The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-10
A. CHINAMAN'S VIEW.
Intelligent Discussion Of Phases
of the Chinese Situation by a
Native.
Special correspondence to TIE NArIOSAL TnIsuSn

Special correspondence to The national TRIBUNE
SHANGHAI, CHINA.
4 very interesting tale is going the
rounds of the papers, giving an account of
how the Empress Dowager suddenly made
up her mind TO go to Hsian, after deciding
tosmake Taiyuanfu the Capital. 1t is re-
ported that the majority of the Court and
Ministers opposed this pFecipitate journey
westward, as they still had hopes of re-
turning to Picking. For a month the party
fingered at TaIyuanfu,. when, suddenly,
they were ordered to start TO Hsian.
Prince Ching and the Emperor himself
favored remaining at Taiyuanfu, and even
suggested the return to Picking. The old
lady was almost induced TO accept the adj
vice, when one of her favOrites Frustrated
himself before the Empress Dowagers
divan and argued against Ching's advice,
at the same time weeping copious tears to
show the honorableness of his arguments.
The return to Picking, said he, was rash
and foolhardy, exposing the persons of the
Dowager and the Emperor to the violence
of the Allied troops. If the Allies were
truly anxious for the Court TO return,
why did they loot so thoroughly and indiS-
criminately the city? How was the Court
TO live at Picking, with all the palaces and
public buildings destroyed! And why
were the Allies advancing to Paotingfu,
showing their intention TO pursue the I'm
perial fugitivcs? With these and similar
arguments, and backed by Prince Tuan,
Gen. Tung, etc, the old lady was won
over to the plan of moving farther west
ward. Once outside Tung kwan, q nat
ural pass the Court would be separated
from the outside world by insurmountable
natural obstacles. The civil officials were
generally opposed TO the movement, but
their advice was passed over for that of
the favoriteS. The Emperor, too, had no
desire to en,cr the mountainous parts of
his Empire. The favOrites, no doubt, hoped
by this action to Illustrate the demand of
the foreign nations for their prompt pun
ishment. The military gentlemen, more
over, come from that part of the country,
and it suits them TO be nearer their homes,
laden, as they are, with the lootings of the
Capital and other cities.
THE HEIR APPARENT.
About this time there were wild rumors
Of the death of the heir apparent, the son
of Prince Tuan. 1t was said that he was
either assassinated, or killed in some I'M
known way, on the way to Taiyuanfu. For
at the latter place, while the Court was
there, the young fellow was neither seen
nor heard of. This belief is strengthened
by the fact that his chief tutors, Duke
Chung Vi and Hsu Tung, both uneXpect-
eddy committed suicide. These two officers
are by law held responsible for the we'll
being and safety of their charge, forfeit
ing their lives if anything fatal happens
TO the heir. The latter remains in their
care till he is 16 years of age, when he is
supposed to be old enough to marry and
take care of his own person.
The news received of the death of
Kang Vi and Yu Hen, the two persons
most hated by foreigners, and who did
Of tho harm RI TVnGtnpnprS tho in
terror, gave great satisfaction. 1t seemed
that both, knowing their fate to be sealed,
committed suicide by swallowing gold,
heightened way of making an end TO ones
existence in China. There is much doubt
among the foreigners as to the genuine
ness of the news. 1t may be only blind"
10 save their lives by making out that they
are dead, and foreigners surely cannot de-
maDd the punishment of the departed.
However, there will be no trouble in dis
covering the truth of the matter when
peace is declared and the Allies have more
time to devote to such matters.
.9DIEFIcULTY as TO HEAVY INDEMNITY.
The demands advanced by the foreign
Ministers have called forth much dis
cussion among the Chinese, as to their
justice and practicability. Particularly the
suggestion for the payment of ali indem-
nifty of 400,000,000 taels. in installlants,
the nHOIe " De pau III w yedis, Causcu
CONSERVATION. A tael is equivalent to 30
cents in United States currency. The sum
total of the income of the Chinese Govern
ment, including import and export duties,
land tax, salt tax, likin and other forms of
internal revenue does not exceed the
amount of S0,000,000 taels. The national
debt of China is somewhere near 100000
600 taels. Over half of the income Of the
export and import duties, as collected by
the Imperial Chinese customs, and that of
the likin, is pledged as security for the ma
tional debt, which, by the way, is mostly
foreign money. 1t is clear from this that
if China sought TO float loan again, she
would have to fall back on her land tax as
security to her debtors, and the land tax
cannot be security for loan of more than