The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-02
GoyEENMENTs on TRIAL.

tn two Of the most Iopulous countries in
tile world the Governments are on trial. and
in both cases The Indications are bad for the
defense. There is nothing very novel in
either situation; the events that are trans
priug are such as might naturally be eX-
pected 10 occur al intervals; but the meas
uIes taken by the Governments for their
own protection have been unaYailiDg.
Each venmeut seems 10 invite defeat
and invoke instruction.
a rebellion has broken out in the Province
OF Mongolia, that long strip of bar en- couu-
try which lies north Of the great wall of
China, and in which the remains Of tie
once powerful tribes of Mougol Tartars
have been penned uD by Russia and China.
But tile Mongols have always been rebel
ling. ever since the present organization of
the Chinese Empire was consummated. One
of the regular occupations of Chinese gen.
eral has been to fight the MongOlians-old
General Tso. who died the other day, spent
his life at the work. Until the present
time the wars have been local; rumOT now
credits the Mongolians with having crossed
the mountains and tile wall, and hay,ng
reached point within striking distance of
Picking. The Imperial Government is rs
HELPLESS TO resist them as 1t was to resist the
INVASION u LgLu Ilzln dDl baron LEUo III
1873. Il has no army. Ii Hung Chang
has al army, but that is his own, and takes
no orders from Peking. 1t has no money :;
wnen China wants few millions she bor-
r1ws them by subterfuge from an English
clearinghouse, and pretends to get them
from her own people Il has no men of
ability either in military or civil life. 1t
has ID h0l1 on the affections Of its people
RI Iii hos mn eutfitaiapr in rho ChiUasn
language. and it has never been neces-
ssFy to invent one. Cinnamon supplied the
French ships with stores during tbs war Of
1882; they acQuiesced cheeTfuilv in the occu-
ration Of Marking by the Taeping rebels in
1856. The Government at Picking can only
sit still, keep all news from the Emperor,
and trust that Providence will induce the
rebels to 90 home. This is the position
into whieh one despotism has drifted.
In the Russian despotism there IS some
conference, and a good deal of latent force.
| But the machinery is so loose and disjointed
! that the Emperor, with ali his poWerand all
his responsibility. is unable to do all he
| would desire. With the best intentions, he
has undertaken to regulate the commerce of
| the country, but has only succeeded in par
! alyZng it. His ukase forbiddng exports
/ of WHEAT has stopped internal trade in that
cereal; it abounds in one province which
! always has surplus. while in another
! province which imports its food people are
starving. The Emperor distributes money
! with a lavish land 10 relieve distress; but
there is little system in the allotment of his
bounty. He is not responsible for the crop
failure, and is doing his best to mitigate the
| sutferings it has caused But the results Of
his efforts are not appreciated.
In both cases VIC see the normal working
| oidespotic government. Whenever strain
occurs, it is sure 20 give way. Nothing
short of weli-disciplincd and well-equipped
army could guarantee China against the re-
bellion if it once gains Roadway; and moth
ing short of cOpious importations from
abroad, at whatever cost of money, could
supply food TO Russia where there Is no
| iood. Under free government. the ener-
! gies of the whole people would be eXerted to
defeat the enemy or to arrest the famine.
Millions Of men would enlist in week in
| this country to put down a rebellion, and
tens of millions OF dollars would he en-
ployed in buying food TO satisfy the hungry.
| But in China and Russia, people leave these
matters to Government. They do rot
trouble themselves about affairs which are
| the business of the ruler. SO they reach
the deadlock which we are now witrs sing.