The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-15
GREAT WOMAN RULES CHINA
NARVELS WORKED BY THE DOW
AGER EMPRESS IN SIX YEARS.
IN 1900 she Wal Described aS q rend
In~carnate-NOw She 10 Leading In the
Task OF demonstrating the Chinese
Nation and Is Foremost in Reform.

Tnoarnate-NOw She ID Leading In the
Task OF demonstrating the Chinese
Nation and Is Foremost In Reform.
pHK1N, March Six years ago the
foreigners living in Pekin were In i'm
mediate danger Of humiliation at the
bands OF a fanatical horde, spurred into
their fury by a savage and heartless ruler.
II IA said Of her in those days that, while
In the midst Of a social chat, she could,
and frequently did, without a perceptible
oriver or change Of expression, consign
subjects to the most horrible death and
than proceed with the conversation as
though nothing Of moment had happened.
70 the rlmors afloat concerning this re-
uarkable woman, the greatest in Chinese
bistory-if not in world h~istory-have any
foundation in fact, Lady Macbeth, holding
IN her white hands the bloody dagger, has
In her Majesty the Empress Dowager an
equal.
Sir years ago death was the penalty
FOR even associating with a foreigner. A
Chinese interpreter who refused to fee
southward from Pekin through Honan
province with his employer started to
return to the city. The Boxers met him,
Uncovered evidences of his occupation on
his person and hacked him to pieces.
Six years ago foreign devils and their
associates were eagerly hunted by savages,
bnndishing swords dripping with the
blood of innocent children; n the pos
session Of property captured from the
Minis d the home Of an unfortunate foreign
devil was the cause Of great rejoicing and
rave the possessor immunity from the
rsrauding bands who relentlessly obeyed
the commands of a heartless monarch.
Sir years nave worked marvels-f the
nredictions written in 1900 are any cri-
teron-both in regard to b Chinese people
and in regard to their august ruler, who is
no longer looked upon as a fend incarnate
but as one Of the most capable and diplo-
matte rulers Of the world.
With the exception Of n V~iceroy-pos-
dbly one or two others-she was the first
10 realize the seriousness OF the mistake
10 1900. and accordingly planned for a re-
constructive reformation. Her task was
one that might we'll stagger them most astute
statesman.
Macao, Hongkong, Wei-hai wei. Using
tail and Port Arthur wese In foreign hands;
a section Of the city of Pehin, a mile long
and half a mile wide, bordering on the
Imperial City and inside the Tartar Wall.
was coded by the treaty Of 1900 to b foreign
Powers then in possession, and the same
treaty. stipulated that the foreign Powers
were permitted to station troops both in
legation quarters and along The railway to
the coast.
Manchuria and Corea were swiftly GID
ing away in the embrace Of a marvellously
innocent looking animal. The press OF
Europe clamored for dismemberment Of
the Empire as the only safe solution.
Apparently u~ndaunted by the s~tupendouH
task, the Empress Dowager began laying
the foundation for China's future greatness,
The anti-foreign feeling as such has gradu-
ally been dying out, with occasional far
ines up in the south Of the dying embers,
and a new and more effective programme
has taken it's place, namely, the conviction
that by following Japan's example china is
destined to become one Of the leading ma =
lions Of the world.
Accordingly there Is scarcely a depart
ment OF the Government which has not
a foreign staff of advisers-espeoially is
this true in the case Of officials who have
not received foreign education. Foreigners
are in demand as instructors In the colleges
and universities n native Christians
who nave received a modern education In
the mission institutions are not sufficient
In number to supply the demand.
By imperial edict vast numbers OF Bud
dbist temples have been ordered to be used
for modern public school buildings and in
one district the magistrate issued a circular
.-,.aa4,-. khA raAnln RI atom GnanHlnR
money in foolish worship OF idols and in
stead put the money they are accustomed
to use in this way into them modern public
school fund. Compulsory education has
been recommended to the Board OF Edu-
cation. Reorganization on modern Ines
is tsking place in every department OF
government and schools for the education
Of girls are springing up in many OF the
large cities.
In hne with her policy Of adopting what
10 best from foreign countries, the High
Commissioners have been sent abroad to
study the science Of modern government,
and upon their return 1t is expected that
the draft OF a constitutional form OF gov
eminent, which has been under process
Of formation for the past two years, will
be speedily concluded.
An even more significant indication Of the
Governments persuasive policy was been
shown by the Empress Dowager in encour-
agtng financially the establishment OF the
Union Medical College in Pekin, which is
but one department of a union educational
institution In north China participated in
by all the Protestant mission societies in
Pekin, namely, Church Of England Mission
London Mission, Methodist Episcopal Mis-
sion, American Board Mission and Presby-
terrain Mission. At the opening ceremony,
which took place February IS last, she
sent as her special representative his Ex-
oellency Ma Tung, Generalissimo OF Pekin,
honorary chairman Of the occasion.
Every official board was represented
among. the twenty or thirty high Chinese
officials who were present, and WI Ting
fang was doubtless responsible for the
presence Of all the high officials on the
Board Of Punishments. Among the list
Of distinguished Chinese we mention The
following: Prince Pu Lun, ~Jungching,
president OF the Board Of Education; Sun
Shou, president of the Board Of War; Gen,
Chang, Lien Fang and Tong Shao-vi, OF