The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-26

~ HERE could hardly have been a
more startling announcement to
Western ears than that made by
Sir Chentung Liang Cheng at the
dinner given Prince Pu Lun at Sherry 5
the other day namely, that the Empire
of China had become a signatory of the
Geneva Convention, and that the. .Dowager
Empress had started Chinese Red Cross
organization, with a subscription of 100, 900
taels.
The Dowager Empress of China does not
figure in the popular mind as a person
likely to head Red Cross subscriptions and
commit the government she controls to the
humane practice recommended by Geneva.
Who and what manner of woman is she
who rules where Kwang Su reigns?
Tsu Hsi made her debut into high Chi
nese society as a wife of the fifth class
. for the Emperor Hien Feng, who ascended
the throne in 1851. At that time official
China Ionged for an heir to the throne,
which commodity the actual Empress did
not succeed in providing. But in 1856 this
lady of the fifth class, in the hierarchy of
fOot-warmers, did give a son to her lord
in a manner so satisfactory that in the fol-
lowing year she was raised to the rank OF
Empress, and from that day to this she
has maintained herself in all the henors
that were then heaped upon her. This Of
itself speaks volumes for her personal
. charm. cleverness and courage, for in no
country is there more regard for rank and
precedence than in China, and think what
a jump that was from fifth class COM
panion to first class EmpFessi
uvhp Ia oil
lied French and English forces invaded
the country in 1860, fed to Jehol. in Mon
golia, where he had summer palace, and
here he died in 1861, some think from the
effect of wounded pride.
Two Empresses in Charge
He left two Empresses in charge of af-
fairs-the Imperial Empress and the con-
cubine who had provided him with an
heir. 1t is interesting to note that the
same concubine, after a lapse of forty
years. should again have had to fly Pekin
in consequence of an invasion Of English
French and others approaching her capt
tai over the same road as their predeces-
sors of 1860.
In 1860 French and English troops be-
tween them managed to reduce the mar
velOus summer palace of Yuen Min Yuen
to a heap of ruins. In 1900 there was ne
such destruction. but good deal of Incl
dental looting. That there was not more
was owing not so much to Christian SOL
diers as to the Japanese, who through
out this latter campaign set an example
of moderation. as we'll as courage.
The two Expresses returned from their
involuntary stay at Jehol on November
1, 1861. and Immediately carried out
coup d'etat, in which the dowager concu-
bine first showed to the world that Napo-
leon III had much to learn from his col
leagues in the Far East even in the mat
ter of coup d'etat.
Made Herself Regent
She called the Council of State together.
and read them a paper purporting to rep
resent the mature deliberations of her
siX-year-old Son-this edict SUSPENDED
previous arrangements concerning the re-
gency of the child and made her regent
along with the Imperial Empress and
Prince Kung. In fact, it made her virtual
ruler Of China, and as this was, for many
reasons into which I need not here enter.
contrary to the Constitution governing IN
such cases, it made an immense uproar in
the immediate neighborhood of the PAL
ace.
But the concubine mother was equal to
the occasion. The three who Yentured to
protest against her arrangements were
two Imperial Princes and the Secretary
of the State, Su Shuen. The Princes were
permitted to hang themselves, while the
public eXecuuOner cut off the head of the
Secretary of State on November s, 1861
only week after the return to Pekin.
This was all very sudden, and, from the
standpoint of the constitutional LAWYER.
very unjust. But Europeans, at least, had
little reason to complain, for the people
who were put out of the way on this oc-
casion were of the eultra-conservative Chi
nese class, whose main notion of states
manship is to exclude foreign ideas from
the country.
Was Thought a Radical
This Empress mother would not be
amongst us, considered as an advanced
liberal in politics. 1t gives us some stand
ard by which to gauge the conservative
Chinsman that this particular lady should
In her own country, have been regarded as
q dangerous radical, If not revolutionary
brand.
She has that rare quality of statesman
ship which consists in limiting our efforts
to attain, not a theoretical idea. but the
best that is possible under given crr-
cumstances. She was fortunately for China
from a social circle more in touch with
real things than those bred in the noisop
Of court life. She brought to her task
superb physical health. much tact. good
sense, energy and ambition Such a ner-
son, after having been chased from Pc
kin with the Emperor by troops officially