The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-11-27
CHINA'S DOWACER
EMPRESSIS DEAD.
Her Demise Quickly Follows
That Of Emperor.
INFANT IS PLACED ON THRONE

Regent Orders Governors to Take Pre-,
cautions for Continuation Of Manchu
Regime-CeIestisl Empire Is Tran
gull at Present.
Picking. Nov. 16.-Tsze Hsi An, the
uowager empress of China the auto
cratic head of the government which
she directed without successful inter
ference since 1861 and without protest
since 1881 died at 2 p. m.
The announcement of the dowager
empress death was official and fol
lowed closely upon the announcement
that Kuang Hsu, the emperor, had
died Saturday at o'clock in the after
noon, but it is believed the deaths oc
CURED a considerable time before
that set down in the official state
ments.
An official edict placed on the
throne Prince Pu VI, the three-year.
old son of Prince Chun, the regent of
the empire, in accordance with a
promise given by the dowager empress
soon after the marriage of Prince
Chun in 1903.
Prince Chun, the regent, has ordered
the vicerOys and governors to take
precautions for the continuation of the
administration of the provinces as
heretofore, and he has ordered a hun.
dred days of mourning. The cour,
will go into mourning for three years.
Picking already has been greatly
transformed; all red objects have
When the people learned of the death
of the dowager empress they showed
that they were profoundly impressed
by the passing of their powerful ruler.
The foreigners in the city are watch,
ing the strange ceremonies with great
interest. At the palace elaborate
rites are being observed and flood Of
edcts has been sent forth.
Ancient Deathbed Observances.
Deathbed observances of 5000 years
ago marked the passing Of the EN-.
peror and dowager. They died alone
and unattended, although surrounded
by circles Of abject spectators, who re.
manned a rod distant, as on account
Of the sacred persons of their males.
ties, they could not be approached.
The emperor died as he had lived,
without mnistration of whatever kind
or scientific aid. For months he had
refused to permit the service of for.
eign physicians, and although it was
stated that he had gone back to the
old form of medical treatment, 1t Is
believed that latterly he received no
treatment at all.
The government has given out that
the dowager empress in a lucid in.
terval on Friday last received Prince
Ching, who is a Manchu, and mem.
Der of the royal family, and approved
the edicts declaring Prince Pu vi, heir
presumptive, and Prince Chun regent
of the empire Prince Ching was, at
the beginning of the Boxer outbreak,
lord chamberlain of the court and
commander of the Picking field forces,
That the dowager empress took this
step is discredited; nevertheless she is
believed to have successfully estab.
lished the Chun regime, which is the
Manchu regime, without obstacle, and
the opinion is held here that this so.
luton of the difficulty which has con.
fronted he government is the best
possible.
Until word of the dowager's death
is spread broadcast, no general dis
orders are apprehended There are
few signs of antagonism to foreigners
and there is no manner of doubt that
Prince Chun will be able to meet the
situation, as he is recognized as thor
oughly progressive and is the most ac-
ceptable man that could be chosen to
those most disposed to cause trouble,
the reformers Antagonism on the
part OF the conservatives and even an
in7urrectionary movement is conceiV'
able. because the death Of the power.
full woman who dominated all, and the
weaking emperor sweeps away the
old palace corruptionists.