New-York tribune., 1912-01-25
MANCHU RULE SUSTAINED |
ONLY BY CONCESSIONS
Yuan. Having Nothing Further TO
Barter with, Fall Of Dynasty
Is inevitable.
DETAILS AS TO MASSACRES
Eight Foreigners Killed in shen-
81 Province, of Whom Four
Were Americans-Re-
ports Anonymous.

(Froin the regular correspondent Of The Irlb-
ene in PekiUs.l
Pclxins. Dec. 14-There is little left by
way of reform concessions which the I'M
perial government can now grant. All the
reforms and more too. that the most radl-
cal reformers ever asked have been grant
ed Yuan's peace commissioners have niue
with which to barter, except amnesty ana
public offices. A iudicious distribution OF
both may make il possible for them TO aG-
Just affairs.
rhe cdict from the Empress Dowager ac-
ceptng the resignation of the Prince
Regent was notably ambiguous with regard
10 the position Of the Empress powager
under the new arrangement. Many Won
dered whether there would be another
regime like that Of the old Empress Dow
agor. who died in 1908, after ruling the
country for years with hand OF iron.
This feeling Of doubt came 10 the ears OF
Yuan Shih-kai, and on December 10 another
cdict came forth in which the status OF the
Empress DowagCr was defined. This pro-
nouncement shows that her position is that
of a fisurehead. and that she has no power
that she may cali her own. II is true that
she will be in custody OF the imperial seal
which must be attached to edicts and the
like, but she has nothing TO say as to when
IT shall be applied Apparently she merely
keeps il for use at the direction Of the
Premier Her only other function is TO re-
ceiye foreign ENJOYS and TO accompany the
Emperor on these and other state occasions
"This arrangement" says the edlct, has
rot the least resemblance TO the system OF
administration behind the screen, as was
practised during the former reign" This
TArrnF Ia n
sat behind the screen" in the Forbidden
City and ran the affairs Of China 10 suit
herself
Yuan's Motives Guessed At.
This cdict again shows the tremendous
power of Yuan Shih-kai. Another event
which serves the same purpose is the ap-
pointment Of General Baron Feng, who
effected the capture of Han-Yang, as COM
msnder of the Imperial Guard. This is of
tremendous importance. The Imperial
Guard. whose business II is 10 guard the
Emperor and the imperial family. is dis
tinctively Manchu organization and has
always been commanded by prince Of the
royal blood. Feng is a Chinese
our weeks ago a suggestion that a
Chinese might be appointed to this I'M
portant position would have been consid-
cred prcposterous. Yuan probably took The
step not only for the sake Of its moral
effect on the malcontents but also for the
sake Of his own safety and the preserva-
ton Of order.
Tales Of the most iendish cruelty on the
part of the imperial soldiers are receiving
much prominence in Shanghai and else
where in the south, 1t is said that at
Hang Yang, for instance, the imperIals
killed every wounded soldier they could
find as we'll as many non-combatants The
story is horrible, but it is Chinese warfare
and The action Of the imperial troops in
this case il certainly no worse than that
Of the rebels elsewhere, when they got a
chance at massacring Msnchus
The condition Of foreigners in the Shen-
I'd 81 Province has been giving much concern
10 the legations here. Representations as
10 protection have been made 70 the gov
eminent, but the government is as help
less to afford relief as are the legations
'Shen- Sic is practically in the hands OF the
rebels, and terrible things have happened
At sian-Fu. the capital of the province.
Almost two months after the massacre Of
foreigners at that place occurred, authen-
tic details have come through. 1t is now
shown that Henno, the German post
master. and Manners, the young English
postal empioye. were not killed. IIenne
was wounded eleven times about the head
and body, but is on the road TO recovery.
Manners was uniRjured. Mrs. Beckman,
the American teacher however was killed
previously reported, together with sew
sral children. There were eight deaths of
foreigners OF these, according TO the best
information AT hand, four were Americans.
They probably were Mrs. Beckmsn and
her children.
Letter SmusaIed to Calhoun.
The most reliable report Of events at
Sisn-Fu came 20 Mr.. Calhoun, the Ameri-
can Minister. in a letter from a mission
sry which vas smuggled through by a
disguised Chinese. who posed as a beggar
II said, in part under date of November Is:
VIC are cut of from the outside provinces
~ mail communication. Severe lighting has
taken place here and about eight thousand
Manchus killed. Much lOoting has been
done. Several mission houses have been
destroyed IN this province. Eight foreigners
some children--haVe already been killed
AT Sian-Fu. one home entirely DESTROYED
OF these -four were Americans. Most of
the foreigners in this province are now
here Others 1ed to Kan-su Trouble is
NOW expected with Ksn-Sa. 'Rumors are
that the Mahometans are coming down
from there.
tThis would mean further massacres.
doubtless. for the MahOmetans are unciv-
ilized and herce.)
or the foreigners now here seventeen are
Americans, including children. At present
we appear 10 be safe. but how long this
will last we do not know. The lawless are
in the majority and seem TO have things
in their hands 10 a great extent We lave
thus far not been able to sec the general
as 10 providing escort Tor US. lie gets out
every time. We had hoped 20 escape and
get down the Han River but now that
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
missionaries IN Kan Su may have a very
hard time, as their finances will not keep
them going very long. Perhaps some are
IN need. There are twenty-five Americans
there. including children. No money can
he sent them as the mails are stopped,
and here an the banks were robbed and
burned There arc no fewer than seventy
Eve foreigners here now. including twenty
japanese.
The name OF tho writer of the foregoing
Is suppressed for the reason that he will
continue to live in that dangerous region
after settlement Of the present difficult
ties and some OF the charges he makes as
TO the killing OF Mapchus and the refusal
Of the commanding general TO assist the
foreigners may he remembered and brought
home 10 him in somc disagreesble manner
at a later date.
Foreigners in kan-Su Safe.
The American Legation yesterday re-
coived an encouraging telegram. long de-
layed from Kan-su. II said that the for
eigners there were safe, but that the situa-
ton was critical. II was good TO know
that they were safe, for nothing has been
heard from them for several weeks.
An interesting feature of the general sit
uation IS the outbreak Of anu-German feel |
l...- /. rnnnn, the rehnls In Shanghai the |