The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-13
DALAI LAMA A BORE
Wandering Head of Buddhists Not a Welcome Visitor
 in Picking.
THRONE FEARS HIS POWER

Jollies Him, But Backs Movement to
 Railroad Ruler of Tbibet Back
 to Lhassa.
 Picking. Saturday, May 30..-In the spring of 1904 Colonel Sir Francis Ed ward Younghusband of the British army led British column over the mountain passes of the Hlmalayas and fought his way into the Holy City of Lhassa. In the eyes of all true budd- hists this was dissertation and ever since then the Dalai Lama. the relIgi- ous head of the Buddhist faith and ruler of Tibet has been wanderer over North China. He would not stay in his city after the feet of inldels had trodden It's sacred streets. Con lsequently, accompanied by numerous retinue he started on his wanderings through China and Mongolia, an expen- sive and unwelcome guest at the varI- ous cities where he elected to stop. Now the Lama Is coming to Picking where. as a matter of fact, he will be no more welcome than he was at other lcities in the empire. Political expedient, however, will make it necessary for the Chinese authorities to receive him with show of great courtesy but will do their utmost to persuade him to re- turn to Lhassa and If they can once get him to start for home they will send along a numerous force of troops 10 see that he reached here without stopping unduly on the way.
 The Lama in his travels has had with him a retlnue variously estimated at from five hundred to one thousand men. This pomp is perhaps fitting for the head of all the Buddhlsts, but to entertain such host in the luxurious manner they expect has been both ex- penslve and troublesome for the Chin ese, upon whom the Lama has de- scended and demanded hospitality in the name of his high office The posi- ton Dalai Lama in the Buddhist church resembles that of the Pope in the Christian world. He is believed tc be Budda's vice regent incarnate or earth He never dies, but at certain times displeased with the slnfulness of the world he retires to the paradise of Gadan, leaving his mortal body on earth When at home in Lhassa the Dalai Lama Is held in such veneratior that his people get on their knees when the cattle that supply him with milk are driven past them down the high road. These sacred cattle together with the Lama's golden cooking utensils have been brought along on the wan derings. The Lama travels with dignity and seclusion, but in order to shed spir-
 tual benefit upon the multitude 1t Is his custom to walk along the road he strikes the pilgrims lined up by the way and thus imparts to them his high blessing,
 Ever since the Dalai Lama started on his travels the Chinese throne has tried to break up his caravan and send him back to Lhasssa but with out success. The Chinese govern ment desires to re-organize tho ad- ministration of Tiber but 1t can dc nothing without the Lama's co-opera- ton, The throne Is, therefore, now resortng to Embellishments to bring him to Picking even though he Is not really wanted here in the ultimate |. x1a t,i t.
 home. The present Dalai Lama is more important politically than hat
 been the ruler of Tibet at any time since the country was annexed tt China in 1720. He Is thought to dis
 trust China deeply on account of hel inability in 1904-O5 to protect Tibe
 from British India and herself iron
 Japan and Russia and he is accused of intriguing with Russia on this ac
 count.
 No Dalai Lama has even before lee
 the region of Lhassa and with on,
 exception no Grand Lama of whom there are three, has ever visited Pc
 king, This exception was In 1779 anc the visitor died of smallpox immedi
 ately after his arrival.
 The Dalai Lama is 32 years old an,
 is the thirteenth ruler of the Buddhis church. His personality Is shroude, in mystery, and not even his namo known. He Is said to be obstinate and the throne does not expect al
 easy time tn getting him to do what I wants. He has been seen by very fey
 foreigners, The later Russian minis
 ter to China, M. Pokotioff, was recent
 ly received by him at UJrga; Captai
 Kosloff, a Russian explorer, delivere,
 letter to him from Emperor Nichola
 last year, and German traveller sa, him at Si-Ming few months ago. After his flight from the Potala, hi sacred castle in Lhassa, the Dala 5 Lama wandered about from monster to monastery in the high attitudes c northern Tibet and central Mongoli until he finally was not less than 300 . miles from his starting point
 His retinue consists of priests, per t sonal servitors, high officials of tn l church and a motley crowd of doubt
 ful-looking soldiers armed with rifle s One of these men declared to a Ch r nese commissioner that he was a Rus l sian. The officials of the large cite 9 which the Lama has visited say @ takes about $5000 to entertain hii }, and his retainers for a single day.