The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-12-04
CHINA'SDOWACER
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
Regme-Celestial 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 hun.
dred days of mourning. The cour,
tot
Picking already has been greatly
transformed; all red objects have
been removed and blue substituted
When the people learned Of the death
of the dowager empress they showed
that they were profoundly impressed
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
edicts 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 ministration of whatever kline
or scientific aid. For months he hat
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, it is
believed that latterly he received M
treatment at all.
The government has given out tina
the dowager empress in a lucid in
terval on Friday last received Prince
Ching. who is Manchu, and mem
Der of the royal family, and approved
the edicts declaring Prince Pu vi, hei
presumptive, and Prince Chun regen
of the empire. Prince Ching was, a
the beginning of the Boxer outbreak
lord chamberlain of the court ant
commander of the Picking field forces
That the dowager empress took this
step is discredited; nevertheless she /!
believed to have successfully estab
lished the Chun regime, which is thu
Manchu regime, without obstacle, ant
the opinion is held here that this so
mtion of the difficulty which has con
fronted he government is the bes
possible.
Until word Of the dowager's dealt
Is spread broadcast, no general dis
orders are apprehended, There are
few signs of antagonism to foreigners
and there is no manner of doubt tina
Prince Chun will be able to meet thu
situation, as he Is recognized as thor
oughly progressive and is the most &C
ceptable man that could be chosen t
those most disposed to cause trouble
the reformers Antagonism on The
part Of the conservatives and even al
inSurrectionary movement is conceiv
able because the death Of the power
ful woman who dominated all, and the
WeakIing emperor sweeps away the