1924-08-09 — Page 5

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THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH,

EMPEROR "WITHOUT AN EMPIRE.

THE SUMMER PALACE REVENUES.

RIGHTS UNDER THE ABDICATION AGREEMENT.

BY R. F. JOHNSTON, ENGLISH TUTOR TO THE EMPEROR. }-

Huatianed from yesterday).

firm về photographers has been granted-) ed the exclusive right of taking and sell- Having dealt with Mr. Li's, questionsing professional photogmphs in the Palace to the best of my ability, I will now, gruntids. in return for which he pays a friedly as possible, imitents the netual facts which have been su grossly distorted as to give rise to the absurd rumors that the Summer Patare was to be converted into a hive of emimercial activity.

Let me

first mention the existing

THE AGREEMENT.

. If Mr. admits that the Agreement is efill bituling, and binding on both parties is he prepared to assert that the Republican Government has never transgressed its terus in kay particular If he admits (as unfortunately he must that the Republican Government has fail. ed in certain respects to fulfil all the obligations towards, the Imperial House which it undertook in that Agreement,

CORSICAN SENTENCED. POSSESSION OF ARMS ON A

FRENCH STEAMER. Before Mr. E. W. Hamilton at the Kow-

Magistracy, yesterday, Pomenique amiani, a cative of Corsion, and "a French subject was charged, with the unlawful possession" uf an automatic pistol on board the us Aple Rosean ou

August 7th.

+

Sergt. W. C. Simpson said that at on Thursilay he, wint aboard the French mail-boat' Araple)

why does he aim his charges of branch about of contract against the Emperor alone!

4. Though Mr. Iâ ́is filled with indigna- | Wileau, and his attention was drawn by tion at what he conceives to be bronches

a Chinese" senrcher to the fact that the of the Abdication Agreement by the Man oblivious of the fact that he himself is chu Emperor, he seems to be euriously defendant waa in close conversation with a Chinese. The searcher said that le reasonable quarterly lee. The only inconsistently guilty of treating that Agree thought that the two were discussing a novation here consists in the fact that the sent with the grossest contempt. This

sale of utmis Witness walked towards is strangely inconsisent conduct for ou privileged photographer will in future pay who has became its self-appointed chaar them. The Chinese ran away, and the his fee direct to the Place treasury in-pion. As he is well aware, it was special accused attempted to throw the pistol strul of to Palace servants. Amateur provided in the Agreement that the

Emperor was to be treated by the Re. (Produced in Court) into the harbour. seurres of revenue. As all visitors to thai Photographers will not be tauered or publican Government with all the respect but it fell on the deck. No, munition. Arrangements | that it would neverd to the sovereign of was found estner on the prismer or in

he was to retain his full imperial title.

Palace are aware, there is a charge of

restrirteil. in any way.

from this source is far less than it should firm of caterers, whose fanetion it will he Republican Government has never failed spoke of ine, struggle he had to hold the

|

SOURCES OF INCOME. To proceed with one enumeration of (sourers of income.

A smal additional revenue in pistained frour admission-ferrance of the local civil and Well-informed correspondents now usually

to the Jade Spring Park, which is under the same management, and, to ca fe buildings and gardens within the Sunner Palace grounds which are not always

i

¿

Now

necessarily open to the general with advantage be established in the This, I suppose, is mainly due to the fact companied by his father-in-law, did me

|

laugh at it, but there is no justification for refusing to recognise its existence and its legal sanction.

invention. It was also a

1.90 for silmission. Though many them have been practically, completed for fenl] a foreign State on Chinese sol, and that his quarters. The witness went on to sands of people of different nationalities in empty building never used as a indefinitely. These particular stipulations describe the efforts made by the defen-" visir the Palace every year, the income yelling place) to a well-known Chinose (whatever may be said of others) thedant to throw the pistol overboard; and to observe to the best of its ability.run until the Chinese searcher could pick to provide visitors with good Chinese the Chinese journalistic world, the usage be, for more than a third of the proceeds foreign for at reasonable prices, of the various newspapers is apt to follow it up from the deck. are paid to vertain departments of tioitherio there has her no place either their political affiliations Some papers Defendant. a greaser on board the ́erument for the upkeep of the road from inside or outside te Palaes groufis clearly take the civilised view that staunch mail-boat, pleaded guilty to possession.

