CHINA, A REPUBLIC.

Northern Advocate, 17 February 1912, Page 3

CHINA, A REPUBLIC.

WHAT HAS BEEN GAINED,

Even an informed observer of things Chinese like Mr Archibald Colcmhoun frankly admits that the rapid progress ot the Chinese revolution has greatly surprised him, but, to judge from an article which he contributes to the "Fortnightly Review," he is still in doubt as to the results which the revolution will arhieve. He holds that, as the Chinese have now certainly gained , the essentials of democratic libertsj/ they need not be too much concerned with the actual label attached to their future government, "tthat, in his opinion, is above all tlSngs necessary is that the reformers should establish a strong central government, capable of placing the army navy, and finances of the country on a modern and efficient basis. He admits that a genuine public opinion has actually begun to make itself felt in

China, but points out that, after all, the proportion of foreign trained and educated is a n.ere drop in the bucket in a population of four hundred millions. If the Empire is not to break up or fall into a state of anarchy, the four hundred millions must have some powerful central control to replace th-j semi-divine monarch, who has hitherto been the focus of social, religious, and political life. At first sight a federal republic, such as Sun Vat Sen advocates, would seem ?s&> be the only model for Chinese re-

formers to follow. Already the several provinces have local assemblies and all the machinery for local self-gov-ernment. Like the States of the American Union, they enjoy the right to recruit local militias, and they are cally independent. China might easily b£ split up into autonomous States, but the real difficulty for the reformers begins whou they try to provide the connecting link to federate the States. POLITICAL DEMOCRACY.

Until now tho provinces have been hei«f> together by the unity of the iuandarinate and the tradition of allegiance to the occupant of the Dragon Throne, no matter what the dyn- J asty to which he belonged. Mr Colquhoun thinks that the Chinese, though remarkably democratic in a social sense, have not yet been educated up to the idea of democracy in a political senso. He fears that any attempt to establish a thoroughly democratic system would throw political' power into the hands of groups, such as the secret societies, the commercial guilds, or the clans in country districts. Hitherto these groups have been in check by tl?e Central Administration, and if genuine reforms are to be carried cut very large and real powers must be wielded by the National Executive. The danger is lest the Government should fall into the hands of an oligarchy, as in Mexico—a change which, according to Mr Colquhoun, would probably be no improvement on the present Chinese system, and would not be tolerat-e-i for long by a people who have already enjoyed a very large measure of v.olitical freedom. Mr Colquhoun states that he has had an opportunity of learning at first hand the theories of some of the more advanced reformers. They contemplate a republic as the culy means of petting rid of the Manchus, who stand for reaction but they intend to set up a strong central authority, and, following the precedent of the Turkish revolution, that authority will, vo begin with, be a military one. They look, in short, to a military dommntion to last for a term of years, upoa which will fellow a transition period leading >ip to full constitutional government. Whether a republican form of government, with a sufficiently ftroifg central power, can be inaug iroted is very largely a / question of f.nd Mr Colquhoun suggests that it is no disparagement of an earnest and selfapostle of reform to say Jiiat Dr. Sun ir- neither a Garibaldi i-6> a Cavour.