CHINA'S GOVERNMENT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 114, 6 February 1908, Page 9

CHINA'S GOVERNMENT.

HOPE FOR A CONSTITUTION. DECK EE BY THE 15MPKESS DOWAGER. (rnoii oi'ii special couiie3fomde;;t.) Hongkong, January 4. 'Tho granting of a constitution .to. China lias rcaolxod 11 somewhat definite stage as tlio result; of a proclamation issued by the i/owagerKmpross on December 24. This remarkable document states that tlio Dowagor-Empress knows that many things must first-.bo-dono before tlio Empiro can be granted constitutional government, and that it ~is . impossible to hasten. Tlio nation should ha vo ideal judicial and administrative systrfmsj ,liut "{ho people should first know thoir ,duties 'towards tho State and tho public." Thc'dccreo, .which is n; lengthy one, says tlio present moment; is only a time for preparation. After noting tho standard of intellect of the pooplo, the dato of tho ißsuo of a system of constitutional government may bo decided upon. Therefore it was tho duty of both 1 Sovereign and people to study. Most constitutions of for-, eign Powers vested sovoroign /..rights in 'tho' Imperial hands, adds tho Downgcr-Empircss)' and in those hands rested tho prerogative of adopting public'opinions or-hot. All public meetings, Bpecches, and publications wcro regulated by law, "(ind were not froe, beyond tho stipulations of tho law. In adopting foreign laws, it was necessary to,havo China's own

teachings and etiquetto preserved. While tho: Imperial family,lmd high hopes for tho preparation of a constitution, the DowagerEmpress had n'ptiqed .that certain gentry trcro making hasty and ignorant utterances, "disregarding their social position and the etiquette of their country.''. More ignorant pooplo followed them blindly, and thus were idlo rumours circulated; If such practices wero allowed to continue there would bo no hopo of for a long time, nor of making China a strong nation. "Of course," tho decreo continues, "tho sentiments of tho populace should be allowed to reach us, but thero should bo no unwarranted, noisy utterances. Tho people of ,a, constitutional country should rospcct,the order, of the country, and maintain peace and., .tranquility." A HouSe of Reproscntatlvos, ' .The i Dowager-Empress, proposes to give China a Houso. oF Representative's, '.'with a view to 'getting popular opinions.'' Tho memhers must have a certain mental capacity, Thero will bo fixed'rules"to govern debates. "Thoro will ,bo regulations, which will have tiUnuto stipulations, 'there will- bo clear respect of personal positionit will not bo ch'o'caso that everybody can Bay 'what■ they like, or that everything can bo ; discussed by. thoni." 80, apparently, the.Grand Old Lady 'j of, China intends to beep 0 tight rein on her. Obmmoners, and will not encourage thom, to iriticiso too kconly* Tho' decree states that tho' Logislativo Council, reoo'ntly established in Peking, and the Shi-yi-chu, .or Councils for Provinces tiro to be a basis of a House of Ropresoritatiyes. ' j,ln'future all tho affairs af provinces will placed bpforo tho; Provincial Council -Jfqi; discussion, and,. if good reasons be-shown ,Vtho oflieials tv'ill send the bill to the Legislative, Council for discussion. ''So, 1 ' says .the decree,; "thero will bo no'disf orderly argument allowed to disturb the Go- : vornm'dnt system, and thoro should bo 110 hi* mours, current.-to; oxciio tho public .pcaco,"' Tho Board of Justico and the Board of, Civil Administration havo been jointly brdered to jompilo Press laws for, the Empire, and tho latter aboard has also, received .to sbinpilo laws for tho control of public meetings. jTlioy.are toistudy tho conditions in China, ••.'together with the laws of foreign ['oworSj. but' aro'; ",tp ; ,c.ompilo the. new' laws promptly.'* -' -j This ..historic dcoreo,' concludes': 'If thero be .any persons who collect' tho peo-' pie ■ and Incite tho public, to cause', trouble igaiiist tho Statp, such porsoris should' be lealt with by tho national,'lnWs 1 , and thoro (hall be no.lenienoy shijwn to .'them. Wo also lereby oi-'der nil' the ih Peking' and' Provinces to obey this dcorepj so as to ohcck iiiy nucleus of trouble'/and if'thero bo any yho violate, this decree,,tho Yamen concerned [yill bo responsible.'' , ' .. V.> '' 3tudonto and Politics, i Tho lovo of Chinese-students for taking a land in l politics has griovod tho DowagerEmpress. Oil Christmas Day she issued *a : kcroo'stiitjng that, students -woro to attend to ih'oir ••studies,'-hnd' : to -refrain ! 'froni "making . iolitic'al'speeches" or "collecting tho public." The Dbwagef-Empr'oiis particularly: objects to itudonts ! '?'castms.-awav tho sacred; toaehhgs," but .''.worst' of all, ; sho- says, was,, the 'act 'that'.kov\d students objected to high jjlicials oboying Imperial orders on certain natters. : They oven sent telegrams of protest to the Grand Council,' Without undoritandihg'tho' circumstances :and; reasons 1 :This :onduct incited ignorant people, and bandits, x) tako adyantagb of tho situatioii, "and- was isually against public morality, and the moral iodo 'of ihdividtials. . ...'Suoh conduct ' lad never been seen in tho history of phina ieforc." Men of' study; said tho DowagorBiripress's decree, should bo. models to tholopulaoe, hut. if'mon-of study and loarning ■jo such as desoribed, tho abuses of tho public vould go from bad to worse.'--' Therefore, it las' been ordered that theso things must (ease."- Tho aged Empress says she- considers ;ho fault is often duo to incomplete teaching, ind 'more .card must bo taken in tlje super(isioilV'bf tho masters. Tho sacred'teaching if Confucius must' be liiiidni the priuciplf! of;ho.teaohipg. ''Tlio'-learniiig'is to lie limited so sciences and'laws/ and. moral codes and ■jatriotism. "If persons do. not- excel .in their earning,' moro learning must be taught,' but itudents must not tackle tilings beyond their iowor." Tho order has been further issued ;hiit if it is found that the sacred books of l)liina'are not-taught'in ally school; or that ieacliers' aru nbt watchful aa to moral coiiluct, they must bo punished; .It is, added ihat" a •'copy of tho decreo is to ,be hung . 111 ivory school. . :-, .1 .- Students and the British Patrol. : The references' of the Doivngor-Empross projably relato to tho part .a number oi students ;oolc in tho agitation against tho British'torpedo boats patrolling the West River. These ivar vessels aro still in tho West River. At tfew'chwang • the other day the schools werp, Placarded with notices stating that tho British intended seizing valuable territory. This proclamations called upon tho' Obineso to. protect their independence, and added that llreaidy China's customs were under tho 0011irol of a foreigner. "It is .'satisfactory'-to know that tbo Govn'mment at Poking do not intend to-allow'the ; half .formed theories of iho Chinese students"ahy big placo in tho nation's alfairs: Students at Cauton teleirapliod their protests'against tho patrol, but tho reply from Peking was: "Return to four studies and leave politioal questions to thoso responsible for them." . The Viceroy jf Canton issued a somewhat similar rebuke.