Peking to the Summer Palace and for

Republican principles are not incont the services of a military gard. Mare. where visitors could get lunch. This has patible with courtesy, and absays refer but stated that he had been in the service always Been felt re Ex a serious inconvent to the Emperor and the Imperial House of his Company for thirty years, and over, multitudes of persons (sometima

in terus which besides being respectiul | had never been in similar trouble before, ener. for the Palace and its grounds are have the additional advantage of being more than two thousand in a single

The Magistrate pointed out the gravity mouth) are admitted free, on the strength very extensive, and it is impossible to legally and technically correct. In their of "introductions" from various intuen explore them all during the few hours that columns, the Emperor is described as of the charge, and said that in fining tial military and other afficials. Person- elapse between one adinary meal-hour of which the rarest and most the defendant $500, with six months

convenient English rendering in **Mui. ally I should like to see the price of and the fext. When Mr. Li pays his next chn Emperor. Other papers, wned by imprisonment in default, he was taking. adinission tickets, materially reduces!, so

visit to the Summer Palove I do not think political factions or interests whose vire the man's previous good record into that the Pale grounds might be visited he will complain if he finds that there is

seems to be that in this glorious and

account. His Worship added that it was by these tone of thousands of Chinese one place (not ten, as his facetious news emancipated age of liberty, equality and residents in Peking to whom $1.20 is a paper toki him) where he enn satisfy the fraternity (or perhaps I should say cor

very lenient sentence. prohibitive fee. No such reduction, how-pangs of a healthy hunger.

As to the other new features mentioned distinctions of rank must be scrapulously radeship all honorary appellations and Lever, can be offreted without the friendly

e-uperation of the military authorities the Chinese paper in which Mr. Lignored by every good democrat, tak who now take so large a proportion of places . naive a trust-the ten tea evident pleasure in referring to the E-Chinese newspapers that the Manchu E- the present, proceeds; and perhaps Mr.ises, the baths, the erration ground,

peror with deliberate discourtesy. In the peror called at any private residence in Li and his Parliamentary friends, who the fur hoteis and theatre at the palace case of the foreign newspapers, the incon Peking, for the purpose of discussing with apparently object to the dunebu House Rates, and such like..I can only assure him stencies of their references to the Mai-

me in private the question of his going making an effort to popularise the Palace, that they are, and wit probably remain, chu Emperor are probably due, in host abroad. In the Chinese section of the would but my suggestion to democratic figments of the journalistic imagination. Gases, to sheer ignorance.

For many

Far Hadern Times the juragraph was for Hepublican China.

id am personally of opinion that there is

years they usually spoke of him as The headed Hsuan Tung secretly plota to roth for one small hotel outside the Bor Emperor" and "The Young Em- so abroad and in the English section Palace walls, close to the main road, but peror" terms which in themselves are

of the same paper (July 21st) the follow- ing remarks appeared: The latest report no steps to establish te there will be inoffensive enough "but necessarily use

is that the boy-Emperor has been for two taken without "the full knowledge and their appositeness with the passing years,

as closeted with Mr. Julinston in the Lary authorities, especially in view of the write correctis of the Emperar but latter's house working out a plan to proximity of military barracks and two even important organs such as The North facilitate the hoy Emperor's departure targe elueational institutions. It has also thing taily Veirs and The Peking n abroad,, on which his heart is set. been suggested that a small country hotel Tientsin Times, still often use the techni- the true facts of the cases are that on for visitors to the Western Hills, might cally incorrect term "Ex-Emperor." July 16th last the Manche Emperor, ac Tra and light refreshments are sold in various pavilions and appropriate resting-

Pelaring grounds of the Jade Spring places, and a small proportion of the Park, but it view of the lack of suitable that in Europe we have had no experi- the honour of calling upon me, and re- ence of a sovereign who after abdication mained at my house about twenty proceeds reaches the Palace coffers the jet that must for the present remain in

areommodation there, this also is 3, pro- or dethronement still retains, with the minutes, during which time not a single. chussy and unsatisfactory system

express concurrence of the revolutionary word was spoken by the Emperor GT.JT3- admits of serious lenkages. Läder sitailar aleganer, Meanwhile, we have now Government which displaced him, the self or angone else on the subject of a munsatisfactory systems, the Painet de onder considerarion the applications of legal right to the title of King or Em visit to foreign lands. Let us chserve rives a fese, collars from the sale of the Cabinet Minister and two other well neror. But the fact that there is no how this single brief visit has become the kets for boating on the lake and from the known Chinese gentlemen for the lense European precedent does not justify basis for a statement, that the Emperor fees payable to semi-aluial guides. Out of residential building sites within the Western newspapers in ignoring the pre- was "for two days closeted" with me side the l'aire walls are a nunther of Jade Spring grounds, and provided they liar arrangement whereby the Manchu in my house. The statement that the pur houses which were formerly occupied by will undertake to cred no foreign or semi- Emperor retains the full imperial title pose of the visit was to hyd a secret

