Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-04
Chinese Exclusiveness Thing
of the Past.
BOW TO THE INEVITABLE
Dowaser Empress Received Wife of
Minister conser and in an Asitated
Manner Tells Her the Attack on
Legations Was a Mistake.

Peking, Feb. 3.-The audience of the
men and children of the members of
the diplomatic corps in the private
partments of the palace was the most
revolutionary event since the return
of the court to Peking The exclusive
ness of Chinese royalty and the preju-
dice against the meeting of the sexes
was waived and the function was less
formal than is usual in European
courts.
The dowager empress occupied the
| throne, with a brilliant assemblage of
i The emperor was seated upon small
| platform in the center of the room
| The visitors, upon entering. bowed
twice to the emperor. and several of
them ascended the throne and bowed
to the dowager empress. Mrs. Conger.
wife of United States Minister Con-
ger, as first lady of the diplomatic
corps, read speech, which was trans
lated by Secretary Williams. Mrs.
| Conger said II"
We heartily congratulate you and
the imperial court that the unfortunate
situation which led you to abandon
your beautiful capital has been so
happily that you are permitted
to return in freedom and peace The
events of the past two years must have
been as painful to you as to the rest
of the world but the sting of the ex-
perience may be eliminated by the es-
ltablishment of franker more trustfui
and friendlier relations between the
Chinese and the other peoples of the
earth. The world is moving forward,
the tide of progress cannot be stayed,
and it is hoped that China will join
with the great sisterhood of nations in
the grand march.
The recent imperial edicts give
promise of great good to your people
and to your vast empire
Dowager's Reply.
The dowager empress reply was ex-
ceedingly friendly in tone. 1t was In
part as follows:
Last year the dissensions in the
palace caused a revolution, which com
PEELED our hasty departure, but it is a
great qualification to us that our re-
L
joicing In China and abroad
Baron Czikann, the Austrian minis
ter and dean of the diplomatic CORPS,
presented all the ladies to the dowa-
ger empress, who took the hand OF
each of them. They We're next pre-
sented to the emperor, who also shook
hands with them.
! The guests then retired to an ante
room. The dowager empress, enter.
ing the room, grasped Mrs. Conger's
hand, which she held for some min
utes, trembling, weeping and sobbing
loudly and eXclaiming in broken sen.
ltences that the attack upon the lega-
tions was a terrible mistake and that
she repented it bitterly.
! In reply Mrs. Conger assured hel
that the, past would be forgotten.
Bracelets and rings of great value
We're then placed upon Mrs. Conger's
wrists and fingers
! The dowager empress made inuui.
ries regarding the other ladies who
were in Peking during the siege of the
legations and Mines. Bainbridge and
Morisse. the wives Of Secretaries Balm.
bridge and Morisse, of the American
and French legations, respectively.
were presented and warmly greeted.
Following the reception a banquet
was given. This was spread upon
three tables, the dowager empress sit
ting at the head of the principal table
| and Mrs. Conger and Nine. Uchida up-
on either side The emperor was the
only man present except Chang Tsi.
prospective minister from China to
Great Britain. who knelt beside the
dowager empress and interpreted what
she said. Thh emperor sat at the head
of the seconi table. He and the dow
ager empress touched glasses with the
guests.
| Every lady of the visiting party was
given a pair of jeweld bracelets and a
solitaire pearl ring besides other SOU
lvenirs,