Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-07-28

London Saturday Review.
The constitution OF the Chinese gov
ernment can perhaps best be UNDER
stood by a short reference to its origin.
Two hundred and sixty years ago the
Manchu dynasty came to the throne at
the head OF conquerlng army, COM
posed mainly Of Manchu troops, but in
cluding also corps of Chinese and Mon
golian origin. The victorious army,
divided into eight banners, was per-
manently quartered in and around Pc
kin, and converted into hereditary
force for the support of the throne,
minor detachh hhents being settled at
Canton Marking and other large cit
les as permanent garrlsons to overawe
the native population. The chiefs of
therarmy y.wereaereaied Princes, Dukes
and so on, and their, commands were
made hereditary in their respective
families!
F 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 in affairs of
state, but in the smallest details of pri-
vate life. The highest form of legisla-
tion is an imperial decree, whether
promulgated in general terms or con-
veying orders on a particular point, In
all matters judicial, administrative or
executive.
After the Emperor himself, the func-
tions of government rest in the Grand
Council The number of this Council
is undetermined, but usually does not
exceed five or six. They are nominat-
ed by the sovereign and can be chang
ed at his pleasure, or, il the Emperor is
nonentity, they can nominate one an
other. The members are selected from
among the highest officers of state, and
include both Manchus 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 of the banner forces
1t Is this small group which wields the
real authority of government. AL
business is transacted in secret, and in
ordinary circumstances in the presence
of the sovereign.
Next to the Grand Council the de-
partment with whicn we are most con
cerned is the Tsung-Li-Yamen, which
many people take to be synonymous
With the Chinese Government. 1t is
however, a body of quite recent crea
ton. Prior to the war of 1860 there wa
no foreign department at Pekin. For
eign affairs were transacted by the Vic
eroy OF Canton, and only reached Pc
kin as filtered through the dispatches
| After the war and the establishment o
the foreign legations, something NOR
was needed, and board was then ere
ated to deal with foreign questions. A
first the men appointed to it were of n
great standing except Prince Kune
who presided over 1t for many years
1t was regarded as, and was probabl
| intended to be, a sort of buffer between
the foreign ministers and the real gov
ernment, body to receive the har,
knocks and transmit them in modi
fed form to those who held the power
Its function never was to facilitat
business, but only TO stave off impor
tune demands as long as possible, an
when things became too importunat
to yield the minimum that would kee
the peace. Laterly it has include
among it's members officials who ais
belonged to the Grand Council, and t
that extent its authority has bee
strengthened, but even so it has no in
dependent power, everything it ma
agree to being subjest to the approvf
of the Emperor and Grand Council.
A wheelman's tool bag isn't CON
plete without bottle of DR.. Thomas
Electric Oil. Heals cuts, bruises
stings, sprains. Monarch over pain.