ersons employed in and about the foreign neutrosities, it is probable, that Palace. Of these, uine are empty and are their applications will be granted. Per though without a vestige of imperial discussion regarding an allegal desire of falling into decay; others are rented at haps Mr. Li will raise objections to this authority in the State. We may disap- the Emperor to visit foreign countries

prove of the arrangement or

was pure We may ridiculously low rates which barely repay on the ground that the Mancha Esperor's the cost of upkeep. Some houses are financial position will thereby be improved occupied by military officers of the He to the extent of a few hundred dollars a public who pay no Fents at all on the year, and that he may use the money for len that that for months past they have plotting against the State. If so, now

QUESTION OF TITLE received no pay from the Government is the time for him to speak.

17.1. Now in view of the general tone of Mr. that employs them. mall sents are re-

"ANOTHER FIVE QUESTIONS, Li faieh-yang's persistent attacks on the ceived. (or rather should be received), from enrtain rice-felds and other farm- Mr. 13 Hsieh yang at the records of Manchu Emperor and Imperial Family, lands in the vicinity of the Palace, and his Parliamentary career show, is very which certainly give the impression that Tent is also payable (but has not been fond of asking questions. I wonder he is actuated by other motives than a actually paid for six years) in respect of whether he is equally found of answering pure and disinterested meal for the pub xda-water factory in the Jade Spring them! In the hope that such is the case, fie good and the triumph of right and Park. The whole revenue of the Summer! venture to propoid five questions justice, we should hardly expect to find Palace and its adjacent properties is far which I hope he will see his way to answer him going out of his way to treat the below what is required for upkeep and at his convenience. I am well aware that nineteen-year-old Emperor with anything mira, and there is a heavy anual de he is in a position to ignore the ques remotely resembling chivalrous courtesy: feit which has to be made good out of tions of a mere foreigner, who lacks Par but in view of his position as a member the impoverished exchequer of the fin-lainentary privileges. Still, there are of the Legislature he should at least aim at scrupulous accuracy in his phraseology perial Hossehoid.

many people, Chinese and Toreign, inclúd- ing some members of Parliament, who where legal niceties are concerned, and would be glad to have from him clear and especially when, from his place in the The reforms which are now being justi-unambiguous replies to these simple ques-House, he is addressing questions to the ated amount, at the outset, to little wore tions of mine, and I hope he will not Executive. Nevertheless, Mr. Ti not only than the reorganization of existing in refuse to answer them merely because he studiously ignores the Emperor's right to

I fully admit that it is often a difficult In the the imperial title but constantly refers to coum-producing arrangements and the is under no obligation to do so. adoption of some Western methods for case of his own five questions, he required him by his personal, name, a practice for private individuals to ascertain the the stoppage of leakages and the elimina the Government to reply within three which, as all Chinese and many foreigners truth of falsity, of newspaper statements a very grave breach of that it is necessary, when important in- tion of squeezo,' As attempt is being days. I should not dream of following well know, in surprised that the Gov. terests or issues are involved, to appeal made to collect arrears of rent, though his example by imposing a time-limit, decorum. it is to be feared that in most cases the though I trust his answer will be forthernment, which as: I have said is always to Government to institute caquiries and careful to refer to the Manchu Emperor communicate the resulta to an anxious attempi will be unsuccessful. (It would conuing without unneccssary delay. take a long time to explain why this is 4. In his questions, Mr. Li more thas in proper terms, has not long ago poisted pullie. But in the case of Mr. Li's ques- so, but the rain trouble conies from the use accuses the Manchu Emperor of out to him that in addressing questions tions about the Summer Palace, no sach Abdication Agreement to the Government ou matters connected diffenity existed. The Summer Palace is lack of proper supervision and inevas-breaking the "petent management in the past.) Boating May we assume from this that Mr. Li with the Manchu Esperor he should be situated only a few miles from "Peking on the lake is to be re-organized, and the regards the Agreement as still in force? careful to refer to him in the terms which and can be reached by motor-cur in half Four clumsy ferry-boats which now cou it should, not be nessary to ask this the Government itself recognises as legal an hour. Had be come direct to the If Mr. Li refused to take Paince (it would have occupied less time stitute the lake feat will he supplement question, but in view of some of the curi and correct. ed by a few light craft of torrigu design, ous assertions, and Ratements made by the hint, the fovernment would be fully than it took him to indite his questions, such as sculling-bonts and canoes, Same him in, a recent névtpaper controversy, justified in defining to answer his ghes and would have given him a delightful of the beautiful stato house-hots used his attitude towards the Agreement is. tions until they were couched in the pro-respite from his arduous and disinterested in the Empress-Dowager's time will be to say the least, an ambiguous one. He per language. Will Me. Li now be good Parliamentary labours), he would have. repaired and made available for the use has certainly conveyed the impression to enough to explain how it is that while of Chinese and foreign visitors. Guides a good many people that in his opinion hesteruly rebukes the Manchu Emperor will be properly trained and will be strict-the-Agreement used to be valid several for alleged breaches of the Abdication ly prohibited from making exorbitant years ago. Now, apparently, he has Agreement, he himself regularly treats at demands, as heretofore, on the visitors changed his mind, recognises its valid least one of its clause with studied von who employ them. A Complaint and ity, and has become its champion. Is this tempt?

