davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06
Panama Valley Railroad
TIM CARD.

In Effect January i, 1911. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06

The case of the United States vs. w. c. Mogue. on appeal from the commissioners court. will be sub mitted on briefs.
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06

Stipulation for continuance In the case Cf C. F. Parkes vs. II. J. Miller, a case on appeal from the commissioner court, has been filed
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06

The case of Peter Vidovich vs. John klonos, having been settled cut of court. was on Monday dismissed.
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06

The hearing on the receivers re- port in the case of the x. C. Co. vs. the Panama Electric company will be held next motion day.
The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-06

People who lead the simple life are not necessarily simple-minded.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
NO QUORUM IN ASSEMBLY.

Ii was taking action that scarcely fol.
lowed the lines Of well ordered constitu-
tional government. Critical foreigners
observed that on the day the nineteen
specifications were adopted the Assembly
had no quorum This is naively ex-
planned away by the statement that the
al Drum is estimated from the number Of
delegates actually in Peking. At least
one-third of them have never come here
and on the day the Assembly took the
important action mentioned above only
eighty-four members out Of total Of
two hundred were present However.
its action was just as effective as II all
were there.
Aside from the aforementioned edicts
there have been several others Of inter
est. One grants amnesty To the rebels,
another assures the people Of the good
intentions OF the Throne and its intention
not to harm them. They are all quite
abject.
Despite the concessions of the Throne
the situation is 10y no means settled. IN
fact. it is more complicated than ever
If one only knew whether the rebels are
now intent upon Manchu eXterm.nau.n o.
or even ii the rebels in various parts Of
tn. country are bound together In ties Of
organization. il would be, easier 10 dis
cuss the probabilities of affairs.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Manchu Rue Falls in China After Dominance Of Almost zoo Years

the people-sit is not certain that all are
acting in conjunction or that this up
heaval is completely organized. The
truth seems to be that the entire coun-
try has taken the opportunity offered
spontaneously to voice its objection to
what has been going on. Whether or
ganized or not. the effect has been great
and the rebellion so far successful
The difficulties in Szc-Chuen have
never been surmounted by the throne
and have now faded into unimportance,
owing To the greater events which have
happened since In October there came
an outbreak at Wu-Chang, vice-reSal
capital of great Importance. Here sol
diers of the imperial army mutinied and
declared themselves rebels. They were
immensely successful and captured Wu-
Chang and Hankow, across the Yang
Use River from N|u-Chans. along with
the highly important Han Yang arsenal.
This was n real start The event set
the country in a turmoil Of rebel agita-
ton. Encouraged by the success of the
soldiers of Wu-Chang. other soldiers
along the Yang-Tse Valley declared their
independence and joined the rebel side.
One after another important cities and
towns. including many provincial capt
tails. fell into the hands Of the rebels.
There was. however. little bloOdshcd, as
the captulations usually consisted OF
warning from mutinous troops, the hasty
retreat OF officials representing the rule
Of the central government and of the
Manchus, whereupon the town concerned
would be considered as having fallen.
The fall OF Wu-Chang. Hankow ana
other points. while important, scarcely
endangered the government. Troops to
the number of twenty thousand were
started southwark from Peking to fight
the rebels, and the affair seemed to be
going the course of any ordinary reNolu-
ton. Yet as time went on there were
many evidences of the bad temper OF the
country. and il was not long before the
government was openly worried. 1t was
but another. step to lively concern ana
only another, still shorter, to panic for
events Of prime importance and danger
came tumblng over one another In nasty
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
GREAT CONCESSIONS MADE.

