New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-12
A TALK WITH CHTNA'S EMPEROR.
YANG VI VETS REFORM PROPOSITIONS
AND HOW THEY WERE MET

Vans Yu Wei he fugitive eader q tho Reform
party. who recently made his escape from PeklnE,
an exceedingly interesting story Of an interview he
had win TIE emperor on me So5fo' ,Sa paace
at Picking The meeting VIII Hif MA Ma)esy I, tSs
members Of the Reform party The proposals
which he then enunciated and which ne had en-
bodied In tho the form OF men 81 re9ye a aRa me
Emperor follow in the steps Of Japan or those
Ia e and mode mo- o admnisraton and ertsb
lshment Of department through ~ncn Isssa
Of the old official; and m" OPENING mp OF
twelve departments First law departmeht, o,-s,go
end. treasury. third education lengagng iore g
teachers, fourth. legislative department. hI.n'
agriculture sixth Commercial department. ssN Sonr,.
mechanical department. elgnih railway 1rPa.s-
ment ninth postal tenth mihlnS eee'n dn.
partments TO be modelled On Western lines and
foreigners 10 be engaged TO advise and assist. the
nrefecfures whose chief duty would be 20 give
effect the instructions OF the twelve Depart
measures. to construct roads. 10 induce the people
TO cultivate the land under modern methods and 20
snraad commerce. a complete change or the rev
enue system and other reforms in the internal ad-
minstration Of the country
RECEIVED BY THE EMPEROR
ITO this memorial the Emperor replied with ar an
"On June Is I granted an audience with the
Emperor II lasted for two hours. was received
"a e m ha n u a BEEN taken over by Russia
and the Emperor wore an anxious careworn eN-
In good health He has straight nose. round
forehead pleasant ewes is clean shaver. and has
PAL r oS9 and TINS rs Il ooKed very nte
gent and rad a kindly expression. altogether I'M
Cbinnse 11H e wore the usual Official dress but
instead of the large square or embroidery on me
breast worn by the high officials the embroidery
In his case was round encirclirg a dragon. and
there were two smaller emhroideries on his shout.
dors He wore the usual official cap. He was led
f. by eunuchs. and took his seat on a dais a
large yellow cushion. with his feet folded beneath
eft alone but all the time were conversing
his eyes were watching the windows. as II to see
that no one eavesdroppng. There was long
table in front OF him with TWO large candlesticks
kne' at one Of the corners Of the t liable h ana
are reserved for the high O Of S rema9sd
Soeyins ' in the Mandarin dialect
The Emperor said TO me. Your books are very
useful and very instructive
II practically repeated what ! said In my
mortal about the weakness Of China being owing
to the lack Of progress
The Emperor said. Yes, all these Conservative
Il said to him China is very weak now. but #
IS not yet too late mend gave him the eN-
ample Of France after the Franco-Prussian War
Gn mat had pa ,hf tn @p"n T be S r &
greater because France had LOST TWO provinces
him how 1t was that France had been able to
recuperate so rapidly. whereas china had done
practically nothing during the three years since
The Emperor listened very attentyely and
asked me 10 give the reason
81 replied that the reason was that NJ THEIRS
Issued proclamations to the people Of France ad-
Nising he abolition Of corrupt methods and asking
their cooperation for the rehabilitation OF the
country. at once instituting REFORMS which would
enable tn country 10 recover the ground Il had
lost. The outcome was that the whole population
OF France was a. one man working for one single
object Hence lis quick recovery In China how
who put every obstruction In the way Of reform.
and told the Emperor that was the main reason
why tho country was now In it, present sad condi-
ton worse or than II was three years At the
close OF the China-Jap an war
Il asked him To look at the difficulties Japan had
to overcome before she could reform on modern
iihes. There the military feudal party had more
power than our pres' nj Conservative Ministers but
the Mikado adopted the proper course by selecting
whom he set to work out the reforms In the coun-
Try whist others went abroad To learn foreign
ful country which II is to-day. | repeated to him
what Peter the Great did to make Russia powerful.
saying. You the Emperor. ! would ask 10 re
move yourself from the saclusion in which YOU live
Come boldly forward and employ young and in
telligent officials. Follow In the footsteps OF tho
three rulers of whom | have spoken YOU. aud
carried out than you AT present imagine. In case
China Is unable to produce a sufficient number 81
mt lise1t men TO give effect to the reforms YOU
initiate strongly advocate tho employment ~ for
signers, particularly Englishmei. and Americans
| told the Emperor. Your Government is just like
a building with leaky roof the joists IRE rotten
absolutely dangerous remain longer In the build
ing. Not ony must YOU take on the roof but you
must take down the whole building and even ra@
the Foundation low could you expect your pres
ent old Ministers TO reform They have never had
any Western education They have never studied
anything thoroughly about Western civilization and
have no energy left TO instruct them to carry
out reforms s Ike asking your cook To become your
barber 10 become your chsIr~ooois and your char