Or does he merely recognise its THE TALKED OF FOREIGN VISIT Suggestion Book will be provided. The so? space in front of the Palace pates hac validity when it happens to suit the pur-

My last question is a very simple been cleared of the hordes of dirty and pose which he has in view at any parti-

ouc. Will Mr. Li tell us whether he took Kreedy

hucksters and self-appointed cular moment?

2. Mr, regards the Agreement as any steps to ascertain the accuracy of the guides who till lately infested it. The service of light refreshments will be cona mere" scrap of paper" which has lost newspaper stories on which he hased his Zinged, but will be re-organised under its force or never had any on what charges against the Manchu Emperor with efficient management, so that visitors may grounds does be arraign the Emperor on regard to the Summer Palace? If not, count on being properly and courteously a charge of violating its terms 1 Mr. Li' is he so simple-minded and lacking in served under clean and attractive coa accusations against the Emperor are ex-worldly wisdom se to accept all news ditions. The rights of rearing fish have plicitly based on the latter's alleged in-piper tattle at its face value! If he is, unable to offer him the choice between I can call his attention to a recent news-the bills of fare often restaurants, I trost been leased to a Chinese expert (not to fringement of those terms. How can any a foreigner, as certain newspapers falsely one violate an agreement that does not paper paragraph which surely wild have he will have every reason to be satisfied alleged) who will be responsible for check exist? Surely it is not Mr. Li's conter provided excellent material for another with the culinary capabilities of one..

R. F. JOHNSTON. 3ng manifold abuses such as the theft and tion that the Abdication. Agreement, Parliamentary question. Within the last illicit sale of fish by Palace employees and though not binding on the Republic, is their confederates, outside, A Chinese still strictly binding on the Emperor?

COMING REFORMS.

singularly fateous invention, for it im plies a belief that in order to hold a secret conference with me it would be necessary for the Emperor to visit me at my private house, in spite of the fact that in the Forbidden City I see His Majesty Further, the alone nearly every day.

assume that the reader is allowed to Manchu Emperor's attempt to hold a private discussion with me in my house Foiled by journalistic enterprise: was otherwise, how could the subject of our alleged secret plotting have got so speed. ily into the papers? Evidently the walls at my house are well provided with ears. The basis of truth that the story uop tains is; then, a very slender one; but that, presumably, would not have deter- red Mr. Li from taking it a subject for Governmental enquiry if it had come to his notice. He seems to have missed a great opportunity.

INVITATION TQ MR. LI. ...

been promptly admitted and (I hope) treated with courtesy and consideration. Another half hour spent in the Palace grounds would have convinced him that he might save himself the trouble of ask. ing unnecessary questions in the House. in any perplexity about what is being I hope that if in future he finds himself

dose at the Summer Palace he will not hesitate to adopt my suggestion and come straight to those who can give him all the information that he can reasonably re- quire. Should I still be in administrative charge of the Palace when he comes. 1 hope he will condescend to consider him self my guest; and though I shall be

few weeks it has teen stated in many The Susamer Palace,

July 27th, 1994. (Continued on next column;)" "

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