The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-10-03
PRINCE TUAN
IS DEGRADED.

the Gay, WHICH III Iteci sehuo ~
advance materially 4e efforts for q
fisal settlement China has accepted
the suggestions of the United States
contained in the answer to the Ger
msn proposition and has begun vol
unfairly the punishment of the
reactionary Chinese leaders who
were responsible for the Pekin out
RACES.
The department of state was In
formed by Consul General Goodnow,
at Shanghai, that sheng. Chinese
director of railways and telegrapbs,
has handed him a decree of the
emperor and empress dated at
Taignau Sept 25. blaming their
ministers tor encouraging the Boxers
The edict orders the degradation of
four princes and depriyes Prince
Tuan of his salary and official ser.
wants. he is to be brought for trial
before the imperial clan court
1t will be recalled that in our
answer the state department was
careful to state that while it did not
believe in demanding the surrender
of the Chinese ringleaders as con
dition precedent to negotiations. it
was resolved firmly as Secretary Hay
had said in his note of July 3, that
in the end the guilty parties should
be held to the uttermost accountable
ity. The Chinese government has
taken this intimation to heart and
perhaps FASTENED its action by the
recent manifestations Of dissatisfac-
tion by the United States govern
ment at the report of the promotion
Of Prince Tuan, already has been
begun the punishment of him and
the other Chinese leaders who are
held guilty
The decree recited by Sbeng is
felt to be of the utmost Importance
as Indicating a complete change Of
heart on the part of the reigning
dynasty. 1t means that the reac-
tionary influences which have been
dominant in Pekin throughout the
uprising and have been continued Of
late, have sufesed a complete over
throw. and that their most conspicu-
Gus figures are on trial. 1t is be-
lieved here that if this action is gen
uine, it will be hard for any of the
powers to find a reasonable pretext
for longer refusing to heed the
appeals of the Chinese government
for the opening of negotiations look
ing to a settlement
The Importance of the action ia
shown by the determination to try
Prince Tuan before the imperial clan
court. This is the supreme Judicial
tribunal of China and is the only one
having jurisdiction over the mem
bers Of the imperial family 1t is
presided over by Prince Ii, with the
we'll known Prince Ching as first
vice president The attitude of
Prince Ching has been notable
through the trouble as friendly to
foreign interests There are Eve
other members of the court. all of
them high personages They occu.
py a building at Pekin and are in
regular session for the trial of cases
affecting members of the nobility
and the highest personages. Chi
nese officials here say that the
reference of the case to this high
court is of itself the fullest assar-
ance OF the gravity with which the
throne regards the matter It is
poted also that even before the trial
Prince Tuan is stripped of his sal
ary aud official servants Being q
uau of large and independent means
the lose Of salary would not amount
to much if it were not that this and
the loss of the servants is q special
meaps of humiliation. The name Of
the four princes who have been de-.
graded are not known here either by
the state department or. by the
Chinese legation
The action of the Chinese govern
ment in overthowing the reaction
aries is likely to give the most
intense qualification to the friendly
viceroys of the south of China and
to the ministers here, in London end
IN Europe, who have SO strenuously
resisted the Boxer movement 1t
may be specially noted that only
today Minister WI received informa
ton that these yicesoys, including
Ii Hung Chang. had memoralized
the throne TO punish the very element
which has now been overcome.