THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1916. A CHINESE PUZZLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16663, 7 April 1916, Page 92

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 1916. A CHINESE PUZZLE.

The position which has been created in China is certainly puzzling. Having somewhat summarily got rid of one form of government that nation of more than 400 million souls seems to be experiencing considerable difficulty in discovering another which would be suited to tho peculiarities of a strongly conservative Oriental temperament. When nearly five years ago the Manchu dynasty was finally discarded, the Chinese, casting about for % new and fixed, constitution in place of a purely traditional one, plunged from one extreme to the other. For an autocratic Imperialism a republic was substituted in the great land of China, and after 'some few differences of opinion had been adjusted Yuan Shih Kai became President. A decidedly drastic fashion of dealing with those who opposed him was the leading feature of the first President's assumption of 1 office and,, all things considered, it cannot be declared that the experiment in republicanism has been a decided success. The record of China during her republican regime has been thus summarised by an authority: " The hopeful start, the too-expectant attitude of the Kuo-Mintang or Republican party, and their anticipated attempt at surreptitious revolt, their drastic suppression, the refusal 1 of the President to approve the first experimental draft of the Constitution on the justified ground of'its incoherence and usurpatory tendency, the ascendancy of the Military party, the gradual devolution of power into Yuan Shih Kai's hands—these were the main internal features. Externally there were the difficulties with Japan in the spring of 1915, when the gravest crisis in the history of China was just averted. I'n short, neither in her home policy nor in her relations with the Great Powers was the record of; the republic very brilliant.'' Yuan Shih Kai, with an astuteness and an ambition characteristic of the man, took advantage of the national drift ! to discredit in the popular esteem the form of government of which he was the visible head. With an appreciation of Western political methods which does credit to the v slowly moving Oriental mind, he calmly proposed a plebiscite to decide the question of the form that was most suitable to the circumstances of the country. Accordingly, in October, 1915, a Bill was passed through the Chinese Legislature providing for the plebiscite and in less than three months the people decided upon a change in the form of government from a republic to a monarchy. The choice of a ruler remained to be settled and Yuan Shih Kai was the only man in the run : ning. At first, with his accustomed astuteness, he refused the -offer of the Crown made to him by the Council of State ahd advised the nation to choose a '' more worthy and vir-. tuous person." Finally, with becoming reluctance, he acquiesced in the offer with the proviso that he should, continue to act as President until a suitable time could be fixed for his coronation. Apparently the prolongation of the war has upset Yuan Shih Kai's plans, so that his name is likely to be added to the list of the monarchs who were never crowned. Recently matters in China have gone from bad to worse, a recrudescence of rebellion has set in, and whole provinces in the south have declared their independence of the Central Government. , Commerce is declining and there is much distress among the people. Yuan Shih Kai has attlempted to placate the growing feeling ag&i&st has rule

by cancelling the monarchy. It seems doubtful whether this will avail and whether the President may not be compelled to resign. In view of the powerful influence which the new China is likely to wield in world politics in the not very remote future, the unravelling of the puzzle will be closely watched.