New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
4 Lesson in Magnanimity
by the Chinese Republic
o..h,oned Rulers of Western
Nations Have Often Suf-
fs,ed the Pinch of Poverty.

fered the Pinch OF Poverty
-, 1912. los the Brentwood Company
cpmTyA is the land of surprises and
n of the unexpected-a country re-
rording the affairs of which even
:. Oldest and most experienced foreign
10 sant can never forecast the future
onv degree of certainty, since he
VIZ ,or fathom the depths OF the ORR
COZ mind nor comprehend the source
ga ga the course Of its reasoning Thus
omazing proclamation In which III
.,v.vear-old Emperor Pu-Yi recited
Long list of shortcomings and errors
~ no claimed to have committed
',rce his accession to the throne ana
which he asked the pardon of his
."ooooO OOO lieges, was followed a few
~. ogo by a decree of his aunt, the
nross widow Of the late Emperor.
a-0clsiming a republic. in her capacity
regent, and giving orders for its or
ganization' Co..
,-.,orce on record of a reigning dynasty
ling the final use of its sovereign
.utbority to bring into existence and
s.,oblsh the republic by which the
roorarchy is to be superseded. And the
-.uuhlic. having thus been inaugurated
nv imperial decree, forthwith proceeds
~ settle a pension of S2.4OOOO year
mon the little dethroned ruler for the re-
,,oinder of his days, during which he is
!, retain the title, though not the author
ny, Of Emperor
There is. Of course, no truth in the dis
matches from China according to which
tho Emperor was to be invested with the
sniritual supremacy of the nation, leav-
ing the republic in possession OF the
temporal sovereignty, much in the same
vay in which the emperors OF Japan
we're treated when. in A. d. 1192. the
tycoon Yoritome usurped all temporal
mower. a condition Of affairs which lasted
until 1868, when the reign Of the Tycoons
was brought to a close by means or
revolution that restored to the Mikado,
cr Emperor, all mundane authority, in
addition to his spiritual supremacy. The
fact of the matter is that China is land
Of too many creeds to admit of the entire
nation accepting the spiritual sovereignty
Of any one ecclesiastical dignitary.
Thus. there are Buddhists and Taoists.
Confucianists, Moslems-some 3OOOO.OOO
of them-Christians of every conceivable
denomination, Jews, Lamaists, devil
worshippers fire worshippers, nature
worshippers, and pure and unadulterated
pagans. All of them are, however, more
or less imbued with a respect for Con-
fucianism, not as a religion but as
philosophy which for over two thousand
years has undoubtedly influenced the
shaping Of their minds, since every
school throughout the length and breadth
Of the empire contains an altar or me-
mortal of Confucius, to which teachers
and scholars alike pay daily homage. and
since official and social standing are en-
tirely dependent on education.
cHINA's HOLY DUKE"
Confucianism as a philosophy is repre-
sented in China by the so-called holy
duke, Lin-Ji. the seventy-sixth in un-
broken descent in the male line from
Confucius and the latter's senior heir.
For the last twenty-four centuries the
head of the Confucius family has always
borne the title of Sheng-Kung, meaning
holy duke, preceding his name. Lin-Ji
has the immense advantage, in the eyes
If his fellow countrymen, OF being a
Chinaman of the purest blood and of
the most revered ancestry in a land
Where respect for ancestry is carried TO
the extent OF actual worship, and as
such would always have a far greater
hold on the good will of the Chinese peo-
iie than the little Manchu Emperor Pu-
li could ever hope to gain as spiritual
ruler representing. as he does, an alien.
aiscredited and generally execrated
dynasty.
FRINGE Chun. the ex-Regent, was
strongly alive TO the affection and re-
gard entertained by the Chinese for
Inc holy duke. and in the hope of
strengthening the foundation Of the
throne Of his son. Emperor Pu-Yi, en-
oeavored TO arrange for a marriage be-
tween the child and a granddaughter OF
me duke instead of selecting the EN-
press from one of those Manchu prin-
eeSses from whom the monarch's con-
sorts have been chosen ever since the
Manchu invaders obtained the mastery
% China. The duke. however. held
bacH and cold shouldered the project
conveying thereby the impression. since
confirmed by events, that he was aware
OF and in sympathy even then with the
movement for the emancipation OF
China from the Manchu dynasty. II,
Is now known to have given his activ,
support TO the revolution which ba,
eliminated in the establishment of g
republic.
Here, again, we come face To fac,
with the unexpected, for about the yer,
last thing that one would look for II
he lineal descendant of Confuciu.
would be participation in the founda
ooh OF a republic. He makes his hom,
hy-Fu, city which includes hi
superb palace, and the tomb of his an
.eStor Confucius, who hourished abou
iour centuries before the birth of Christ
% ever six feet tall, some fifty years o
age OF massive build. of jovial mood
anu not only very progressive. but ais,
is'harkably liberal in his ideas. In fact
ne mas made use of his hereditary offic
inspector general of education IL
." empire where preferment to high of
"0e mas been wholly dependent upol