Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-20
Is ExpectedIn China Under
The New Regime
Forbidden City Crowded with
Officials and MournerS.
Accurate Information Of Last Days
OF the Dead Rulers.

| Pekln, Nov. 19.-An Omclal OF Int
| foreign board of the government today
gave formal assurance that the new
administration would promote with
vigor the reforms inaugurated by the
late Emperor Kuang Hsu. Several
| specific reforms already have been en-
| tailed for fulfillment upon the regency
of Prince Chun.
There is absolutely no truth In the
| reports telegraphed in here from Sing
apore and elsewhere to the effect that
Pekin is in flames and In the hands OF
a mob and that Prince Ching, president
of the foreign board, is dead. Nor is
the Dowager Empress, Yehonala, Ill.
Official denial of these various rumors
was given today and telegraphed by
the government abroad.
Prince Ching, president of the Board
Of Foreign Affairs, has forwarded di-
rect to President Roosevelt a personal
letter in the name of Pu VI, the infant
Emperor of China, setting forth the
crisis through which the throne has
passed during the last week. Similar
letters have been sent to all the other
powers friendly to China. These conf
munications make an appeal for SYM
pathy for an understanding of the new
rulers of China, who are unaccustomed
to Chinese procedure, and emphasize
the efficiency with which the events Of
the past week have been conducted.
Several of the foreign legations here
have expressed their qualification at
the manner in which the government
is managing the situation. II had been
expected up to the present time that
the death of the Dowager Empress
would precipitate trouble, but the way
in which the new government has as
sulned it's responsibilities has created
confidence among the diplomatists and
many of the foreign observers declared
Thursday that China had done as well
under these trying circumstances as
could any other government confront
ed with similar difficulties.
The provinces still are quiet, all the
governmental machines continue to
work. The autumn maneuvres of the
Chinese army have been curtailed, but
otherwise they are being carried out
according to the original program.
An edict ordering posthumous
honors for the late Dowager Empress
was issued today and it numerates for
the fourth time since the death of Her
Majesty the program of reforms to
which the new regime is committed.
These political edicts first began ap-
pearing four days ago, when, in the
name of the Emperor and the Grand
Council two DEGREES were published en-
failing upon the infant Emperor, Pu
vi, the performance Of the reforms al
| ready inaugurated by his predecessor.
The various edicts, taken together,
are considered to commit the new
regime conclusively to a program of
| reform and progress.
Prince Ching was at the palace both
yesterday and today. The Forbidden
City was crowded all day long with
| officials of various degrees and throngs
of mourners and notable in the gath
ering is the Dalai Lama and all his
disciples. Tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock there will be a service Of Tibe-
tan prayers before the collins of Their
Majesties. The Tibetans will officiate
Accurate information concerning the
last days of the Emperor and the Dow
ager Empress was obtained today from
officials Of the palace. The various for
eign legations in attempting to deter
mine the causes of the death of the
Emperor and the Dowager Empress
lave abandoned the poison theory and
have concluded that the symptoms of
the Emperor indicate that death re-
suited from neuraSthenia and cardiac
weakness. with other complications
The foreign board denies emphatically
and without qualification the rumors
that either of Their Majesties was
poisoned.
1t has been learned since the tragedy
that when the members Of the foreign
legations were last received in audience
they took with them to the palace two
or three foreign physicians with the
idea Of discovering what malady it
was from which the Emperor suffered.
They were unsuccessful
The Emperor made speech less than
one hour before his death. He passed
away during the greatest excitement
o,,1