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

Washington, Sept 29.-Important
news came from China at the end OF
the day, which in itself tends TO
advance materially 4e efforts for q
6aaa settlement. China has accepted
the suggestions of the United States
contained in the answer to the Ger.
mao proposition and has begun vol.
untarily the punishment of the
resotionsry Chinese leaders who
were responsible for the Pekin out
rsges.
The department of state was in.
formed by Consul General Gooduow,
at Shanghai. that Sbeug. Chinese
director of railways aud telegrapbs,
has handed him. . decree of the
emperor and empress dated at
Tsigusn Sept rs. blaming their
ministers tor encouraging the Boxers
The ediet orders the degradation of
four prioees and deprives Prince
Tusn Of his salary and Official ser.
wants. He 10 to be brought for trial
before the imperial clan court
II will be recalled that in our
snswer the state department was
careful to state that while it did not
believe iu denaading the surrender
Of the Chinese rioglesders % . con
dition precedent to negotiations. il
IVES resolved firmly - Secretary Hay
had ssid 10 hls note of July 3, that
in the end the guilty parties should
be held to the uttermost sccouu,abil.
ity. The Chinese government hes
taken this intimation to heart and
peshsps hsstened iss action by the
recent manifestations Of dissstisfso.
tiou BY tho United States govern
ment at tho report Of the promotion
H Prince Tuan. already bee been
begun the pauishmeut of him and
the other Chinese leaders Who are
held guilty
The decree reoited by Sheug is
felt to be of the utmost Importance
% Indicating . complete change of
heart on the part Of the reiguing
dynasty. Il means that the resc.
tionsry influence which hsve been
dominant 10 Pekin throughou. the
uprising and have been continued of
late. have suffesed Q complete over
throw. and that their most couspicu.
Que figures are on trial. Il 10 be-
lieved here that II this action 10 gen.
uine, it will be hard for any of the
powers to find . reasonable presext
for longer refusing to heed the
sppesls Of the Chinese government
for the opening of negotiations look.
ing to Q settlement
The importance of the action is
shown BY the determination to try
Prince Tuan before tho imperial clan
court. This 10 the supreme judicial
tribunal Of China aud is the only one
having Jurisdiction over the mem
bers OF the imperial family 1t is
presided over by Prince Ii, with the
well known Prince Ching az first
vice president The attitude Of
Prince Ching has been notable
through the trouble az friendly to
foreign interests There are Eve
other members of the court, all of
them high personages They occu
py building at Pekin and are 10
regular session for the trial of cases
affecting members of the nobility
and the highest personsges. Chi
nese officials here cay that the
reference of the case to ,his high
court is of itself the fullest assar.
snce Of the gravity with which the
throne regards the matter. 1t is
noted also that even before the trial
Prince Tusn is stripped of h,s ssl.
sry aud official servants Being Q
msn Of large aud independent means
the lose Of salary would not amount
to much II it we're not that this and
the loss Of the servsnts is a epecial
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 in likely TO give the most
intense gratificstion to the friendly
viceroys Of the south of China and
to- the ministers here, in London and
IN Europe. who have 80 ssrenu ously
resisted the Boxer movement 1t
may be specially noted that only
today Minister WI received ipforms
tion that these viceroys, including
LII Hung Chang. had memoralized
tbs throne to punish the very eIe ement
which has now been overcome.