The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-02-03
The Ciiin,ss Government.


| ScItaiu itlltS, lot Will.c tnerc IL no WITH
ten constitution confining the Emperor
powers within certain bounds, there nre
ancient customs and prccedents,-ths
example and practice of former Emperors
"a s"rt OF unwritten constitution which
he may not violate without incurring the
remonstrancc of the censorate. And
while he is man of such power, being n,
ne is the head Of and holding the power
oil llie and death over, one fourth of the
inhabitants of the globe, ho is really =
mere figure. head lie is immured wilbir
the walls of the inner or Imperial city oi
Pekin. and knows only what his minis.
tiers and the department of State allow
him to see and know. In years gone by
the Emperor sometimes went into the
provinces and saw and heard for himself
the condition Of his children, the people
but now, and for many years, his min.
listers and heads Of departments Of State,
through whom all business is transacted.
have convinced him that his royal person
should not be thus exposed, and that his
honor Is too sacred to como in contact
with the multitude OF officials, or even to
recelve communication from any, ex.
cept from his high officials, and they
should come through the departments
OF State to which the matter pertancd
to his high ministers. Thus these high
and designing functionaries stand between
the Emperor and the people, for rs the
governors of provinces are recommended
and secured by some of these high dig.
nitarles at court, who are richly rewarded
TOR their influence and good Offices in
securing these appointments 10 office, no
complaints of oppression or c1,ortion in
the provinces can reach the Emperor
without their permission. Hence, bri.
berry, corruption and cxtortion of the
most Migrant character abound, oven
among the ministers and heads of de-
partments of the State Mt tho fountain.
head Of power.
ADMINISTRATIONS IN TIE PROVINCES.
China proper is divided into eighteen
provinces: Each province is divided into
foos, or departments each department
II divided into Niens, districts or counties.
The administration in the provinces is
through the governor. and his cabinet,
consisting of lieutenant governor the
military governor. the provincial treasur-
er, and the chief justice Of the province
all of whom are Imperial officers.
lhe governor, or in the case Of some
larger provinces, q viceroy, vino is ap-
pointed for three yeara, exercises well
nigh full powers within the territory over
which he presides, somewhat as ieudal
prince. He is thus made the ruler of
from fifteen to thrty.five millions Of
people. He is responsible to the Pekin
government for the good order, the I'M
perial revenue, and the defence Of his
province. With him the direct admins.
tration of the Pekin government ends.
At this point he, by delegated authority,
virtually administers the Imperial gov
ernment over the population of his prov
ince. This is done through the E6oo of
departments, and 7sicns (magistratcs) of
districts or counties.
These are the officers who govern the
people directly. They are nppei",c:: bv
the Pekin government, upon the recuii:-
mendation of the governor. Tho magi, .
trate of 7sien is the real ruler of the
people. 1t is with him they have to do.
1t is to him they are amenabc, and to no
other. To him they pay their taxes ON
land, and it is before him that all cases of
litigation are instituted in the first in
stance. Any case of appeal from his de-
cision is to the Foo (prefect of depart.
ment), who exercises jurisdiction over
the magistrates of eight or ten Tsicns.
From the Foo, the appeal is to the prov
Ince. In point Of fact, however, the poo.
pie very rarely appeal from the judgment
OF the magistrate; not that they feel that
justice has been done them. but they have
been go numerically neeced- -"soueezed"
we call it here-that they have but little
left; besides, they know that the officials
back each other, and they are not inclined
to put themselves in the power of another
hungry pack. The governor delegates
much of his administrative power to Tao
tdis, who have the surveillance of three
or more Zoos and the magistrates under
them, and they generally reside in one Of
the Foo cities. When a new governor
takes up his position at the provincial
city, the IdotdiS, Zoos, magistrates, and
other civil and military officers of the
provincc-the whole, with their thou
sands of subordinates, forming the most
stupendous bureaucracy that ever held
trm grasp upon suffering people-are ex-
Pected, aud in fa,. are i'll duty bound, 10
call at the provincial city, ostensibly to
pay their respects, but really to grease
the Wheels" and thus smooihe their own
way, for none ofthem come empty handed.
They often take with them, ostensibly
ITO contribute towards defraying the
heavy expenses Of his cxcellcncy," more
than double the amount of their legit-
mate annual salary, and they are expect
ted TO call more than once n year. In
this way, the governor Of rich province
receives, during his term OF office, ono or
two millions of tales (Chinese ounces of
silver, 81 to 81 .S3). He knows perfectly
well that the large amounts of money he
receives from his subordinates, are
"squeezed" out Of the very people whom
1t Is his duty TO protect; for he has been
q subordinate, and is familiar with what
is due TO ono in higher position aud
from whence it comes. But this is his
harvest time: and this is time honnred
custom. He has paid out large sums of
money i'll the shape OF fees or presents 10
the high officials in Pekn in order to
secure the appointment. And he has
| yet ITO contribute still larger Gums TO-
wards the expenses of the high function.
aries in Pekin who were kind enough to
assume the responsibility ofbecoming his
security. (Tho responsibility was great
for the revenue of the whole province
passes through his hands, and | have
never heard of an auditing committee OF
expert accountability Moreover, it is a
universal custom, from the highest cabi.
net officer to the lowest official in the
provinces, for subordnates-if they wish
10 remain quietly in office-"to aSsist ia
defraying the expenses oftheir superiors, u
and for such voluntary acts ofk;ndness to
be accepted, and in time, rewarded The
potency of this practice among officalf
has been recognized in all the ramficatiors
ofs0ciety. No one who wishes TO ask q
favor of another ever comes empty yhand.
| ed. l often receive small presents OF