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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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But it never
[December 7, 1908
The
is derived from Heaven direct, the mandate | Dowager, grim and strong willed though ing the Throne at the age of eighteen on the is only valid when exercised in accordance she though was, yet foun berself com- abdition of his uncl, while the country with the acceptance of the nation.
pelled to conform to the great current of was in the throes of a revolution there lay It is this doctrine of the sovereign's | popular opinion, and herself take the helm before th yung Emperor a task demand- responsibility to his people, as the necessary in guiding affairs along the new line
of ing the highest qualities of statesmanship correlative of his duty towards Heaven reform. The partial reconciliation that took | and the most resolute courage. A country itself, that is largely answerable for the place between young Emperor and Regat a third larger than France had to be long stability of the Empire on the one commended itself to the nation at large; pacified, and good government and hand, and ou the other hand for the large who content with the fact that affairs were pro-peri y restored to more than thirty measure of popular liberty which has moving, yet apprehensive of undue haste, millions of human beings belonging to always been enjoyed by the people of Chin | b-gan to look kindly even on the Empress seventeen or eighteen different nation- 88 compared with other Asiatic nations. Regent. More lately the strong evidences alities. In the manif st› announcing bis The effect of the mutual confidence thus that appeared as to the state of health of accession, the Emperor promised to rule on eng-ndered has lately been displayed in a the Emperor, and the growing feeling that the basis of true liber 7, of the equality of very marked manner by the way in which long I fe was forbidden to him, revived all the rights of the different populations the Chiness people at large have ac'ed with the old feelings of personal regard, and comprising his empire, and indicated his regard to their intended constitution: with there has he every evidence that the intention to suppress the rebellion, then agitation, without disturbance of the pace, mourning which flowed his untimely | raging throughout his Empire. We need they have yet in their very persevering way death is
genuine, and de ply rested. not here recall the storms aud perils of the compelled their ru ers to go on so far, that Am ngst a people like the Chinese at all reign. The outstanding fact is the courage now withdrawal has become practically times addicted to the suppression of what and sagacity that has surmounted the Impossible for either rulers or people; and ther considerel merely private opinions and gravest difficulties and brought peace to the thos: foremost in promoti g the measura feelings, it is impos ible to say how much of realm and lasting benefit to all the lands for making responsible government. a the mourning is to be interpret as apply subject to the venerable monarch's sceptre. practical success, are not the agitators, nor ing to the Dowager. Recently from her In his privata life the Emperor has been even the people at large, but the rulers who ability in handling the external affairs of the victim of deplorable catastrophes, his feel how immense their power and influence the nation, it is undeniable that a strong wife, his brother and his only son having will be eubauced when back d up by the feeling of respect for the abilities of a woman ben destroyed by sudden and violent suffrage; ofte Empire at large. China, it who has undoubtedly succeeded in raising deaths. I labour he has found the panaces used not long ago to be declared was a the international status of China; an who for all the ills of his life. Few men probably geographical expression, but not a people, within has lail the foundation of a new lead a busier life than the Emperor FRANCIS its inhibitants ciring nought for matters of ariny ani a new fleet, and by her choice of | JOSEPH I. He is obligel to be in touch state nor who ruled them, provided their able ed uinistrators in the provinces done with two distinct Parliaments, the Hun- personal comforts were not unduly interf red much to promote internal reform, has arisen grin and the Austrian. His labours with. The last forty years lave witnessed amongst the nation at large,
have been described by one intimate with a vast change in the relations of the people sects, as it did in the case of the Emperor, the Court in the following terms: to the State, and no people are more jealous to have expanded into personal affection. Emperor has to consider and approve of the dignity of the country than the For long the Dowager Rug nt had refused document submitted to him by two Cabinets Chinese of to-day, nor more willing to make to consider the imminence of an approach comprising no less than nineteen ministers, sacrifices to restore its somewhat damaged ing dissolution, which was "clear to her and to follow up, with each one of them, prestige. This, they are wise enough to see, subjects, but this it might be urged was a the transactions of their respective depart is not to be attained by strife nor revolution failing common to the aged, whether rulers ments, He must direct the administration nor yet by armed strife. This feeling is not or commoners. Still, while apparently and exercise the chief command of the confined to one class, nor one interest, but indifferent, she had, reccutly, at all ́events, entire army of the Empire-nearly a million is common to the nation at large, be the been really taking very effective steps men-see to the direction of the two individuals rulers, or be they ruled. China with regard to the successi; step; whose | Imperial'establishments, one at Vienna and has never been muked by the strife of real import became erident, when at the another at Pesth, with their hundreds of classes: the highest offices have ever been last
