The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-15
EMPRESS DOWAGER STILL
GOVERNS WITH FIRM HAND
All the old Methods of Corruption and
Intrigue for Officv, Purchase of
Favors and Bribery Re-
sumed With vieor.

Pekin, January 14-The first week Of
the rehabilitation of the Chinese court
and of its resumption of authority at the
capital, has been a period of intense in
terest for all classes of Chinese and for
eigners. But the work has hardly suf-
feed to furnish proofs from which deduc-
tions regarding the policy of the Empress
Dowager under the new conditions can be
drawn. That she governs as absolutely
as before The attempt to crush progress.
and that she recognizes that foreign In
terests and opinions must be respected, is
apparent. That considerations other than
the fear inspired by the evidence of for
eign dominance actuate her will continue
TO be questioned by the Chinese officials
nearest the throne and by foreigners un-
less time proves the contrary.
Two powers are gaining ascendancy OF
the council of the Dowager Empress. The
first of these is Yuan shi Kai. who is
pro-forelgh to the extent Of approaching
the strength OF foreign nations and the
necessity of appreciating the strength of
foreign nations and the necessity for
China's adoption of the instruments by
The Treasurer Power.
The second power is yung Lu, the Inn
perial treasurer. who is the most infiu-
ential among the advisers of the Em-
press Dowager. who is bitterly hostiif -
foreigners but who Is temporarily ina
pressed with the advisability of concilia-
| ting them Yuan Shi Kai the governor
| of Chi Ii province having ten or twelve
thousand Of the best troops in China in
| and about the capital is the parsonage
| the Empress Dowager must consider.
1t has not yet appeared that the mod
| ernization of the court is more than skin
| deep. All the old methods of corruption
| and intrigue for office. the purchase of
favors and bribery to secure auossnces,
have been resumed with vigor indicat-
ing that officialdom is trying to make up
for lost time.
Two edicts which are largely the result
of the instance of NJ Beau, the French
minister at Pekin. for the rights Of the
missionaries. appeared today. The first.
in strong terms, admonishes all officials
To protect and maintain the rights of
native Christians and forbids dlscrlm-
nations against Christians.
The second edict dismisse from of
flee a number of officials for completely
in the Boxer movement. Among those
thus dismissed is the vice president of the
censorate whose name was on the black
list of the foreign ministers.
M. Beau will probably present his cre-
dentials at the same time as the British.
German Russian and Japanese ministers
present theirs.
Want Ceremony on Sunday.
The Chinese foreign office has sug-
gested that this ceremony occur Sunday.
Sir Edward Satow. the British represen-
tative, will. however. suggest another
day. believing the Chinese should respect
the custom OF Christian nations in such
matters. Audiences have frequently been
held on Sundays heretofore. and no min
lister ever made any objection to the GUS
tom.
The suppression of two Liberal papers
conducted by young reformers and ths
sitting of a project for the establishment
of a third such paper is causing dissatis-
faction among the reformers. This action,
| however. does not evidence reactionary
| policy. as the government must have pro-
gressed amazingly before it would per-
init individuals to criticize and advise II
publicly.
| The Yokohama Specie Bank was estab
lished here today. The Japanese. with
their customary regard for national inter-
ests, provided the bank with quarters OF
| the grounds of the Japanese legation
Japanese trade and influence here arr
growing rapidly.