Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31
FAMOUS CELESTIAIS NOW GOVERNING THE CHINESE EMPIRE

College whether he might read the books,
stored in the Imperial Library. and he is
dong all he can to keep track of the
Chinese newspapers and public opinion
as expressed therein. l am told that he
has personally instruced the grand coun-
ci'ors that he wants his own faults and
shortcomings pointed out. and that the
censors must not be afraid to criticfse
him. He has also put up outside his resi-
dence a petition box which is accessible
to all classes Of people.
He proposes to establish q newspaper
here as the Chinese organ of the central
government, and also to give NEE IS to
the editors of the other Chinese papers
who prove to be beneficial TO the country
and to society. He has changed the old
custom by which the Manchu officials
called themselves slaves in addressing the
throne. They will in the future use the
expression your minister's. He is also
going about Picking incognito gathering
information first hand on what the peo-
pie think OF his administration. He has
ordered the censOrS to keep watch of and
report all wrongs: ana. on the whole, is
proving himself 10 be a live up-to-date
figure in the government
Inc prince regent now goes about i'm a
fine closed carriage or brougham, with
his outriders In livery going along in
front and behind. He has given nm the
Chinese cart since his trip abroad. and
like most of the high officials he now has
as good an outfit as YOU will see in Lon
don or Paris. About the time that the
prince went to Berlin there was only one
brougham in Peking. and the official who
owned il was looked upon as a reaction
airy by his fellows. They called his car
>riage devil cart" ard sneered at him
for aping the ways of foreigners OF late
the devil cart has become common:
and now there are scores Of Iandaus, dog
carts and other stylish euuipages owned
by high class Chinese. Picking is stead
lily improving its rOadways, and the steam
roller is making its way into the other
cities of the empire. The fact that thu,
prince uses a brougham Is causing others
to purchase them.
The ablest official In China has now
gone into retirement. | refer to Yuan
Shin Kai. the Old protege of Lii Hung
Chang. the strong friend of the foreign
ers. during the Boxer rebellion and The
man who has done more to further west
ern civilization than any Chinese now liv-
ing. Yuan Shih Kai saved the life of the
great dOwager, and during her latter days
he was her premier and confidential ad-
wiser. The old lady appreciated the fact
tndI ne LOOK lie HI Ills f1dnOS WneH lie
refused to do the behests of the late en-
peror when the latter had demanded that
Yuan advance his modern army to tire
capital and put her in prison. He was at
the top of his power when she and the
emperor passed away, and every one
thought him TO be the man for the hour.
The foreigners were so convinced OF this
that they objected to his dismissal. New
ertheless, Yuan was put out Of office
within a few weeks after the death of
Kwang Su. and 1t is claimed that this
was because of an edict which the latter
wrote when in his death throes. Another
theory is that Yuan Shin kai actually
took the life OF the late emperor when
the empress dowager was dying. For fear
that he would lose his heat IL kwang Su
remained on the throne. As 10 the truth
of this no one knows except the highest
officials and Prince Chun. 1t is safe To
say that a man like Yuan Shih Kai, when
his own death was in question, would
hardly hesitate to remove even an en-
peror to save his head.
j heard story last night which illus
trates the character of Yuan and confirms
this opinion. IL relates to rebellion
which broke out while he was viceroy of
Chill. and when the foreigners were still