The Meeker herald., 1895-10-05

Shanghai, Sept es-Tle Chinese gov
ernment il very much like an old wo-
man. feeble and decepit, poor. ignorant
and superstitious, whose eighteen sons
are constantly committing murders
and depredations among their neigh
bors. The latter hold her responsible
for their conduct and insist that she
shall punish them. when she is abso-
lutely powerless to do so. The only
way for the neishbors to stop the mis-
chief 10 to disregard the old woman al
together. take matters in their own
hands and bring the sons to terms.
There is little doubt that the govern.
ment Of China is "on the ragged edge"
| Its weakness and rottcnness were dem
| onstrated during the war with Japan,
and no one familiar with the situation
here would De surprised at any time AT
| the outbreak of revolution that will
overthrow the present dynasty, perhaps
| split up the great empire into dozen
petty Kingdoms, or perhaps divide it
among Russia, England and France.
| which are alYArs standing ready for
such an event AID have immense fleets
| In these waters awaiting its occurrence
The diplomatic officials here tell me
that there is no vitality. no stamina
and no firmness in the Tsung Ii Yamen,
| which Is the body composed of the high
est officials and the presidents Of the
various boards Of control. having a
general supervision over the foreign af-
fairs Of the empire but no authority Id
execute their own will or carry out
their promises. The words Tsung Ii
mean general direction and Yamen
means bureau of office
To understand the system one must
know something of the Chinese system
Of government, which is based upon
the natural relation of parent and child
The father is supreme in the family,
the magistrate in the city. the governor
In the district and the vceroy in the
province. The latter is responsible to
the central government ct Pekiu, in
which the emperor is supreme Every
magistrate Of whatever rank, has abso-
lutte power within lis own domain and
is responsible only to his superior, al
though the people have the light TO ap-
peal to the same tribunal il they De-
lieve him TO be guilty OF lncapacity,
tyranny or dishonesty. But no long as
the magistrates forward tribute &c their
superiors and send :hem valuable pres
ents, which has become habitual, the
people have very little chance to be
heard, and the viceroys are practically
kings with absolute and despotic
power.
The difficulties and dangers are aggra
waited by the fact that the central gov
ernment at Pekin has ne soldiers and nc
fleet to enforce its demands, and presen
local conditions are such that any dras
tic measures would be likely to force
the provinces into rebellion. II the en-
peror should press the viceroy at Fuil
kicn or SZechuen too hard the tiistan n
officials, who have their own arm.e
and navies and very little respect TO
''the son of heaven" would immediate
theff Independence. The only efSectna
power that lies with the central govern
ment Is Its authority to dismiss and de
grade viceroys and magistrates at will
There is law, and 1t Is strictly en-
forced. forbidding any viceroy to hold
office in his own province or to appoint
members Of his own family to positions
under him. The policy pursued by tho
government has been to send men from
the north to rule the southern provinces
and bring men from the south 10 rule
over the northern provinces, in which
they have no property or personal inter
ests. The natural and inevitable result
has been to prevent conspiracies be
tween the rulers and the local mandar
ins, between whom there is usually q
considerable degree Of Jealousy and
friction.
To this practice is largely due the
preservation OF the Chinese empire, be
cause should northern mandarin who
Is appoin:edl>siceroy of southern pro
vince attempt rebellion or defy the edicts
Of the throne his property at home
would be confiscated and the members
of his family would be thrown into
prison and held as hostages for his good
behavior.