The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-11-17
A NJ

"EVerytlng is vOt it amt" Nv
A WONDERFUL WOMAN.
We ear much from time to time,
about great women. We hear that
this woman or that in America, or Eu-
rope, is the greatest.
The empress dowager of China, to
our way of thinking, was the greatest
woman of her day. She was one of
the most remarkable characters in all
history.
Born a slave, she ruled 100000, 900
people. In what age has such a wo-
man lived before?
While she may 10 have been popu-
lar she was a force to be reckoned
with in the affairs Of the world.
When a child, she gained the favor
of a master, for some remarkable serv-
ice. He offered to free her. She asked
for an education, and this was granted.
When she reached the age Of 10 she
was an accomplished, as well as a beau
tiful woman, and became famous. She
could have been sold for fabulous
sums. Finally her master discussed
with her the idea of presenting her IT,
the emperor. She consented, and,
robed in shining yellow silk, she wa
taken to Pekin and added to the ha.
rem of the ruler of the Flowery king
dom. Beautiful, accomplished, ef
ready wit, and with a mind that
worked great problems with the regu-
larity of clock work, she captivated
him. Within a few months from the
time she arrived in Pekin, the en-
perer sought her counsel on nearly
everything. In affections, she sup
planted his wives, and his councillors,
though jealous were crowded into the
background, for she became the ruling
force in the empire.
From the harem she was transferred
to the palace, and from that point
ruled with a rod of iron-not always
wisely perhaps, but surely, neverthe-
less.
When the emperor adopted western
ideas and sought to change conditions,
she opposed him-and he died sud
denly. 1t is said that he was poisoned
and perhaps he was but no one was
ever arrested or accused of murder.
His natural son mounted the throne
but he was dominated by the en-
press, and ruled until he attempted to
act Observation-Disclosures he followed
his fathers.
At this point the son Of the empress
was given the crown, for a woman
may not hold the sceptre OF China, and
the emperor is nominated and does not
reach the pinnacle by any method Of
succession. The emperor nominated
his own o by a former wife-he did
not live long enough to name his son
by the slave woman, who had been
freed of necessity when she was taken
to the imperial palace. For in China
the child of a member of the harem
may become ruler. Some OF the great
est men of the nation have been so
nominated. w.
The son of the empress was a pup
pet. He was as SO much putty in her
hands. For over half a century she
welded a power in the Orient never
known before, and while she may not
always have ruled justly, according to
our standard, she governed satisfac-
torily by the accepted Oriental stand
ards.
There may be other women who
have been more popular, and less
feared, but none, so far as we are
aware, who have been or are, greater
than was this woman, who rose from
the lowest to the highest estate-from
the cradle of a slave to the throne
room of the Oldest empire in the world.
All Of which goes to show that,
greatness is a matter of individual eff
fort, whether it be in a republic or an
empire, and he who waits for someone
to do something for him, must expect
to be governed, and he who would
reach the top of the ladder, must toll
ceaselessly, and have the single pur-
pose Of success In view, as had the
dowager empress.
-- -
A Philadelphia doctor say that he
has a new jag cure. He declares that
on nnorafiOn 10 tho scheme. If fhia