Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-29
SHE URGES REFORM
CHlNA'S QUEEN ISSUES EDICTS
TO SUBJECTS.
WANTS OLD CUSTOMS OUT
And Orders Leaders to Promote Good
Work-Declares Court OF FIoWery
Kingdom is Eager fer Suggestions
High Praise Received for Areri-
can Missionaries.

Washington, Aug. 27.-The state
copies Of three edicts issued las:
month by the empress dowager Of
China to the imperial subjects urging
them to adopt reform ideas. In one
edict she says.
'The customs have become light and
trifiing and those who have already
taken Office are greatly affected by
these habits and do not consider how
to improve themselves. Let the chief
of the imperial clan court transmit
this edict to all imperial clansmen,
commanding them to exert themselves
to abandon these old faults and view
one another to improve themselves,
that they may make an earnest effort
to make themselves useful.
'These clansmen, who go about
idle. not attending to their duties day
by day, pursuing worthless aims, even
to the extent Of becoming bandits and
deluded followers of evil societies,
bent on gratifying their evil desires,
are certainly a disgrace to the clan
and deserving of ali contempt.
Further, let the said chief of the
imperial clan court increase the sever
ity Of the restrictions, and, as occa,
sion may T-quire, administer punish
/ ment Should any show such pleas
ure in violence and depravity as &c
become bandits and put faith in evil
| teachings let them be severely pun
ished without leniency."
On June an edict was issued say
ing:
'"The NEST important principle Of
government is the selection Of men
It cannot be possible that in all this
great empire there are no talented
men. If there be those of earnes
purpose and pure loyalty, Of broat
mold and extensive learning, verse(
in foreign and domestic affairs, let thu
presidents and vice presidents Of tht
boards, the viceroys and governor
and provincial directors of education
prepare a statement of their qualifica
lions and recommend them, and lie
the board of reforms devise a system
Of examinations and submit the SAM
for the imperial approval.
"The court is eager for all sorts O
suggestions to promote the prosperit.
of the empire. Mother and son ar
one in the purpose to correct the mis-
takes of the past and long to Obtain
talent to assist the government
The following is an extract from
the edict issued June l, 1901:
MANY abuses have gradual,
grown up in all the offices of the ST
boards, in the practice of which rapa
cious clerks have become very crafty
We have already frequently issuet
edicts to correct these abuses, and re
Gently, on account of the loss of man,
of the records of the boards, conse
quent upon the military occupation o
Pekin, we again ordered a thorough
cleaning out and destruction Of tn
whole"
Praises Our Missionaries.
Washington, Aug. 27.-Unite'
States Consul Robert McWade, in
report from Swallow, China, dealing
with the plague, pays the followin;
cit is due to our self-sacrificin;
missionaries that l should report, Il
you that nowhere in any of tn,
plague-stircken sections, towns or vii
lagos, have any of them faltered il
their labors
when the awful pestilence was do
ing it's deadly work there they coult
| be found ministering to those in the
early stages of the disease and com
forting and consoling the dying.
found the same conditions, the same
heroisn, when smallpox and cholera
were epidemic.
| 'Leprosy is always here-contag
ious and repulsive. It's victims ex
perienced the same tender and solicit
Gus care from the fearless American
missionaries of all denominations
During my visits to the leper villages
| or settlements on the outskirts of
Canton 1 invariably hear of this good
work and see many evidences of it.
We have every reason to feel proud of