Discussion. however is useless. II
may be that the rebels will be satisfied
with the concessions which hsve been
made and will content themselves with
constitutional government. II is certain
that the government has now conceded
ardent reformers. with the exception
the extremists. who demand the eApui'
sion OF the dynasty. IL may be SAID unat
the Manchus are not sincere, that Then
the present embarrassing situation Is
over they will break their promises oi
to-day, but that is not in the least liKeN'
for the Manchus have been given
thorough fright; they have seen wha'
the Chinese arc now prepared and COM
petent 10 do
They may well consider themselves
lucky if they retain the Throne even
with its mere shadow Of power.
Serious trouble then developed at Ham
kow. The imperial troops advance'
upon the rebels and fierce lighting en-
sued. The imperals partially triumphed'
and controlled the city of Hankow Ions
enough TO destroy it by fire. There was
also a massacre. Another confusing IN
cident of the moment is the fan ="
Shanghai That important place pasSeu
into the hands of the rebelliOus elemem
after the edicts granting all the conces'
sions demanded had been promulgated
II may indicate that. after all these
rebels. all of them. are really after tne
Manchus instead of merely political r.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Ancient Empire Undergoes Tremendous
Political Change Within Less Than
Month, Regent Now Granting Ma
tional Assembly's Demands as Pre-
cipitately as They Are Made.
DANGER YET OF INTERVENTION

policy Of establishing a constitutional
Monarchy submitting In the first place
for Our perusal a draft Of nineteen I'm.
portant articles and requesting that ",
make an oath before the Imperial An.
cestral Temple and promulgate the art-
cles to the ministers and subjects so as
to consolidate the foundation OF the En-
plre and to protect the Imperial Family
Upon careful perusal We find that
these articles are all important and We
hereby command that they be sane
toned at once In the mean time date
should be selected 70 make an oath be-
fore the Imperial Ancestral Temple 10
have the important articles promptly
promulgated and yellow copies printed
for the information Of the whole En-
pire.
The Constitution 70 be drafted by the
said Yuan shall be based on these anti
cles.
The National Assembly seemed AZ thi,
time to be mad with power. II intend.
ed to go on with the making Of the con-
stitution. but determined not 10 do so
when II received some very vehement
protests from the provinces. II was
finally decided TO leave the constitution
to the forthcoming Parliament and 70
ask for the early convocation OF this
body. No sooner was the action taken
than the Throne called the early session
Of Parliament. 1t is probably lucky for
China that this headlong effort Of the
Assembly to settle all the destinies OF
the people was checked. The Assembly
is entitled to tremendous credit FOR all
that it has done. but there is plenty Of
justification for the feeling that 1t was
going too far
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
REBEL VICTORY MEANS CHAOS

To foreign mind there is not mu'h
question as TO the most sensible thlns
for the Chinese 10 DO. 1t is TO accept '"'
situation as il stands The Manchu'
have been relcgated TO the bachSIoun"
China is Chinese. and il is better iar
have this promised constitutional gov
crnmcnt than TO have the chaos "n'"
would follow rebel victory, no ms,'''
IN what direction il would lead Wheuu''
to new Chinese dynasty or 10 '"'
esta blishmcnt of two or more so'e'"
ments. Of whatever kind.
There is an international phase 10 ','
situation which cannot be overlooAo"
The powers. OF course. are all deeply u"
terestcd in what happens to CHINA ""N
il the situation is prolonged the Po"', :,
must begin TO think about what they
do. China will shortly be in DIRE nh'"
cial straits The central goveShihe"'
will be unable TO meet its deptS' s"S
provincial revenues having ceaSeU'
powers will then have to do sonle'iI'".
for their lending bankers.
houses will soon pass into the hah"'
the rebels, and as customs reee''s
In some cases security for foreign io""
the powers will Immediately become 80
cerned. The time for interNeh''o"
not Vet come. but IL may come S'o'
things go OH. and then a most ''''F
problem will have To be laced
The Throne is doing It's n'lhos' ay
cate the rebels. 1t may succeed u NV
not. IL is useless TO speculate
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
WHERE THE REGENT FAILED

