Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12
EMP RESS DOWAGER
Increasing Liberality of Her
Treatment of Foreigners.
A FAITHFUL SERVANT
EMPEROR OF CHINA IS ACTUALLY
A PRISONER.
Said to Be Educating Himself for HIS
Responsibilities When he Be-
comes the Ruler.
A FAITHFUL SERVANT
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
speral Correspondence OF The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald


Chicago Record Herald
AT SEA. August 10. 1904
Tie empress dowager has further indl-
Gated her policy by appointing pro-foreign
viceroys in nearly all the provinces OF
China. and by surrounding herself with
liberal and progressive advisers. a few
aged reactionaries are still retained In
Office but a majority of all important
boards are distinctly of the progressive
party. or at least they are men who 1ecog-
niZe that the adoption of modern methods
is absolutely essential to the further exist
ence of the empire She still clings 10 Ii
Lien-Ying, who has been her bodyguard and
personal attendant for more than thirty
years 1t is perfectly natural that she
should do So for since the death of Jung
LII her nephew and prime minister, he is
about the only man in whom she can have
absolute confidence Although ii is known to
every one that Lii Lien-Ying has become
rich with brides and presents from those
who sought the favor of his mistress ana
blackmail he has extorted from those VINO
feared her. he has the reputation OF Always
protecting her interests. He is supposed
to have received large sums OF money IRON
Russia, for example, for the use OF ms IN
fnence, and in payment for information ne
furnished the legation from time TO time,
but everybody agrees that he has been
loyal TO the old lady and has never solo d
or exercised any influence to her disadvan-
tage.
The Emperor's Family.
Usually the Emperor of China has three
wives, who are known, respectively. as the
Empress of the Middle Palace, the Empress
of the Eastern Palace and the Empress OF
the Western Palace, according to the resi-
dences they occupy. Each is surrounded
with "a full retinue of ladies In waiting,
ennuchs and other servants, who manage
the household. and LIE Lien-Ying Is general
manager of the entire institution All the
arrangements for the comfort and happl-
ness of the women inmates of the Forbid
den City are under his direction He nam
dies all the funds and serves In the same
capacity as the lord steward of the King
of England Hence he has enormous and
almost absolute power. The lives or the
emperor and the empress are in his Gus
tody. He selects the people who cook and
serve their meals, and guard their persons,
and is the only man who always has access
TO all parts of the palace.
The present emperor, kwang-HSu, mas
only one wife. the daughter of Kuei Hsiang,
a duke of wealth and influence, who has
been military governor OF Pekfng. He Is
enc of the most trusted confidants of the
empress dowager who selected his daughter
for the throne.
But the emperor's affection is believed to
be monopolzed by two favorites, who are
sisters and daughters of Prince Mu of the
imperial clan. He spends most of his time
with them and very little with the EN-
press. The gossfps say that he Is never
happy unless one of them is near him. They
are supposed to have been medium
through whom he communicated with the
reformers in 1898, and ii is known that
messages to kang Yu Wei and others were
carried by their brother. young Prince
Kiang. who fled from Picking to escape as
sassination and is now in Shanghai living
in seclusion. His presence in that city is
known to very few people. The empress
<Sr h fSr,,nc h,,f ha hos
paid attention to her messages and dare
not go to Peking for fear of his life. If
the emperor comes into power again he
will be very influential. So far Is known
his sisters have saved their heads and are
still comforting the imperial prisoner.
The Emperor a Prisoner
Many people think that his majesty is
playing very clever game pretending to
be weak-minded and Indifferent to every in
terest to prolong his life until his ven
cradle aunt has been called to her eternal
reward when 1t is predicted that he will
appear a person and assert his in
dividuality. He is actually prisoner, and
any one who receives mis- favors suffers for
il He is not allowed TO communicate with
or to receive any one from outside the pal
except in the presence of her spies, and
even when he apparS at formal receptions
OF members of the diplomatic corps and dis
tinguished strangers ana other ceremonial
occasions. the empress uowager Is always at
his side. Every word that he speaks is writ
ten for him and everything that is said to
him is overheard. IT is understood. how
ever among his supporters that he Is edu
eating himself with great diligence for the
responsibilities he expects to be called upon
to perform. and they predict that he will
surprise people one of these days soon as
the old lady is out of the way. Kwang
Hsu was thirty-four years old on the Both
of July. He is the son OF the late Prince
Chun and younger sister of the empress
dowager.
No heir to the throne mas been proclaimed
since the edict designating the of
Prince Tuan. the Boxer leader, re-
voked. As l told you the other day both
the father and son are now in Punishment
in Mongolia.
No Heir Apparent.
Some people think that Prince Chun, the
emperors brother, who was sent to Ger
many to apologize to the emperor for the
assassination of Baron Kettler, the German
minister. will be selected as heir apparent.
He is an unassuming young man of good
habits and ability. and made an excellent
impression in Germany during his visit
there.
Another available candidate is Tsai Hsun
younger brother, who is only eighteen
years old, but is married and has baby
son, born last March. The empress dow
aGer consented to act as bis godmother. or
TO play the part in Chinese which answers
lne same purpose, ana perhaps she may
take him up and insist that the little chap
b. made heir to the throne. Much concern
has been expressed 5y some of the manda-
rims lest this should be done and the gov
eminent placed again under regency. But
there is difference of opinion upon this as
uron most subjects Of Importance. Others
think the government may be better admin
istered under regency with infant en-
Another child who may possibly be des-
tined for the throne Is Va L'Sun. the son
OF Pu Lun the young man who has re-
Gently visited the United States as imperial
commissioner TO the ST. Louis exposition.
And he has second boy, Yu K'ang, about
four years old who Is also available and
may possibly be chosen. The whole matter