Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-21

dreds of court officials and followers
IL was a barbsrous exhibition OF the soul
less snd inhuman formality, and etiquette
OF the court. Soon after TIE deaths were
announced hundreds OF men, including
everybody attached 10 the household de-
mained there for five days.
The member OF the grand council. in a
testamentary statement written expressly
for her majesty. have drawn q pitiful pic
ture OF her last su~fferings. This account
4 reveals the feelings Of an eye witness who
stood awe-stricken In the crowd at a pre-
scribed distance from the bedside OF the
dying woman.
On the night OF November IS the dowager
empress called the members Of the grand
council together and talked with them for
come time. She was lying prone. but fully
dressed. After one hours consultation the
councillors were dismissed, but they were
told TO return at 2 o'clock in the morning
with the edicts prepared to announce the
succession Of the throne.
1t is reported that her majesty was able
to signify her assent to these particular
edicts, but Immediately after having done
this she declared:
81 can bear no MORE and lapsed into
Inconsistencies.
The emperor and the dovager suppress
were dead or moribund when the regency
edicts were issued.
Panic Follows Death.
As soon a. Il was actually known
throughout the palace that their matesties
were dead a condition Of panic snsued. The
widow OF Tung Chi attempted to commit
suicidC because she perceived she would
not be made dowaEer empress.
There was an outbreaks Of wsiling and
general pandemonium. Many Of the palace
eunuchs fled. carrying with them such valu-
ables as they could lay their hands on.
DowAger Empress Yehonala was one Of the
few who retained presence OF mind. she
ordered that the gates be guarded and gave
other instructions for the maintenance and
restoration OF order.
Today the eunuchs have returned and
have been reinstated and. except for the
continuance Of funeral obsequies and OBJ
servances. conditions at the palace are
normal. The principal consulstes Of the
late Kuang Hsu nave been pensioned.
Pu VI, the baby emperor. has been taken
from his family and cared for within the
palace precincts. He 10 popularity reported
- OiJhhB oaS ~ hibuJ " lie Oiu ~
Letters Friendly to Powers.
Prime Ching. president OF the Board of
Affairs. has sent President Roosevelt a
letter In the name OF Pu vi, the infant EN-
peror Of China. setting forth the crisis
through which the throne has passed dur
ing the last week. Similar letters have
been sent to all the other powers friendly
to China. These communications make an
appeal for sympathy for an understanding
OF the new rulers OF China and emphasizes
the efficiency with which the events of
the last week have been conducted.
Several of the foreign legations here have
expressed their surprise and qualification
at the manner in which the government is
managing the situation. 1t had been ex-
pected up to the present time that the
death OF the dowager empress would pre-
cipitate trouble. but the way in which the
new government has assumed its RESPONSE
bilities has created confidence among the
diplomatists, and many of the foreign OBJ
servers declare today that China has done
as we'll under these trying circumstances
as could any other government confronted
with similar difficulty. The provinces still
are quiet and the governmental machine
continues to work we'll.
EngIishman Predicts Trouble.
LONDON, Nov. 2O.-An Englishman at
present in this city. who has a most COM
plete knowledge of China and Chinese con-
ditions, expressed the opinion today that
the chances of trouble resulting from the
change of regime at Picking were far more
serious than was generally thought.
Few people outside of China appreciate
the relative position of the Manchus and
the Chinese" he said. while the present
dynasty lie Manchu the population OF the
country Is Chinese. The desire Of the
Chinese for a share in the government
prcportionate to their numbers is today
tie strongest motive behind the revolution
cry movement. As soon as the period of
mourning is over the new regime undoubt-
edly will make many changes among the
high officials. who. in their turn. will make
changes among their subordinates. This
will have a vital bearing on the peace OF
the empire, and unless the Chinese are
given greater representation in the govern
ment serious trouble may be expected.
The Chinese revolutionists are well
organized and they have plenty OF arms
and ammunition. The attitude of the for
eign powers will exert q strong influence
en- their actions. II the Manchu dynasty
commands the support of the powers and
particularly armed support, a revolution il
hardly probably, but II the Chinese ara
assured that the powers would remain
neutral they might make short work Of the
Menchu dynasty.
"of the really efficient men in high gov,
eTnmental positions less than half a dozer
are Manchus; the great majority are Chi
nese. Almost all the effective work Of the
government is being done by Yuan Shi Kai
with the assistance of American educated
Cantonese like Tang Shsc VI. who is nov
an a Fntaafnn IN Va.rl - - -
tries Of Europe. and his associates"
INQUEST IN HAAS SUICIDE