The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17

she has been supported BY at least three
fifths Of the great councils known as the
Eui Koh and the Kun F<i Chu and not the
Tsung II Yamen or Foreign Office (Which
is An inferior Department., as is errone-
ously reported in the press OF the western
world.
A RADICAL INNOVATION.
AS the struggle progressed the Emperor
became more and more a prisoner IN MS
cwn palace, his friends were attacked and
rendered powerless. Those high IN office
were degraded or beheaded. and those low
in Office sent to districts where they had
no following and did not even know the
local language. The Empress d0wager
with superior acunen saw the increasing
power OF foreign nations and attempted to
utilize il on her own behalf 1t was she
who insisted upon violating all the prece-
dents OF her country by having Kwang 81
receive che ambassadors in person at Pek-
ing To US the event had little significance.
In China IL made a shiver throughout the
empire The Book Of Rites,
which is as sacred TO the
scribes that 1.-THE Son OF Heaven" shall not
be looked upon by any common mortal,
much less foreign devil. When the princes
OF the realm meet him in council they. fail
heads TO the earth. This has been the rule
for centuries, and when Kwang Su broke
through II IL seemed as IL the world were
coming to end. The next icOnoclasm
was the reception given by the Empress
dowager TO Lady Macdonald and other
foreign women of official distinction The
Book of Rites prescribes the same f0rmali-
ties in regard to the Empress dowager as to
the Emperor himself. Beyond this Chinese
law and custom forbids women TO enter
the presence of men. and treats all guilty
OF the cffense as being disorderly charac-
tiers. Foreign women who travel alone are
viewed as Indicators, suspicious people or
lunatics- When. therefore, the Empress
dowager received a body Of foreign women
them, although they had not kow-towed
to her, it made sensation as deep as that
produced by the action Of the Emperor
himself.
HER PRESENT PART.
What part the Empress dowager Is play
ing in the present insurrection, or Boxer
movement. does not yet appear. There is
deep dissension. almost war, in the
Manchu governing class. The Empress
dowager is at the head of the administra-
ton, while it is said the majority of the
Manchu princes are bitterly opposed TO the
continuation of her rule. There is a strong
public sentiment in favor of the poor de-
throned Emperor, and deeper than all is the
old antipathy OF the Chinese people to
their Manchurian rulers.
Even to-day IL must not be forgotten that
the term fankawi, or foreign devil, is ap-
piled colioquially in China much to the
Manchus as to foreigners. Recent reports
from Shanghai declare that the Boxer
movement has been abetted, If not started
by the Empress dowager, in order TO pro-
woke the armed intervention of the Euro
pean powers. and through them to suppress
the rebellious mobiles of the capital
Under the Chinese law these mobiles, by
majority vote, have the power to depoSe
the Empress dowager and the Emperor,
and 10 nominate new ruler of the en-
pre- Thus far she seems to have prevented
any action of this sort. but recent events
seem TO Indicate that her power is being
contested. If not undermined, by the
princes OF the royal blood, and that she is
playing her last and most desperate card
TO secure a continuation of her own rule