The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-12
hALR InpkE

power therefore. Is immense. and his au-
thority nearly absolute.
There remains stili ona officer between
the governor and the throne. namely. the
governor general, termed viceroy by the
foreigners, Who has sometimes one. agd
sometimes two provinces Under his 1uris-
cicticn-
Enormous as are The powers Of those
governors and governor generals, they
have not, except IN the eawe of piracy or
seditlon. the absolute power OF life or
death. All death warrants In ordinary
casca have 10 be signed by the emperor
himself
The official class In China Is not recruit
cd from any particular rank, the only
qualification being scholarship sufficient
"a PASS she competitive examinations.
The subjects studied are the classics only,
and though an enormous amount Of learn
ing by rute II redtirea. no practical anowl-
edge Is inculCatea. and no specialization
Is allowed. the same examination qualify
lng q man 10 be the head III "A usral. naval.
Judicial or any other department. Ia Is
Justly said hy the chimney themselves thN
their country il governed py naAilns,
aud the ofsAcial iaCapacity ~ a man whose
equipment ~ merely Ions string ef the
sayings ~ CunfuciOs leads him 90 gave
facp" by circumlpcuiion, BY polite aud
meaningless ceremonial. by shifsy eva
alNfte. pf aNNtAlNA tNMffA NSla8 fttNfhtA
him from the necessity Of decision OF
action for she tine being The inapossi-
hilftv eli one mAs3--espe. tally one man Win
such a training ~coFaaifsing ~ many func-
tions IN his nvn person Il obvious. and III
the sace a. any serious difficulty the gov-
eminent generally breaks down. and tbs
officials. unable ieneer 70 prevsrieate.
prove thelf lnrapacity aEa Sfe promptly
degraded. An example e shis viii be re-
merbcrpi IL thv case 20 IA Hung chang
in the Chino-J fsanese war, when he was
expected a. conduct campaign while
sfiil carr ing en- lis aaiseS as s9Feroaf
general. ~ superintendent 81 Natthsru
trade, and yari9ps atheg farefions This
Without any organised star. and merely
with fhe asSlstaues ~ such mnn. fere3gn4
ers 81 natives, AZ be vas able locally 70
pick ~.
with the sNafsld object % rnalnlalning
tntir atpendsace On reklue and prevent
Ing corruption, the tenn ~ attirs 81 all
the hixheF officials "a siFnited 20 three
years and sort " Eenefal p0st = ron
ssAutiv k~pt wp. whieh While dossbsftss
preerntiae the establishments - territes
fiai intefeeis ikeiy Ga b. incauvenisnt 20
tae q nsrai government. alee prevents the
Officials from getting any real jnsighs sn4o
the Affairs ~ their province o. DEPART
nlatst and effectaaiiy dwRtats Them from
taking any real Interest Ia The progress
ard development % ihat section 81 the
country Their one idea Il 60 aes thFaugh
she three years With as hule frletian -
possible This lax. however. like most In
t-hiua, II frequently evaae1.
Another ~ EsliAfion qreEeugs a mandarin
from holding ofice IN his .natiye province.
the reason helnr that ne might establish
territorial sses ndsney or influence inee-
rruasnt - F'sksng. tfsn pasSans. * may he
remarked that fhe term mandarin APP
Piled ay foreigners 80 officials has no
Chinese equivalent. and Is derived. l be-
Aeye. from the r'0rtugnese).