The evening times., 1898-09-07
YOUNG CHINA.
The Progressive CeIcstisIs Work
ing for u Republic.
(From the London Maii.)

ffrom the London Mali.b
For fully a generation the present ris-
ing in China has been brewing; and its
object is TO erase the present system OF
government and substitute for it a con-
stitution modelled somewhat upon the
lines of that OF the United States of
America Each province of China would
then make its own local laws; but the
Chinese Empire would soon become
known as the United Provinces of China,
and citizenship there would resemble
citizenship in America
The new constitution. which has been
printed has a few details a trifle peculiar.
but necessary for Chinese. The Party OF
Progress has had agents in all parts of
the world wherever there have been Chi
nese settlements, during the last year
exhibiting the new code and explaining
its operatio The money for the new
republic has been ready for issue for a
considerable time. II is 4 paper cur
rency: and China seems destined TO be
the first TO adopt the currency which 1t
has been predicted Will be the money of
the future (pace mono and bimetallists).
The men of Kwang-tung, of which
province Canton is the capital. and
Kwaug-Si. all of whom are the best war
rior classes in China, are the backbone OF
the rising. The men Of kwei-Chau are
with them, and the Viceroy of iunnan is
kwang-tungman
In all the provinces along the coast
the Party of Progress may be considered
as ready prepared TO step into the revo-
luton, when II spreads, and supplant
and suppress the Mandarins. II is in
the Central Provinces of China, particu-
Iarly In Hi-nan. Kiang-se, Hu-pei. and
Ho-nan. where a stand will be made. If
II is made at all, against the movement.
Those are the provinces in which the
Tai-pngs in the last rebellion (which
lasted from 1888 10 1861 encountered
fierce opposition. and in which is cher
ished. not without cause, a bitter feud
against the men of the south. There have
been troops belonging TO the Party OF
Progress, drilled into shape in several
islands during the last two years (par-
ticularly in Formosa, assisted by Eu-
r0peans and Japanesel. The Chinese Sc
cret societies. which are nearly all of
them political, are nominally suppressed
in China and membership is punished
with death; but they flourish in several
parts. especially in the south of China
and the British hoSsessions. The Ghec-
aims are the most powerful society, COM
posed mostly of kwang-taungese.
The Party of Progress is most power
fully supported by influence outside
| China. the nature of which it would be
movement is said TO have the sympathy
of the whole civilized worid-except Rus
/ sa. if she be deemed civilized.
The remarkably sudden awakening OF
! Japan out of her feudal system into a
| vigorously healthy constitutional mon.
I archy may perhaps be eclipsed by China
as suddenly arising from her effete pa
| tuiarchal letharsy to a modern Social
fstic- Republican position. The new con-
stftution has a most advanced tone-I
| have seen it-in some matters of detail.
such as free and compulsory education
provision for the aged etc.
The China mail brought us last week
the information from Shanghai that it
was a fact that Japan had officially Of
fered to place at the disposal of Grea,,
Br:tan and America her navy and an
army of 100000 men on the guarantee OF
the integrity of China being maintained
for the time being.
Naturally the Japs sympatfize with the
| Party of Progress; but the vast interests
involved preclude all idea of haste. AS for
the present government of China being
able TO suppress the rising. It is too pre-
pOsterous to be worth considering. Mil
lions of the best men in China are stalk
ing their lives against a government as
unprepared for resistance much as its
existence on the earth is unjustitied when
| measured by modern European standards.