed reforms.
To her the traditions of the country
have been sacred, and she can see no
room for Improvement. While 1t is true
that from our standpoint she has been
an incalculable power for evil to the
nation, this fact does not detract from
her glory as the most brilliant diplo-
mat among women in the world to-day.