New-York tribune., 1910-11-13

,r,onyrisht 1910. by the Brentwood Compsns'
of all laws. the ones that appear ihe
most oppressive and the enforcement Va
which excitts the greatest amount OF re-
sentiment are those Of suiilP'U''
character Peter the Great experieiiO'0
no difficulty in securing the accep'oiiO'
of his Western reforms by the husSiai49
,,nt1 he exacted that they should cut OF
their heards and appear with cleah
sbavan faces. Sooner than defer TO MN
in this matter his lieges, despite Iher
bei,,c accustomed 10 the most slaNlsh
obedience 10 his edicts. preferred TO suf-
co. the knout. exile TO Siberia or even
death.
King George, like his father, Edward
vi. and his grandmother, Queen VIC
1oria. has found it extremely dlfflcuIt 10
;nd,,ce the officers of his army TO conlpl!
with the stringent military regulations
which forbid clean shaven faces, as well
s f,,il boards and exact a Tnustache,
v,bile Emperor William has been obliged
IA prescribe all sorts of dire penaIt'es
Fo- those officers of his navy who are
anxious 10 follow his example in wear
ire no hair on their faces except a mus
1ache-
The removal. therefore, during the
last week bv all the Chinese diplomats
-ans,,iar officials and government agents
and students in the United States OF
,bair oueues. in obedience TO peremptory
commands from Peking.- coupled with
The assurance that all Of their country
men in America who entertain any
homes Of returning 10 their native land
and who retain their allegiance 10 their
hoy Emperor will follow suit before the
,,-esent month is over, is an event cal
culated TO create more than passing
sensation. and when one reflects that
This ukase affects the population OF an
empire which numbers over ieofr''-
6nG and that il involves the cutting
off Of at least half that number OF pig
tails. great and small II will be readily
understood that the capillary markets
in America and in Europe VIII be
slutted for some time 10 come
II is difficult for the foreign mind 10
conceive a Chinaman without his queue
and there is no doubt but that when
worn in conjunction with his native
dress il has added to the dignity and
impressiveness of his appearance. Origi-
nalIy forced upon the Chinese people as
2 badge Of servitude by the ManChu
dynasty. now occupying the throne at
Pekfng. il had ended by becoming an
object Of pride and solicitude on the
part Of many Of its wearers- So much
so was this the case that on the acces-
sion to the throne Of the present four
vear-old Emperor PU-Yi, his father,
Prince Chun, the Regent, considered it
necessary 70 issue a proclamation con-
fiding TO the Grand Secretary OF the
Empire, a mandarin by the name of
Shi-Shu, the task Of attending to the
hair Of the diminutive monarch, so that
the latter might be found 10 possess a
queue worthy of his rank Of supreme
sovereign when the period Of mourning
for the late Emperor and for the En-
press DoW8ger came TO an end.
To the Chinese their Emperor is some !
rhing so aWesoIne and sacred that II
would never have done for the youngster
70 have a queue which by its lack Of
material and its mea agreness would have
invited ridicule. That is why one Of the 1
Erandest dignitaries Of the realm. a /
mandarin OF the highest rank, was as 1
signed by means OF solemn imperial |
eCict 10 the important duty Of caring /
for and. above all, promoting his little 1
nonarch's pigtau-
This viii convey some notion Of the /
Importance attached ley the Chinese TO /
the queue which served many purposes /
Thus, when it was coiIed up il indicated .
lack Of respect for the people present /
Il was invaluable 10 the police and TO 4
troops engaged in repressins insurrec-
tons ia capturing and holding prisoners .
4 whole bunch Of the latter could be