Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-28


troops: the army transport service, which
cost s2.S8S 800 for the last fiscal year and
the insular bureau of the War Depart
ment' which has fifty-nine clerks and
en- otherwise. the government of the
Philippine Islands Is self-supporting
Death Of the Golden Flower.
The favorite of the Emperor of China is
dead. She was chosen for him when she
was mere girl. not more than fourteen
or fifteen years old. but Immediately won
his heart and played a rather conspicuous
role in the tragedies and comedies that
have been enacted In the Forbidden City.
The imperial concubines are always Sc
lected by the council of state from among
the daughters of the highest nobility 1t is
not only considered the greatest honor that
chinese woman can obtain. except to be
an empress but 1t Is the highest ambI-
ton of every Chinese young woman to be
selected for the imperial harem The con-
cubines rank next to the expresses of
Whom there are three. known as the EN-
press of the Eastern. the Empress of the
Western and the Empress of the Central
Gate. Their children are all legitimate and
can ascend the throne If designated The
same is true In Turkey and Japan and other
oriental countries where the sovereign is
allowed a harem. But the harem in Japan
viii be abolished with the end of the pres
ent reign. The prince imperial has oniy
one wife. and the council of state has de-
cided that he is to have no more
Inc favorite of the Son Of Heaven was
known IN the poetic language of the celes-
tlals as The Golden Flower" Her elder
sister was also a concubine. Their father
Cheng Using, was a powerful prince and at
one time minister Of war. Their uncle was
one of the most famous Of the Tartar gen.
erals and commanded the army of South
China at Canton for many years The girls
had brother who was Familiarity known ct
Peking as Gee Liu. or Number Six be-
cause there We're five other persons Older
than he bearing the same name.
The Emperor and the Reformers.
Although a youth of fifteen or sixteen.
Gee Liu had an important part in the
events which preceded the coup d'etat of
1888 at Picking. 1t was through him and
his sisters that the emperor kept In com
inunication with the reformers and other
friends outside the palace. This boy orig
inalIy acted as a go-between for Kang Yu
Wei. the leader of the reformers and Sc
cretly carried his messages and communica-
tons to the emperor In the palace, so that
the grand secretaries and other officials
could not intercept them. While the emper-
or was reaching for light and knowledge,
and was seeking advice from every source
that was available, the members of his
court were trying to remove him from what
they considered hostile influences, but with
the assistance Of the two concubnes and
their brother, the emperor was enabled to
c1rcumVent their designs.
On the night before the empress doWager
dethroned her nephew and resumed au-
thority herself, he sent Gee Liu to Kang
iu Wei with message begging him to see
Mr. Conger and Sir Claude Mcdonald, the
American and British ministers, and ask
them to interfere in his behalf. Later the
same night, the boy carried second mes
sage to the leader of the reforms, advising
him to fly from Picking. If he wished to save
his life.
While the empress dowager never made
any attempts to punish the youngster for
his part in the transaction, his family con-
sidered 1t advisable for him to leave the
capital. and he has, for several years. been
living with relatives in Shanghai, where 1
saw him last summer. Golden Flower"
the younger sister and the emperors ia
been officially published in the fiowery
language of Chinese ceremonial documents,
but the particulars of her death have never
been disclosed.
Comparative Revenues.
II. F. Radcliffe of Pierceton. Ind, asks
whether the gross receipts of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company are greater than
those Of the government.
The gross receipts of the government for
the fiscal year ending June 3, 1904, were
1854. 214,373
The gross receipts Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, embracing system Of
1898 miles, for the calendar year 1908 were
$242, oil, ISL of which $3.50. S26.075 is credited
to the lines east of Pittsburg and Erie and
$S1 sol ,622 to the lines west of Pittsburg.
Last year the Pennsylvania road hauled
123 ,632, 203 passengers and 295,12O,398 tons
of freight
Reporting Congressional Debates.
In reply to George Schnepper of Huron,
S. D.: The debates and all other proceed
ings in both houses of Congress are Off
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The official reporters OF the House OF Keep
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