Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-01-11
CHINESE COURTN PEKIN
The Return Was Marked By a
Brilliant Procession.
SCENE or TlNsELLsD spLEMpoR
Foreigners Were Allowed to Witness
the ceremonies--DoubIe Row Of
kneeiIng Soldiers Lined the Route.
Perfect Order Prevailed.


kneeIlng Soldiers Lined the Route.
Perfect Order Prevailed.
Pekin, Jan. S.-The imperial cor
] tege entered the Forbidden City at
1.30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. 1t
| was the most brilliant scene Pekin
has ever witnessed. The procession
consisted on a thousand gorgeously
| attired noblemen, mounted upon
| glitteringly caparisoned horses. The
emperor, the empress dowager. Prince
| Chun, the empress and several princes
were borne in yellow chairs, their es-
corts carrying hundreds of gay ban
ners and silk umbrellas.
The spectacular phases of the re-
turn of the court exceeded expecta-
| tons. The cortege was a sort of
gloriied lord mayors show. and was
bewildering and barbaric exhibition of
Oriental tinseled splendor.
It's chief significance was the COM
plete effacement Of the traditional
dedication OF Chinese royalty. For
eigners were given greater facilities
OF witnessing the ceremonial than
would have been afforded them at most
European courts. The scene at the
Chen gate when the emperor and the
dowager empress entered the temple to
offer thanks for their safe journey was
nothing less than revolutionary when
viewed in the light of all Chinese cus-
toms. The horseshoe wall, forming
the ancient gate. was crowded with
Europeans. diplomats. army officers,
missionaries, ladies, photographers
and correspondents. The emperor
proceeded to the temple of the God of
War, on the west side OF the plaza,
with hundreds of foreigners peering
down only 40 feet above him. and
dozens OF cameras were focused upon
the son of Heaven. When he returned
his chair was borne through the gates.
Then the chair OF the dowager empress
was brought to the doorway of the
temple of the Goddess OF Mercy, on the
east side OF the plaza, and the dowager
empress appeared. Standing in the
doorway she looked upward. Directly
overhead were the German minister.
Dr. Mumm Won Scnwartzstein. the sec
retaries of the German legation. the
! officers and ladies from the American
garrison. The dowager empress saw
the foreigners and bowed low. She adj
vanced few steps and bowed again i'm
acknowledgements OF the salutations of
the foreigners. She returned to her
chair looking upward to the semi-cir-
Gle or foreign faces and bowling re-
peatedly.
The expressions of the dowager en-
nroSS CQQmaH nlranct
faced those who had humbled her and
brought her down from her former
arrogance, and this confirmed the i'm
preston that she is returning TO Pekin
with anxiety for her safety.
The streets from the Machsapo sta
ton to the gateway of the Forbidden
City, a distance OF four miles. were
swept and garnished early yesterday
morning. The great plaza between
the Temples of Heaven and Agricul.
ture were sprinkled with yellow sand.
Residents we're compelled to remain
indoors. The soldiers and the police
formed close Gordon along both
sides OF this entire distance. A sharp
wind, bringing sand from the Mongo-
liam desert, blinded the spectators.
VIII Prosecute Packing Houses.
Chicago. Jan. S.-Prosecutions
against all the big pacl;ing house con-
Germs in the west for violations of the
provisions of the interstate commerce
laws against receiving preferential
rates are contemplated by the inter-
state commerce commission. This
fact developed during an investigation
begun by the commission into the
handling OF packing house products
and dressed meats. It also became
apparent that the commission and the
railway arrangements of the entire
country had practically entered into
an alliance for the purpose of Undue
ing congress to pass legislation per
hitting the railroads to pool under
certain regulations by the Interstate
commerce commission, and that it is
believed such a law can and will ha