The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-12
The Chinese and Their Emperor,

Nowhere are the occupants OF the
throne more iealously shielded from the
contamination Of the popular gaze than
in China. To seciude the monarch has
been part Of the great sham by which the
mandarins have deluded the people. For
the last hundred years few indeed of the
ieges have seen their sovereign's face.
If he traverses Pekin the streets are
screened with mating 20 shade the Au-
gust One from vulgar eyes. The late En-
peror Tung Chi. on a famous occasion re.
turning from the Temple of Heaven. had
the screen removed and so wen immense
popularity. II belongs 10 the general
scheme Of humbug 10 represent the Car
nation City as ali gorgeous within. Ma
tive fancy pictures roofs OF gold and sill
yer vases. in which swim fishes of silver
and gold" Inside those arcane enclosures
the superior mortals of the imperial HER
a-chy drink the nectar OF China. that del
icate tea denied 10 ordinary lips. and pass
delighted lives in planning China's veal
Poor John Chinsman. who pays the tax
es and bears the burdens. is supposed TO
believe all this; but he does nothing OF
the kind. The Chinese stage and the nov
el have made the public pretty familiar
with the weary monotOny OF the secluded
absolutism and clustered intrigue OF the
forbidden city. Happily. though Chinese
royalty is rarely seen. II is much given
TO addressing the people. and there IS
nothing in Celestial literature half so
amusing as these addresses No other
country is blessed with anything Ike our
Pekin Gazette, as foreigners Will persist
in calling the King Pao. more correctly
the Reporter Of the Capital" Besides be-
ing the Oldest newspaper extant, this
wonderful daily issue is court journal,
frra ~ = he rFFfrfar
sion sheet, and palace moGthpiece-an in
one. Here the Emperor does penance for
his sins and the Empress Dowager pa
rades her goodness; her viceroys and offi-
Gals OF every rank confess their short
comings and ask for punishment and
here in ceaseless flow rolls the titled hy
pocrisy OF the land; for in China it is the
Pharisee that smites upon his breast.
Hardly a day passes without some i'm
perial allOcution. and of late the ruling
Empress has been laying bare the secrets
of her soul.
As I fear very few people in England
subscribe for this unique and entertaining
journal. and many have perhaps never
before seen a Celestial edicJ as it issues
from the Dragon throne. I send you a
strictly literal translation Of one that ap-
peared a few days ago-at the risk Of ex-
posing how much I may have traduced
this good lady's character. 1t is. as YOU
will perceive, a lay sermon 10 the robbers
and brigands TO leave of their naughty
ways ard become good children, and thus
II reads:
Il the Empress Dowager. TZe-hsi-tuan
yu. etc. desire 10 issue this decree as an
exhortation to my people throughout the
empire. OF late all the reports sent 10
me by the VicerOys and Governors OF
provinces concerning summary execu-
tons have mostly referred to robbers and
brigands. The ferocity of such men IS.
indeed, cause for indignation; but, again,
their stupidity moves my heart 10 pity.
Now. the common excuse OF these rob-
bers when caught is that they have been
pushed to rob by hunger and cold. but
they never think that in doing so they
have made themselves amenable 10 the
last penalty, and that they never can es-
cape with life Moreover. such men are
active and able bodied. They are never
composed of weak and incapable classes.
Now, how much better would it not have
been for these men to direct their ac-
tivity and energy to farming and agricul-
ture to get livelihood; or, II not. they
can easily join the army as soldiers
where they can always have a chance
of rising in the social scale by bravery and
diligence in their duties. What differ
ence this to being chained and confined
in prison, Such being the case. let me
ask which of the things mentioned be-
fore will give a man most chaucc2 More
over, as robbers as soon as they are cap
tured they engulf their parents and broth
ers. wives and children In the general
catastrophe. Can they bear the respon-
sibility all this incurs?
Now. although / am living in the in
nermost recesses OF the palace. I am yet
night and day filed with thoughts for
the welfare of my people. and so issue
this admonition TO my children to cOnsid-
er their evil ways. and deserve my anx-
iety for them by becoming good citizens.
Let the VicerOys and Governors Of PROV
inces make known this my decree 20 my
people in the empire Picking Core
spondence London Telegraph. January Il.