Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1902-02-08
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CHINESE CUSTOMS CHANGED.
rmpress and Emperor Received
.ne Ladies aud Children of For
eign Diplomats In the Palace
wrs. Conger's speech = Banquet
FoIlowed Reception.

potin Feb. 4.-The dowager en-
nress and the emperor Saturday after.
roon received the ladies and children
- the fourteen diplomats in the palace
Tbo audience was the most revolu-
.,onary event since the return Of the
court to Pekin. The exclusiveness of
chinese royalty and the prejudices
ocainst the meeting Of, the sexes was
waived and the function was less form
:, than is usual in European courts.
The dowager empress occupied the
chrome. with a brilliant assemblage of
nrincesses and court ladies about her.
The emperor was seated upon a small
rlatform in the center of the room.
The Visitors upon catering, bowed
twice to thes emperor and several Of
them assembled to the Throne and.
bowed to the dowa ger empresss
Mrs. conger, wife of United States
minister Conger, as doyoness of the
dinlomatic corps read speech, which
was translated by Secretary Williams.
Mrs. Conger said:
"We heartily congratulate you and
the imperial court that the .hnfortun.
ate occurrence which led you to aband-
on your beautiful capital has so hap
nily been solved, that you are now per.
mitted to return in freedom and peace.
The events of the past two years must
have Been as painfttl to you as to the
rest of the world but the sting of ex-
perience may be eliminated by the es-
Enlistment Of rfranker, more trustful
and friendlier relations between the
Chinese and the other people of the
earth. The world is moving forward
the tide of progress can not be STAYED
and it is hoped that China will join
with the great sisterhood of nations
in the march.
1.-THE recent imperial edicts give
promise of great good to your people
and your vast empire
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
return to the capital has caused such
rejoicing in China and abroad "a "
Baron Czinakinn, the Austrian am.
bassador and ydoyonAof the diplomatic
corps presented all the ladies to the
dowagef empress, who took the. hands
Of each of them. They were next pre-
sentedNto the emperor, who also shook
hands-%ithA thenlI J DIS = J
The guests then retired to an ante
room. The dowager, empres8 entering
the room, graspeda Mrs. Conger's hand,
which she held for some minutes,
trembling. weeping and sohbing loudly
and exclaiming in, broken sentences
that the attack upon the legation was
terrible mistake and that she re
pented 1t bitterly. 8
Bracelets and rings of great yalneI
were then placed upon Mrs. CongeT's'
Wrists and fingers. sx Avs "a so
The dowager empress made inquiF-
les regarding the ofhera lsdies who
were in Pekin during the siege of the
legations and Mesdames sBainbrid ges
anu Morris, the wives of Secretaries
cambridge and Morris Of the Amer
van and French legations respectively
were warmly greeted.
Following the reception a banquet
was giVen-which was spread upon
ufee tables, the dowager empress
stthg at the head of the principal
,'Die and Mrs. Conger and Nine. Uchi-
Va upon either side. The emperor was
me only man present except Chang
'b prospective minister from China
ureat Britain, who knelt beside
uue aowager empress and interpreted
Do. she said. The emperor sat at
ue mead of the second table. He and
m nae uo~ager empress touched glasses
with the guests. t{f H8 ~sg- +
Inc dowager empress talked ami.
aSy She said that China would
a asn her policy of isolation and
lise 0p' ]he best features of western
abroad 0 many ''o'en'S