CHINA AND HER HOME AFFAIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14457, 25 February 1909, Page 6

CHINA AND HER HOME AFFAIRS.

The arrival in IS'ew Zealand of the Chinese Consul directs attention to the affairs of the nation he represents. Consul Hwang's interesting discourse on the general attitude of modem China towards the 'Powers may ba supplemented by a glance at recent political happenings of moment in tho Chinese Empire. ()'f these the most outstanding has been the. fall of Yuan Shih-Kai, the groat Viceroy of Clii-li, who succeeded Li Hung Chang in that office. This event has been regarded as a ■somewhat ominous beginning for a reign, at the time not yet two> months old. I'iism Slnh-Kai's hasty dismissal from all bis offices, as the result of ai •Manchu cabal, was the more striking because lie materially assisted to bring about the peaceful succession of the new Emperor Pu-Vi and that of Prince C'lnm ;vs liegont after the simultaneous deaths of the late Emperor and of the ISmpress-Downger. Tieh Liang, the -Minister of Wat, a great pluralist in the matter of lucrative offices, and the aged Chang Chili-Tung, who is credited wit.lt being a highly respectable but utterly incompetent leader of the old school of "literary" Chinese statesmen and is described by the Peking correspondent, of Tho Times as the " supreme muddler of the Empire," have been reputed to be among the chiefs of the cabal which has overthrown tho ablest of modem Chinese statesmen. For many years past the rivalry between the Manchus and the Chinese has been growing more pronounced. Since the Jtoxer outbreak in 1900 Yuan Shih-Kai has been, the representative among prominent statesmen of the enlightened and progressive spirit in China. The Boxer movement itself had its- origin in more than one cause, but its formidable character was largely due to the support which it received, at first furtively and at last openly, from the Mauchu party about tlic Court. The -Maiichus, as the .descendants of the old conquering and privileged race, are, as might be expected, the champions of reaction, and the encouragemnt which they gave the Boxer, movement k attri-

buted to their cherishing a wild hope, that it would divert the enmity of the Chinese, and particularly that' of tho intelligent and active Chinese of the South, from themselves to the foreigner. Yuan iShih-Kai was Governor of the province of Shan-Tung when the movement was begun, and the attitude he took up in regard to its suppression, iu protecting tho lives and property of loreigner.s iu opposing tho Ma'nehu chiefs who had won for" the time being Hie ear of the Empress-Dowager and were, directing the policy of the Court, and in his conduct and counsels saved the Empress-Dowager from preceding to extremities which must have j„ Vo ] Tei { the ruin of her House and country. Subsequently, coming high. j„ to thQ Imperial favour, he entered upon ait administrative career of conspicuous success. The army of his province, <w,OOO strong, made at his invitation by Japanese instructors out of most unpromising material, excited tho admiration of the foreign military critics who were invited to attend its mniiamvTes in 1905. In the RussoJapanese war ho stood almost alone among Chinese statesmen in urgin" Chinese intervention for the recovery of Manchuria from Russia. He lias been' instrumental in modernising Chinese education, has helped to organise the central army and to inspire the decreo promising that after due preparation a Constitution should be established in. eight years, _ and has had much to do with promoting the exodus of Chinese students to Japan, America, and lfiurcpe, and the study of foreign institutions by a special commission as a preparation for a constitutional regime. In return for the manifestation of so many statesmanlike qualities, however, Yuan Shih-Kai has been deprived of all his offices by a curt decree of the Prince Regent on the curious pretext that his lameness prevents the proper performance of his duties. Tho imposing reform movement, of which l China is to-day the scene, has come into rude contact with tho privileges of the ruling Manchu race. But if that movement has lest its ablest promoter—it may be only temporarily,—it does not follow that' its progress can be thus arrested or hindered. The attitude taken up by the representatives of the Powers at Peking at the time of the dismissal from office of the President of the Board cf Foreign Affairs indicated clearly enough, however, the apprehension felt lest the step should be—as indeed it could only be construed to be—the pereursor of ttio' reversal of the progressive policy with which Yuan Shih-Kai was identified. Evidence of the efforts which the Aliinehus are making to assert themselves in the government of China is furnished hy the fact that in September, 1!!07, the number of Jlanelins and of Chinese upon (he Grand Council waa about equal, whereas now the Chinese, are an insignificant minority. Again, of the fifteen highest pests in tho eleven Ministries nine are held by Munchus and only five by Chinamen, and of the eleven next highest savVn are held by Munchus and three by Chinese,