The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-08-10
", 'I -. THE REV DR FREDERICK BROWN, HIS,
HIS, WILL IS ABSOLUTE.
After the .EmperorJthe Authority is
Vested in the Grand
@"s .-"1~7s <-'s~ Council.

After the Emperor the Authority is
Vested in the Grand T
|~7 -''~'' --~~ Council. +
AS are all Eastern monarchies, the. !.
Chinese government is essentially des- !.
potic. In theory everything hinges on
the personality of the Emperor. His will !.
is absolute, not merely ia affairs of state
but m the smallest details of private life. .
The highest form of legislation is an inn
W,rlal decree, whether promulgated in
general terms. or conveying orders Oh a !
particular point, in all matters judicial. :
administrative or executive, 1.-THE per-.
sons and property Of all his subjects are
at, his disposal and he can behead, im--
prison or conhscate without form of trial
or reason assigned. In ordinary circum-
stances the e rule is lenient enough and
put when occasion arises the government
to. the utmost. But, although the con
stltutlon provides no checks on the ,arbi-
trary Will Of the Emperor, his power is
circumscrlbcd in practice by the neces-
t? cayry .9nt his DEGREES, The part that
the Emperor personally plays in the mat
yer qeneqds on his yQhafa cter. a strong
emperor can be III fact as we'll as in
theory absolutely despotic. a weak En-
p t Is simply tool in the hands Of
enough to seize his power and WELD it.
= me power of the sword is IN either case
the instrument by which DEGREES and Or
ders are enforced, and the limitation Of
authority is the extent to which it may
oe uSed without provoking successful
The Grand Council.
bo
tons OF. government vest in the grand
council of which we have already spoken.
The number of this council is undeter-
mlhed, out usually does not exceed five
or six. They are nominated by the sew
,erelgn and can be changed at his pleas
jure; or, II the Emperor is nonenity~
they nominate one another. The mem
bers are selected from among the highest
o1hcers of state and include both Man
chus and Chinese. In recent years one
or more of the princes of the blood have
always been included, who are at the
same time commanders-in-chief Of some
group which Yields the real authority of
government. All business is transacted
IN secret and in ordinary circumstances
IN the presence of the sovereign. DEGREES
and orders are issued in his name and
directed either to the executive boards in
l'eklh' or direct to the provincial author
ties: The Emperor is, not constitutionaly
mound to consult his council, but in prac-
tlce he cannot dispense with their assist
ance or act in cOntraventiOn to their
wishes.
The Tsung Ii Yamen.
Next to the grand council, the depart
ment with which we are most concerned
Is the tsunS-li-yamen, which many peo-
PIE take to be.*ynonymous with the Chi
nese government. 1t is, however, a body
OF quite recent creation. HPrier to the
war OF 1860 there was no foreign depart
ment> at Pekin. Foreign affairs were
transacted by the viceroy of Canton and
on; reachedi Pekin as filtered through
blishment Of the foreign legations.
something more was needed and a board
was then created to deal with foreign
questions. At first the men appointed
to 1t were OF II" great standing, except
frnce kuns, who ably presided over it
,oi , nlany years; 1t was regarded as.
and WAS. Iprobably intentled to be. a sort
OF buffer, between the foreign ministers
ana the real government body to re-
celVe the hard knocks and transmit them
III modified form to those who held the
power: It's function never was to facili-
tate business, but only to stave off i'm
rortunate demands as long as possible,
and when things became too impottunatt.
20 Yield the minimum that would keep:
the peace Latterly it has :includetf
among its members officials who also be-
ionged to the grand council. and to that
extent ITS authority has been strength
cned. but even So it has no independent
power. everything it may agree to being
sub1ertcd to the approval of the Empe1-
Or and grand council. The other de-
partments of the central government.
comprising six principal boards and sew
elal MINISTRIES of state. fulfill :: two
fold office Of rendering advice to the SOW
~ EDn Il ,v,;
work OF the country.
No Popular Representation.
1t will be noticed that nowhere *
there anything in the nature Of popu,ar
representation. The constitution how
ever. endeavors to provide a sort Of sub
Stltute. IN the cenSOrate, which deserves
word or two. The censors are q noiT
BODY OF public servants whose duty it is
to keeD, the Emperor informed of any
thlnS that may be Transporting iii any
part of his dcminons. and in particular
to keep al eye on malfeasance or on
preston on the, part of his officers. In
some respects they may be compared to-:
trlbuneS Of the people who are exnected
to stand zip for the popular cause
against the officials. But. however ;ex--
ceIent the theory may have been, in
prague 'n the cens9rate has become simply
q huge matchmaking Office it's function
being to denounce officials. II anyone
wants to ruin another he has only to
trump up story, bride a censor and th:.
thing IL done. Or. as 'villainy is USUALLY
double-dyed, private notice will be- given
to the accused that the blow may be
ayerted by a bigger bride OH his side.
There is no court to which man thus
Wronged can appeal for justice and.
however clean-handed he may be. it is
usually wisdom for him to submit and
pay the squeeze demanded.
No provision is made for fresh lesis-
lation as such, The penal. code, which is
the only body of statutory law in exist
ence, is supposed to- contain enactments
to meet every possible ease. but if, by
chance some difficulty occurs for whici,
there there is no precedent it is referred to the
to the throne, A. decree or rescript is
thereupon issued which settles the case.
Periodically the code is revised and these
various DEGREES; ARE consolidated or ..in-s
cerporated and become, part of the statute
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