Evening star., 1900-07-07

to his majesty, and it was afterward re-
ported that his queue caught in the back
wheel and he had a very un-emperor like
fall This led the dowager to deal severely
with the eunuch. One day shortly after
the coup detat a man came to me with his
face scratched and his head SCARED and
wanted NE to save his life He desired
to join the church at once saying that he
vas friend of this same eunuch who had
oeen banlShed for buying all these things
Tor the emperor and charging him double
price for them. and that he also was in
danger of losing his head.
The emperor set himself to studying the
books he had bought and the more he
studied them the more he became con-
Vinced that China was on the wrong road
and in dreadful need of a reformation
The more he meditated the matter the more
ne became convinced that there was no
nope of China SO long as she was in the
hands of the old conservative party.
The Journey He Never Took.
lie began to prepare for trip to Tien
Ts'n on the railroad. The home of Chang
Yun-mao the present director of mines
was fitted up for his reception and it was
rumored that he might go as far as Japan
Several Han Lins with whom | was ac-
quainted came to ask if | thought If wouId
be safe for him to go that far away from
nome. and they were as excited as he mn
dpupt waS-they all made me think of a
St&teen-year-old boy just about to leave
ms nother and sisters for the first time for
coiItSt- These men, who were so cool under
all ordinary circumstances even in affairs
OF state. had become Transformed into
schooi boys because the emperor was 90
ing 10 take an eighty-mi.e railroad Journey
but the trip never was taken He began
IN new line. not with the idea of giving
up NE Trip but with the thought of liberat-
.lls MS people from the yoke that was upon
them. On the 18th of June 1898 he issrsd
decree establishing a university at PaEin
the design being to open a wav by which
ene young men of the empire might become
acquainted with all the books he had baa,
studying, and might themselves be nrenarsd
10 Issue other books of similar Character
In Favor of Progress
rev days later he ordered the foreiqn
once TO report on the matter of encourap
ii.G arr, science and agriculture at tho
same tline ordering any of those WHO were
opposed to progress and reform to appear
oefore MN and give their REASONS He
proposed that they adopt western arms and
western methods of drilling the Tartar
troops. He abolished the literary essay as
a leading part In the examinations for
oincial distinction and substituted in its
place knowledge of political economv anJ
international law ~
He then proposed the establishment of
agricultural schools in all the provinces for
1he purpose of teaching the farmers better
methods of agriculture, and that the In
Han railroad should be completed as ex
peditiously as possible. He ordered the es
taollshment OF patent and copyright laws.
tnat the military examinations should be
changed 50 as to conform to the proposed
new order of things, and he promised re-
wards to all those who distinguished them
selves as authors inventors
Reused the Downger Empress.
He ordered the officials to do all in their
power to encourage trade and assist the
merchants. School boards were established
in every city in the empire; a bureau of
mines was formed: journalists were en-
couraeed to write on all political subjects.
Jung Blu and Lfu Kun-i were ordered to
consult on the establishment of naval
academies and training ships; schools were
ordered opened in connection with all the
foreign legations for the benefit of the sons
OF chinese living in foreign countries; COM
mercial bureaus were ordered established
for the encouragement of trade at Shang-
hal and Hankow. and, in addition to all
this, the officials throughout the empire
were ordered to assist the young emperor
in his work of reform
Any one who is interested in the work of
reform for China may look over his edicts
In the most critical way they WILL and they
Will not find single one which would
have been anything but benefit to the
country. He did more than issue edicts
for the funds for the establishment Of the
university at Pekin were at once set apart
and the university was established. and,
III Spite VI lHe dnll-IOTelSn 1eeHnR In the
palace and the school since his dethrone-
ment, they have not been able to divert
the funds to any other channel, however
much they have tried to do so.
But II was his surgical operations that
caused him trouble. So long as he con-
fined himself to the making of new offices
there was no trouble, but soon as he
began to abolish old ones and dismiss vice
roys and governors, there arose a howl
which reached the of the empress
dowager, and the palace and the throne
OF the young man was ruthlessly taken
from him, and he was confined to an island
in the palace grounds under strict guard.
1t is certain that when the history of
China comes to be written the attempted
reforms of Kuang Hsu will be classed
among those of the best emperors of the
| past, and either he will be restored to his
| throne to carry out his reforms or he will
| be looked upon as the first martyr for lib
| erty and progress among the emperors of
| the middle kingdom.
! Note.-Since the foregoing written
| word has come that the emperor has COM
| mitted suicide.