The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-12
COURT
STILL REMAINS
In Spite of Fact That Chinese Throne
Was Abdicated in Favor of
Republic.

aDulcdteu III favor OF tne hepuDHc, siA :
teen months ago, the court of the old
Manchu rulers of the Chinese empire
still remains at Picking.
The terms OF the final agreemnt with
the representatives of the new republi-
can government provided that the Man
chu mobiles, including all the members
OF the reigning family, should retain
their hereditary titles and be Literally
pensioned, and that the young emperor,
after his abdication, should be accorded
in China the honors given visiting for
eign sovereign These stipulations
have been carried out. At the same
time it was declared the court would
| eventually move away from the For
hidden City. but no steps in this di-
rection yet have been taken.
There has not even been an exodus
to the summer palace or to the ancient
palaces at Jehol, which wete mentioned
at the time of abdication as places OF
possible retirement. Some minor Man
chu princes and officials have deserted
their residences in Picking and moved
away. generally to the foreign settle
ments at Tientsin. or Manchuria where
they can obtain japanese or Russian
protection If occasion arises. But the
ex-prince regent and Pa-Ii, the boy en-
peror, now seven years old. still reside
in the palaces occupied by the reigning
family for 26s years, and imperial
guards still forbid entrance to their
palace compounds.
The Manehu troops continue in arms
and obey the Instructions of President
Yuan Shih-k'ai in all matters that do
not affect the safety of the court.
Should there be a conflict of authority
between the president and the court it
is believed they would stand by the
Manchus; but the interests of the Re
publican president and those of the
Forbidden City have not confieted. In
deed, it is believed in the Legation
quarter that they are closely allied. Ii
is thought among foreign Observers that
the court depends on Yuan Shin k'ai for
a regular payment of its pension from
the Republic. and, on the other hand,
that Yuan may he compelled at any
moment to re-estahish the dynasty and
proclaim himself regent in order to give
his orders the weight OF Imperial au-
thority. At present, with hostile par
lament, presidential orders which are
essential to the maintenance of the gov
eminent, do not receive the sanction of
any organized body OF lawmakers.
The Last Empress?
A question interesting to old observ-
eTs who knew China under the dynasty
is whether the empress dowager, who re-
Gently died, will be the last empress of
China If the republic succeeds there
will urObg blV he no ot hpr
Two striking changes have taken
place in the appearance OF Picking as a
result OF the revolution. One is con
sidered as a Disagreement; the other an
improvement, and great advantage
The Disagreement is the disappearance
of the Manchu cart. which an American
lady of literary gifts once characterized
as Portals Casket on Wheels" The
brilliantly colored Sedan chair, borne
high on the shoulders Of four or eight
coolies, disappeared TO a large extent
after the Boxer rising of 1900, and has
since been used only at funerals and
weddings, and BY a few ultra-smart for
eign legation ladies'. who adopted the
old when the Chinese began adopting
the new.
European Carriage in China.
Now the Picking cart is being rapidly
displaced by the European carriage.
Only the poorer ella ases are stih riding
in these little blue-covered springless
carts with huge brass-studded wheels. |
Along with the adoption of the brough
am the Chinese outriders of this new
official vehicle are adopting European
saddles for their ponies in place of the
rf.n IN, 1n,.
ty; and instead OF flowing dresses of
white or light blue, witt red streamers
to their hats the sombre garb of the
west is being affected by these out
riders in imitation of their republican
masters.
On the other hand the Picking OF the |
people has been made much more beau |
tiful by the opening up of several road
ways through the Forbidden city, and |
a lso by the breaking of several new
gates in the wall of the Imperial city. |
As is known to all Americans who have |
visited Picking. the city is place of |
walls within walls. The Forbidden city, |
where the court resides. is within the |
Imperial city, surrounded by the great |
Picking wall.
Again the legation quarter. the south !
ern city. and the winter palace. where |
the great empress dowager lived, and |
which Yuan Shih-k'ai the president, |
now occupies, are enclosed within their
own piles of masonry. Under the Man |
chu regime the entire extent OF the For
hidden city and that of the winter pal
ace were guarded by Imperial troops,
who refused passage to all but privi- |
legged officials and foreign diplomatists |
when they We're honored with audiences |
at court. Ac these extensive palaces en-
closures lay directly across the center
Of Picking, traffic was badly impeded and |
had to make long detours round them.
But now two main gates have been |
cut in the walls of the Imperial city. and |
the great wide park in front of the For
hidden city, together with the roadway |
behind it, which runs along side the |
moat, covered with water lilies at this I
summer season, have been opened TO
traffic The camel driver, the rickshaw
coolie, and the foreign tourist may now
pass through these hitherto reserved |
places, getting near to the great dragon
poles of marble and the massive stone
lions that stand beside the front gate
of the palace; and anyone may cross
the famous marble bridge over the lake
in the winter palace and get close view
Of the empress dowager's pagoda and
the wonderful cluster of yellow rooted
palace structures
American Wine Came Pare