The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-16
PRAYERS FOR RAIN HAVE NOT
BEEN ANSWERED..
An the Officials Must Abase Them
selves-Meantim Progressive Chinese
Get an Extra Dose Of Punishment.

The empress dowager Of China, who is
one of the most superstitiUus creatures
in existence. has become convinced that
something is wrong in the relations be-
! tween her government and the gods
and recently issued "A decree on the sub
ject. There has been "A long continued
drought and failure of crops i'm the
province of Shun Tien-Fu, although,
she says, 1--WE have repeatedly erected
lofty affairs to heaven to supplicate for
rain for the parched earth, which
threatens distress and famine to our
poor subjects but our prayers have
not been granted and we are still in the
midst of drought. In view of this" she
confesses, " we feel that perhaps we
ourselves may have been guilty of some
grievous sin which demands sacrifices,
self-denial and inward cleansing before
high heaven can be Modified into for
giveness; but 1t is not ourselves alone
that must undergo this abasement. The
princes ministers and officers of the
imperial court, from the highest to the
lowest, all must abase themselves and
so conduct themselves as to gain the
favor of high heaven"
Her imperial majesty is looking
around for the probable cause of the
anger of heaven, suggested that it was
perhaps due to "a lack of sympathy and
care of our subjects, and we may posi-
bly, owe this token of heavens dis
pleasure to the fact that the prisons of
the imperial city are filled with liti-
giants whose cases have not been set
tied" She therefore commands all Of
ficials of the government ito set at
work at once and see that all prison
ers are tried according to justice and
all cases pending in the various courts
are settled on the spot"
1t does not seem to have occurred to
not have approved of her recent conser-
vative policy.
The latest dates from China bring
news of an imperial decree by the EN-
press dowager for the punishment of
five eminent gentlemen, graduates of
the Hanlin University, of which DR..
Martin, a Presbyterian missionary, has
been the president for many years. All
of them have been actively identified
with the progressive party and foreign
enterprises, and such persecution is in
tended to warn officials and the man
DARN class against assisting and as
sociating with foreigners even in au-
thorized schemes. for the development
of the country. The causes of the deg
radiation of these officials are so trivial
and ambiguous that the purpose of the
empress can be readily understood.
Kuei To- the manager of large mines
in Manchuria, is accused of "undertak-
ing the management of commercial af-
fairs and failing to attain any good re-
suits"
Chou Hsi-Ngen had a particular way
of doing business, which is by Dragging
and Boosting. He is frivolous and
tickle minded, brazen-faced and care
less of public opinion"
Cheng Ting lis man of perverse,
malignant and crafty disposition, whose
principles are not upright. He has
been eXpounding the meaning of work
called 'Chaio Pin Lu Kang L. which for
the most part contains seditious views
and arguments
WI Chin Chao, the director of the Pc
king syndicate, an English corporation,
has been sitting quietly taking his
leisure and collecting and boarding up
a pile of money. He has a heart that
cannot be fathomed."
Cheng Ping lis perverse, contuma-
cious and false of heart
Solely on the charges recited all of
these officials have been removed from
their positions, deprived of their rank
and sentenced to Imprisonment for life
at the capitals of their native prov1n-
ces.