The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-11-30

ace, stHu tue cOulpldlnlS ne utLerS In
cultured accents fall, bootless. on the
ears OF old seers in their dotage or
those OF men too yOung and fearsome
or mercenary to be stirred to action.
The old lady, though, is sore beset.
The Russians have invaded Manchu-
ria and are looking with greedy eye
on Korea. Little Japan is bristling
angrily and while her relations with
China are temporarily amicable, Til
An has no guarantee Of their prolonga-
ton. Russian spurs are pricking the
Chinese flank, also, and the distracted
old doWager is looking for the hornets
to emerge from the nest without q
moments warning. The Kuang ST
crisis adds terror to her nightmares,
and she realizes with all these pitfalls
before her in fantail array that she is
in as precaIious strait as ever befell
one somewhat elderly woman.
Enter now the human phase.
Driven frantic by this accumulation
of woe, she has appealed, woman-wise,
to her gods frank confession that
she considers herself past human rem
tum sanCtOrum OF the great Buddha,
invoking his Intervention in most ser
vile accents. Ii he IS gracious, she
has pledged herself TO devote eight
million dollars, the sum raised TO cele
brate her seventieth anniversary, to
the adjoining Of his temples. And
what more can she or any other wo-
man do than that? II Buddha Is as sa-
gacious as we credit him with being,
there win be but one answer 10 her
prayer
An has not been a woman whom the
Sunday school teacher could hold up
as a moral eXcmplar She was born
ia little better than bondage and her
poverty-stricken parents sold her for
bread to q Chinese nobleman. The
agents OF the old emperor. attracted
bv her beauty and wit, purchased her
and she was added to his harem
Right here did the force of the Old
womans character begin to manifest
itself. from absolute illiteracy, she
educated herself into q woman OF Gull
turo unspeakable-fo China. Gaining
access to the ruler, she blended phys
zeal charm with mental prowess. until
She so completely wound herself about
his nature that he placed her ahead
of even his consort and consulted her
wisdom in all matters Of state.
To cutail her biography, she pur-
sued the same course with reference
to other notables She used a two
edged weapon-with ore side she
hewed her way By subtle call tc the
animal passions, the other was purely
mental and dominated those not sus-
ceptible to baser appeals. Hen path
way is lined with intrigue. and the
dagger and poison stud it literally
For this we may condemn her, though
we cannot tell if she has not some
esoteric sophistry by which she rests
her conscience But for this she is to
be praised that with all her egotistic
ambition, She has had at heart the
integrity Of China. She knows well
the avarice which prompts the eau
casian nations to wedge their way in
and then partition the empire. Who
can censure her if she takes those
stems which. according TO her inferior
lights. viii make for the preservation
of her country?
We confess to a whimsical interest
IN coming developments. If Buddha.
like Baal. is not deaf and is not sleep
ing or gone foI walk perhaps ne
Will incline an ear to the old lady