The Empress Dowager was wise
enough TO associate eminent Chinese
with her in her schemes of reforms, and
thus procured cooperation. The pres
ent Prince Regent, when he came 10
power. failed to do this. Instead, ne
surrounded himself with members Of the
imperial clan His brothers and rela-
tivcs. many Of them obviously incompe
tent. received high positions. \ cabi-
net was ultimately organized as great
step in advance, but it had no great
powers aud was not particularly repre-
sentative.
The Prince Regents way of doing
thinks irkcd the rapidly awakening peo-
pic and the advance in revolutionary
sentiment during the last three years
has been rapid. Many OF the policies of
the government proved unpopular, nota-
bly, the one for the naturalization of
the railways in Central China. New for
eign loans. too. met with great opposi-
ton. increasing the already heavy tax
burdens.
The initial phase Of the present situa-
ton in China came in August Of this
year. when there We're riots in the SEE
Chuen Province over the governments
railway policy The government had
imposed programme that was intensely
disliked by the natives Of the province.
who militantly objected. Their rioting
developed into open revolution. Just how
far This Sze- -Chuen trouble was, in It's
inception revolutionary is not known.
and possibly never will be. In fact. ii is
one of the great problems and questions
Of the day in Pcking and elsewhere In
China az to just how great cohesion
there is among the rebels i'm various
parts OF the country. II is well known
that some OF their aims differ. and while
they are all after the same general cb-
jc..t constitutional reform and rule hI
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
Most Ardent of Reformers Surprised at
Extent of Concessions Made by
Throne, in Abject Fear of Los
ing the Semblance of Its
Departed Power.
DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS GONE
ey tn. Regular Correspondent OF The Tribune IN peKnsJ

mense tribute To Peking, as well as sup
port great garrisons of troops in differ
ent parts Of the country The centra
government took its tribute in the manu-
featured products of the land. as wei
as i'm silver and rice, and the best was
none too good fer the Manchu.
in its inception. and long afterward
this order Of things worked for ease and
plenty. but the net result has been dis
astrous. for to-day the Manchu is APP
parently "a dccadcnt race whose power IS
gone
An additional cause of complaint on
the part of the Chinese has been the
immense burden Of the cost of Manchu
warfare. The Tai-Ping rebellion-lSoo
TO lS64-was costly and the country had
scarcely recovered from it when the
Boxer troubles arose. AS is well known
not all of China participated in this ter
rible movement. but all of China has to
bear the immense price Of it. The
millions of indemnity secured by the SUI
fcring powers has not yet been PAID OH.
These are but details iii the general in
dictment of the Manchus by the Chinese
which is now being passed upon in a
court of rebellion.
The awakening of China came in the
9O's. The reformers. with their West
crn notions of the fitness of things and
the rights of the people, got to work and
attained good results Things went on
10 1888, when there occurred a crisis the
importance Of which in the affairs of
China is now recognized. The Emperor
Kwang- Hsu. surrounded by a group Of
energetic reformers, became an enthuSi-
asst in his ideas of reform and bettcrment
Of The peoples lot. He planned vast
measures and put them into effect, act
ing almost as precipitously as the nov
powerful reformers are acting in their
haste to get everything possible from the
weakened and frightened throne. lie
was blocked, however, by the Empress
Dowager the famous Tzu-Hsi, who
forcibly put the Emperor into seclusion'
decasitated a dozen of his reforming CO.
borts in the PekinG vegetable market
and ran the ship of state along course
laid out by herself which at that time
showed no haven for constitutional gov
ernment.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

rtcat offenders has been regaroeu as
be- avoided for it kills talent anu /,
e,,otbors the manly spirit fontlca,
,baories change with the times '
what was regarded as onehslIe III
NOR davs may become accepteu ,"d
to-day. Although while In eNiie a,o az In :
.,cb nolitical offenders may nave ~
9u.n d I,to,no nv sensational statements,
~ tbov have transgressed the oouIi99
because they are enthusiastic over p
,t,icai reforms. Their feelings are par
donable. clearly nro-
,,,tootod and there is TO be new oe-
t,,ninc Of things. All political oHeno :
20, since 1898. all men who on account
az roIiticaI revolutionism nave gone iIl'U :,
oviIc for fear Of punishment, anu o..
those who. participating against ~
vii in the recent disturbances renew
their allegiance To the goVerIliiiemtii;, III, bn
have their past forgiven ano VIII Oe
,onsidered as loving subjects.
I'm the future all subjects OF the Ia
Ching Empire. so long as they 90 not
tranepress the law. will be Afforded pro,
toctiop No one will be arrested ana
punished without due process OF law
but eimplv through suspicion. Those
,vbo enjoy amnesty this time Will, We
hone ondeavor TO improve themselves,
manifest their loyalty anu NesII.;
watch for the consummatlon OF cons'Iu
t,'tionaI Government. In this manner
tbe be'E Throne has shown its earnest desire
TO begin a new regime with the people.
# will be observed that in the edlct
dealing with the constitution it was di-
rected that the representatives OF the
throne. Prince Pu Tun and others. should
complete the constitution and then pre-
sent II TO the assembly for considera-
ticn. This was a step in advance ou'
if did not fulfil the demands of the army
Post haste an officer from Lan-Chau
came to Peking with an escort OF t"C
hundred men, and demanded that the as
semblv be invested with power to drat'
tbe constitution Else. he threatened
AZ had before been done, the troops ol
Tan-Chau would pay an unfriendly WISH
Z tn pc{ing.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

