Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-22

the official court-havlng fled to the IN
terror and basely abandoned their
trust, the government was left without
a head. This anomalous condition Of
affairs, though II might be considered
In the light of poetic justice, since the
official personnel has been so often de-
pleted by the loss OF Individual heads.
was yet almost as embarrassing to the
victorious allies as TO the conquered
Mantchoo-Chnese.
The allied forces had assaulted and
carried the walls OF Picking by storm.
they had accomplished the object of
their long and toilsome march from the
coast--the relief OF the legations: they
had even made their triumphal entry
into the precincts OF the hitherto inyl-
olate Forbidden City. Then they were
compelled to halt and wait the initia-
tive Of the foe they had overcome.
II seems TO have become an accepted
truism OF international relationship
that even bad government Is FAR bet
ter when II comes to diplomatic inter-
course than no government at all. and
the leaders OF the allies may have re-
GREETED that before advancing upon Pc
King they had not executed grand
flank movement with a portion OF their
forces and Intercepted the recreant
sovereigns on the way 10 their place OF
refuge at Hsian-Fu. This contingency
Of flight had not been anticipated or. II
anticipated, had not been guarded
against and by their oowardly retreat
the self secluded Mantchoos had IN
popular parlanco, put the allies in a
hole" This may have been their inten-
ton at the outset, but the more reason
able supposltion Is that their flight was
prompted by cowardce and fear OF the
consequences righteously due for the
base betrayal Of their obligations.
However this may have been. the
first step OF the allies toward extrlcat-
ing themselves from the dilemma was
TO seek some responsible person or per-
sons with whom to treat for peace and
adjust the penalties 10 be applied. Like
a schoolboy shrinking from well merit
ed punishment, the real culprls In this
AFFAIR sought to delay the castigatlon
as long as possible But. unlike the av.
erage schoolboy known TO Americans.
when pressed 10 the wall they put for
ward an irresponsible third party to act
as a buffer and bear the brunt Of battle.
II Hung Chang was the person se-
lected TO act for the self decapitated
government, but, though II was admit.
ted that his headpiece was perhaps as
good as that which adorned the Shout.
ders Of the empress doWager on the
Son Of Heaven" himself the powers
were somewhat dubious ne % his real
status, and particularly az 70 s.s rank.
In default Of the presence In pexng Of
the nominal emperor or the actually
reigning regent the parsonage by them
deputed 20 act for the government
ought TO be az least next In rank 10 and
connected with the royal family
through Ties OF blood Both the emper-
or ana the empress dowagcr are Sun.
posed 10 De- 500 enyeIopod IN the odor OF
sanctlty as 10 he unapproachablc by or. .
binary individuals even 70 OF The most
exalted rank To- European courts. So
mat these two were out OF the cues
ton. Failing Them the duty deyolved .
next upon some NJ the princes attached .
10 me throne ana 90 their default upon
some members OF the nobility
Now there is this popularity. both IN .
me peeroge and the succession TO the
throne. that neither IS. IN the strlctest
sense hereditary While the success. .
sion TO the great dragon throne" Is in
a manner hereditary IN the family. the /