The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-12
PROTECTORATE PROPOSED.
Proposition from the Tutor and Con.
fidant of the Deposed Emperor.


LONDON. June 12.-The Shanghai corre-
spondent of the Daily Express, telegraph
ing yesterday, says: 'Weng Tung Ho. En-
perior kwong Hsu's tutor and confidant.
who was dimissed by the dowager Empress
after the coup d'etat in 1898, sends with
the special sanction of the Emperor and his
party. including three viceroys. message
to the people of the West. In part it is as
follows
His Majesty is convinced through
amply trustworthy sources that the loyal
support of many scores of millions of the
Chinese will be accorded to his proposals
Cor putting an end to the state of anarchy
brought about by the action of the EN-
press Hsi Isl. The government of China
being virtually nonexistent the Emperor
proposes that the foreign powers whose
troops dominate the capital shall remove
hts imperial person from the palace in
which his Majesty is confined prisoner,
shall declare Empress Hsi Isl and her pres
eht ministers TO be usurpers and shall bring
Emperor Kwang Hsu to Marking, WI
chang OF Shanghai. whichever the said
foreign powers deem TO be the most suit
able situation for the new capital of the
Chinese empire under the new conditions.
1t is proposed by his Majesty and his adj
visers that the foreign powers should de-
clare joint protectorate and undertake
the task of governing the country through
1.-The message suggests that the pro-
tectorate should abolish certain boards iE
Picking; appoint new ministers; abolish the
existing so-called armies; establish gen.
darmerie under foreign officers; take con-
troll OF the customs, posts and telegraphs
and work them through Chinese officials;
establish a uniform currency; readJust tax
alton and insure the freedom Of religion.
"Weng Tung Ho, who predicts a peace
full acceptance of such regime, goes on to
say: China is ripe for the change of tide
which the reactionaries vainly seek to stem.
If it should so be, on the other hand, that
the foreign powers seriouly contemplate the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the Chinese empire they
have before them the huge task of facing
dense millions who, although lacking train
ing and who make but contemplate SOL
diers, possess boundlesS powers of passive
resistance and would be able to wear out
the patience of any European ruler seeking
TO govern them without regard to their
prejudices of the oldest civilization.
'The conquest and division of China
would be possible with 100000 troops, but
to retain the government would require
100G, 900 soldiers and centuries of work. The
task would end with the most unhappy
results for both conquered and conquerors.
His Majesty and his advisers beg Amer
lea and Japan to pause before resorting
his ACKNOWLEDGMENT, which can be deferred
at leant until the Emperor's efforts to
govern his people and to restore the hap
piness of this great division of the human
race have proved abortive. If the people
are assured that the powers are guiding
and protecting his Majesty and do not in
tend to swallow the country piecemeal,
they and the soldiers will return unques-
tionably to the allegiance from which the
Empress diverted them"