Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-14

declared the court WOulu cNchIuoAJ
move away from the Forbidden City,
but no steps in this direction yet have
been taken. There has not even been
an exodus to the summer palace or to
the ancient palaces Of Jeol, which
were mentioned at the time Of abdica-
ton as places Of possible retirement.
Some minor Manchu princes and Of
ficials have deserted their residences
in Pekin and moved away, generally
to the foreign settlements a. Tientsin,
or to Manchuria where they can obtain
Japanese or Russian protection II oc-
casion arises. But the ex-prince reg
ent and Pa-Yi, the boy emperor, now
seven years old, still reside in the pal
aces occupied by the reigning family
for 26S years, and imperial guards still
Manchu Troops Loyal.
forbid entrance to their palace COM
pounds.
The Manchu 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
republican president and those of the
Forbidden City have not conf1icted. In
deed, it Is believed in the legation
quarter that they are closely allied.
1t is thought among foreign observers
that the court depends on Yuan Shih-
k'ai for regular payment of its pen
sion from the republic, and, on the
other hand. that Yuan may be COM
PEELED at any moment to re-establish
the dynasty and proclaim himself reg
ent in order to give his orders the
weight OF imperial authority. At pres
ent, with a hostile parliament, presi-
dental orders which are essential to
the maintenance Of the government. do
not receive the sanction of any organ
lied body Of lawmakers.
A question interesting to old observ-
ers who knew China under the dynasty
is whether the empress dowager, who
recently died, will be the last empress
of China If the republic succeeds
there will probably be no other.
Changes In Pekin.
Two striking changes have taken
place in the appearance of Pekin as
result of the revolution. One is con-
sidered disagreement; the other an
improvement and great advantage.
The Disagreement is the disappear
ance OF the Manchu cart, which an
American lady of literary gifts once
characterized as "Portia's casket on
wheels" The brilliantly colored Sed-
an chair, borne high on the shoulders
OF four or eight coolies, disappeared
to a large extent after the Boxer ris-
ing of 1900, and has since been used
only at funerals and weddings, and by
a few ultra-smart foreign legation
ladies', who. adopted the old when the
Chinese began, adopting the new.
Now the Pekin cart is being rapidly
displaced by the European carriage.
Only the poorer classes are still riding
In these little blue-covered springless
carts with huge brass-studded wheels.
Along with the adoption Of the broug-
ham the Chinese outriders of this new
official vehicle are adopting European
saddles for their ponies in place of the.
gay caparisons in use under the
dynasty: and instead Of flowing
dresses of white or light blue, with red
streamers to their hats, the somber
garb of the west is being affected by
these outriders in imitation of their
republican masters.
New Gates Opened. !,
On the other hand the Pekin Of the
people has been made much more
beautiful by the opening up of several
roadways through the Forbidden City,
and also by the breaking OF several
new gates in the wall of the imperial
city, AS is known to all Americans
who have visited Pekin, the city Is
place of walls within walls. The For
hidden City, where the court resides, Is
within the imperial city, which in turn
is within the tartar city, surrounded
by the great Pekin wall. Again the
legation quarter, the southern 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
Manchu regime the entire extent Of
the Forbidden City and that Of the
winter palace were guarded by imper-
ial troops, who refused passage to all
but privileged officials and foreign dip
lomatists when they were honored
with audiences at court. AS these ex-
tensive palace enclosures lay directly
across the center Of Pekin, traffic was
badly impeded and had to make long
detours round them. a.
But now two main gates have been
cut in the walls OF the imperial city,
and the great wide park in front OF
the Forbidden City, together with the
roadway behind it, which runs along
side the moat, covered with water
lilies at this summer season, have
been opened to traffic. The camel driv-
er, the rickshaw coolie, and the for
eign 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