mment she declared the young diguitaries, officials and retainers of every open to all alike and even since the Manchus
son of PRINCE CHUN heir apparent, grade; he must watch with careful eye the existed as a privileged clas, the tendency with his father as Regent. Under or doings of the various members composing has been to graiually relax these distinc- | dinary conditions in an A-iatic monarchy th numerous Hapsburg Family-doings tions-a fen 'ency, be it noted, shared to a the proclama in of a successor to the which often require cls altention-nay, large extent by the Manchicos themselves. thron is fraught with danges to the State, even superintend the management of their It is this lat ly arisen se sation of a common owing to the ab ence of any definite rule of private fortunes and properties and, finally, nationality that has prepared the mind of succession, but these difficulties she seems to takes the leading part in all ceremonies both to share a comm n Empire and has have overcome at the last moment in a and State functions not of one Court recalled the ancient ideas of the identity of masterful manner, 80 that when the, hut of two." The Emperor FRANCIS interests between ru'ers and ruled, which announcement was finally made, all the Jos PH has always heen regarded as one of the Manchu e nquest for a time a sepirate pieces appear quite naturally to the most accessible of monarchs and his own concealed. These tendencies of modern have fallen into their several places. But subj cts manifest towards him a feeling of China have ben consticuously apparent like many other masterful rulers, what almost religious homage. In the course of within the last few days in the practic lly her genius for government had been able his long rigu the Emperor has seen ample universal exhibition of the ou'ward sigus to effect for the Empir at large, her evidence of the loyalty and affection of his of mourning for the late Empress Dowager domestic weaknesses rendered impossible at subject in the titles they have popularly and the Emperor. The late Emperor, home. The internal management of her accorded him "The Good," "The Just," at first probably from a feeling of sympathy own household was the one grave blot on an for his helplessness and loneliness administration otherwise recalling that of as a child in the midst of uncongenial surroundings, seem early, notwith- standing his alien birth, to have become an object of more than mere pasings interest to bis subjects. This was em- phasised into a feeling very much, akin to personal loyalty, when he, of his own accord, endeavoured to draw nearer to his people- by removing abuses which had gradually grown up in his Court; and above all showed plainly his desire to do finally away with the distinction which bad seperated Chinese and Manch. The personal in- diguities that he had in copsequence to nadergo, appealed strongly to the growing feeling, and the reactionary policy of the the late Empress Dowager, possibly forced on her from without, met with but little support from the Empire at large. But affairs were shaping themselves, and the
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the early monarchs of the'l ne; and it will probably prove an event most fortunate for the Empire at large, that she did not sur- vive the late Emperor sufficiently long to have the opportunity of introducing into the Court of his young sucers«r, the numer- ous scandals which disgraced the la t.
EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH'S
DIAMOND JUBILEE.
(Daily Press, December 3rd.) Few monarchs in Europe enjoy in greater measure the admiration of the whole world than does the venerable Emperor of Austria. and King of Hungary FRANCIS JOSEPH I who yesterday cele rat d the atiainment of the Diamond Jubilee of bis reign. Ascend
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The Chivalrous," "The Courageous," The Nble," and it can assure lly be said of him that be is, in popul restimation, ex- tending beyond the limits of his realm, the best and greatest Sovereign Austria has ever known. It has been aptly said of him that he is one of the chief elements in the system on which the peace of Europe de- pends, just as in the government of his own dominions it is his personal influence which aloue is able to maintain som authority over the parties and races, the discord of which threatens a disruption of the Empire. All nations of the world therefore can devoutly add their felicitations to those of the Em- peror's own subjects on this auspicious occasion, and join ferven ly in the hope that His Majesty may be spared for many years yet to witness the continued growth of those sentiments of loyalty and affection which make for the solidarity of the Empire and. the permanence of peace.
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