Peking. Nov. J-Within the short
space Of less than a month this ancient
Empire Of China has undergone ire
rnendous political change. astounding III
its rapidity. marvellous in its complete
sess and sensational in its execution
Almost overnight the timewcrn regime
of abSolutism such as has been seen IN
few places in the world has been turned
INTO "a constitutional monarchy with the
new found rights of the people demand
ed. recognized and granted 10 a degree
Ear beyond the hopes of the most ardent
Chinese rcformers. This much has al
Heady been done: what more Will follow
mo one here dares say, for no one knows
fust what further demands the reVolu-
tionary clement will make. or even II all
the various factions Of rebels want and
Will demand the same things.
While a certain group of militant and
mutinous soldiers are fighting away in
the Yang-Tse Valley a certain portion
of the army stationed in the North OF
China. acting in conjunction with the
National Assembly, has made demands
for farreaching concessions which
have been granted by the throne as pre-
ejpitously as asked. The Manchus. who
until now have intolerantly and super
ciliously run the affairs of the empire
and controlled the dcstnics, even to
life and death. of four hundred millions
or more of chinese people. TO suit them
selves are now frightened. 1t has come
to such a pass that a day or so ago the
throne. in an cdict praised the patriot
isln Of the troops who forced it 10 give
away virtually all Of its powers.
Whatever may bc the final result Of
the upheaval, whether a peace is made
along the lines of the constitutional pro-
gTamme now conceded. or whether the
revolution. continuing. leads on to the
elimination. 10y eYtcrmination or eXpul-
sion. of the Manchus with bloodshed
chaos and maybe disruption, one thing
Is certain-thc power Of the Manchu is
gone. and China, during the last few
weeks. has done a wonderful thing.
The divine right of kings is gone in
China and whether there remains, after
all this is over. a single empire or a
disrupted empire, it will furnish to the
Chinese. as distinguished from the con-
quering alien Manchus. a pleasing an
ever to the old cry Of China for the
Chinese"
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
SOME MARVELLOUS EDICTS.

The cdicts which these demands.
coupled with those of the Assembly,
brought out are marvellous even in
China where peculiar cdicts are com
mon. They, too, will have an important
place in Chinese history. and as histori-
cal documents of the period of trans
figuration they have great value. They
follow:
We have now asccnded 10 the throne
for three years and our object has al
ways been 10 promote the happiness Of
our subjects. But We have employed
incompetent ministers and conducted
the business OF the state la an unstates-
manlike manner.
In the executive departments We have
employed princes oi the imperial blood.
which IS contrary 10 constitutional gov
crnment. In railway matters We have
followed policies which are not in CON
formity with public opinion: In hasten
ing reform measures the officials ana
gentry have used them rs means Of
cOIruption. in changing old institutions
the powerful have interested themselves
The wealth of the people has been eN-
acted TO a great extent and yet not "A
single measure of benefit has been given
~ return 10 The people. Edicts on the
reform of the judiciary have often been
promulgated vet not person has been
made to observe them. when dissatls-
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
EMPRESS DoWAGERs REFORMS.

