The San Francisco call., 1908-11-23

ment an inviolable understanding 10
preserve the integrity Of China.
Accompanying the special commits
sioner in the subordinate capacity OF
secretary is Prince Tsai Fu. a beard
less youth Of % years. who is of royal
blood. a second cousin to the late En-
peror Kuang Hsu, and a more distant
relative TO the present sovereign. The
dignity attached TO the mission is ac-
centuated by the reversal of relations
between the commissioner and the
prince.
NEWS OF DOWAGER'S DEATH
The arrival of the party in san Fran
cisco was saddened by the unexpected
news Of the death Of the Dowager En-
press Tse Hsi An. At Honolulu the
party mad learned that Emperor Kuang
Hsu had died. but the Mongolia left
the Hawaiian port before news had
been received Of the dowager's demise.
Much Of the ceremony that had been
planned was eliminated, but the com
missioner and his party were given an
elaborate welcome and, attended by q
large military escort, were driven
through the streets to their hotel.
Diplomats of every capital in the
world viii regard with most Jealous in
terest the progress of the special com
mission in this country. and particu-
larly at Washington. Ostensibly the
mission is TO thank the American peo-
pie through President Roosevelt. for
the generosity of this government in
a Tie Boxer matter. but the real fact
that the party viii stay in Washing
ton until next March, after the inau-
guration Of President elect Taft. the
wonderful vistas of world politics
opened up by the suppressed" and IN
surpassed interviews Of Kaiser Will
liam. parts of which seem prophetic
OF Commissioner Tong's movements, and
the additional point that Secretary OF
state Root has dispatched to Japan per
Iinent questions dealing with Nippon's
attitude on the integrity of China, the
open door policy Of China and the Man
churian question. give fine, broad
background upon which to project Tong
Shao Yi's mission in a variety Of spec
Uiatiye motion pictures.
OBJECTED TO INTERVIEW
Commissioner Tong did not desire 10
be interviewed yesterday. His diff
dence was explained by his personal
sorrow and official retirement follow
ing the death Of his sovereigns. But he
consented to discuss general topics
with wspapermen. who offered not TO
introduce political topics During the
interview. which covered a rapidly
shifting held OF topics, the dignitary
said voluntarily.
II come TO this country with higher
powers than Minister WI has and
should any question arise that would
~ar-r-ra my services Will deal with it
instead Of the minister 10 this country
Nung kWai secretary to the COM
missioner. and his appointed spokesman,
was asked concerning the statement
Kaiser Wilhelm was reported to have
made regarding the prospective visit Of
q high Chinese official to Washington
for the purpose Of entering into an
alliance with this country, in which
Germany was later TO join. for the pur-
pose Of curtailing the influence Of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance.
7 suppose in this thing the kaiser
knows more than we do" Secretary
Yung Kwai answered, with true diplo-
matte evasion.
Another question which the secretary
evaded quite as skillfully was whether
o. not Chung Nun Yew, one Of the
secretaries ia the party. was to be ap-
. pointed 10 succeed WI Ting Fang the
present ambassador from China to
Washington lightning may sc-ike
him replied the enigmatic secretsrv
But now he is in mourning for the
death Of his father and could not take
such q position"
is GRADUATE OF YALE
Secretary Yung Kwai is an adroit
and pleasing Official, graduate of
Yale college, for 10 years secretary OF
the Chinese legation at Washington.
and al one time a reporter on the New
York Herald
Had the death Of the two sovereigns
OF China not occurred, yesterday would
have been one Of the most picturesope
in the history Of San Francisco. and
quite the most ceremonious in the
annals Of Chinatown. A brilliant recep-
tion. carrying all the orientation Of
which the city and the race are capabIe
had been planned in honor of the
arrival on American soil Of Special
Commissioner Tong Shao VI and Prince
Tsai Fu.
The Pacific Mail steamship Mongolis
was sighted before dawn and dropped
anchor of quarantine at 7.45. AT 900
clock in the morning the ship was
passed by the health officers. and the
welcoming party was permitted on
board. The United States army tug Slo-
cum. bearing the army officers and
the Chinese consul general and mem
bers Of the Chinese reception commit
tee. drew alongside
Consul General Hsu Ping Chen. clad
in q gray astrakhan jacket and wear
ing the black, buttonless cap of mourn
ing, first mounted the gangway and
hurried TO the commissioner, his arms
ls(ened with the precious cablegram
tekIng Of the wide swath cut by the
reaper about the throne of China since
the commissioner had left Peking.
RECEPTION COMMITTEE
Behind the nimble consul general fol-
lowed the vice consul. then members
OF the reception committee. General
LreEe--lol. A s...,iaL. -.