The Emperor remained in confinement
until the fall Of Peking before the allied
troops in 1900 When the Boxer trou-
bjcs were over the court, which had
fed. returned 10 Peking, with the En-
press DoWager again in control Ihe
Boxer troubles had taught this naughty
woman a lesson and she realized the
need of reform. She considered the
matter at length and finally decided
upon extensive action. Her first step
was 10 bring about a revision of the
code and TO reorganlze the system oil
education. In 1904 a commission on
education reported. In 1903 the old sys-
tom of examinations, landmark in
Chinese culture was abolished and a
system of public schools was cstab-
lished.
During this same year commission
WAS sent abroad to study Western
forms of government. In September OF
lg0G this commission submitted its re
port. and upon its recommendations
there was a reorganization of the CEN
tral and provincial governments. In
1901 the Empress Dowager dccreed that
there should be a parliament in nine
years. and during the same year pro-
visions were made for liberal allow
arce Of local self government in munich
palities. In 1908 the provincial assem-
bles met for the first time and discussed
their affairs In 1910 the National AS
sembly had its first meeting.
Under the Empress Dowager these re-
forms apparently moved along smoothly
enough. but she died in 1908, and then
the situation gradually grew worse y
new Emperor was chosen, child, with
Prince Regent. a brother Of the old
Emperor Kwang- Hsu, ruling for him.
The Prince Regent has apparently mis-
managed affairs and brought on the
present crisis.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03

throne was stunned by Il list OF de-
mands presented by the commander OF
The imperial troops stationed at Lam
CEau in this province These troops
comprised an important segment oil the
so-callcd Northern army, upon when
the throne depended for its contest with
the rebels. Without these troops the
case was hopeless. but here came the
troops Of Lan-Chau. who, as was shortly
seen. we're supported by other allenateu
soldiers stationed i'm this part OF the
empire. with series of demands OF
tremendously important meaning.
II was the last straw for the throne.
Certain troops destined for the souIIl
to assist in the effort 10 quell the re-
belllon refused to entrain until an an
eU,cr TO the armys demands had been
gwen. It looked vast deal Ike collu-
sion between the army and the Assem-
blv. The throne capitulated compete
". Its surrender was almost ignomnl-
ous. II apoloGized-an unheard oi
banpening-for the mistakes II had
made i'm the past. II granted a c'hs'i-
tuition. il pardoned political offenders,
il reorganiZed the Cabinet, and acceueu
f., demands of lesser importance, Gen
eral Chang Chao-tseng was the Ieader
Of the army at this movement and his
name will have a place in the history
Of the empire. So will the twelve de-
,nands that he presented, for they Writ
uallv COMPOSE a Magma Charta.
New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
THE CHINESE MAGMA CHARTA

They arc important enough TO repro
duce:
First-The cmpcrors of the Ia ching
DYNASTY shall transmit the succession 10
ten thousand generations.
Socond-The Parliament shall be es-
tablished this year.
Third-Thc constitution shall bc uraWi
M bv the Parliament and indOrscd and
promulgated by the Throne, whose con-
sent thereto need not be obtained.
Fourth-An proposals relating to CON
stitutional changes must originate IN the
Parliament.
Fifth-The naval and military forces
of the empire shall be under the control
of the Emperor. except that when these
forces are used within the empire they
shall act under special regulations TO
he drawn ND by the Parliament, and
they may not be employed except i'm con-
formity with the said regulations.
Sixth-The sentences of death on
sight" or summary execution may not
be pronounced by the Throne. Arrest
and Imprisonment of the people shall not
take place except by due process OF law.
Seventh-A general amnesty must be
proclaimed for all political offenders.
Eighth-When the responsible Cabinet
is established the Premier shall be elect
ed by Parliament and appointed by the
Emperor. The ministers of state shall
be appointed bv the Emperor. Members
of the Imperial Clan shall forever be
ineligible To serve as members OF the
Cabinet or as ministers of state.
Nnth-All treaties which add TO the
burdens of the people or concern the
general interests of the nation shall be
approved by Parliament before final sig
nature by the Emperor.
Tenth-The budget for any year shall
be first approved by the Parliament be-
fore it can be used for the payment OF
the national expenses Of the succeeding
year.
Eleycnth--Thc election of members of
the Parliament shall be in accordance
with the special requirements fixing the
qualifications Of electors.
Twelfth-Thc above methods specify
ing for the calling of Parliament and
the establishment Of constitutional gov
ernmcnt, as we'll is for the settlement
Of all important questions Of state. shall
be subject 10 discussion by the army.