New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-07-22

stances in the presence Of the sovereign De-
crees and orders are issued in his name ard
directed either to the executive boards in PekinB
or direct to the provincial authorities. The
Emperor is not cOnstitutOnally bound to con-
suit his Council, but in practice he cannot dis
pense with their assistance OF act in contraven-
tiOn to their wishes.
AS an instance of what would happen in the
latter event may refer to the coup detat In
1898 The Emperor, he was entitled to do,
called into his counsel other than the members
of his advisory board, notably the refOrmer
Kang Yu Wei and Chang Yin Hwan then
member of the Tsung-l- Yamen- ON their advice
he began to issue a series OF reform DEGREES,
which were not approved OF by the Grand
Council and probably had never been submitted
to them. ConstitutOnally the DEGREES were
. valid and became law and there was no way OF
stopping them except by physical force Had
the Empress Dowager not been there, assassina-
I ton would probably have been the only remedy,
but her presence enabled a middle course to be
steered, and the Emperor was required to invite
her to assist in carrying on the Government
As the Council had fifty thousand troops on
none, discussion not possible. BY fiction
he continued to govern, but the despotic power
of the crown passed into the hands Of the
Empress Dowager and her clique.
THE TsUNG-LI-YAMEN
Next to the Grand Council the department.
with which are most concerned is the Tsung-
li-Yamen. which many people take TO be
is. however, body of quite recent creation
Prior to the war of 1860 there was no foreign
department at Picking Foreign affairs were
transacted by the Viceroy Of Canton and only
reached Picking filtered through his dis
patches After the war and the establishment
of the foreign legations, something more
needed, and a board was then created 10 deal
with foreign questions. At first the ap-
pointed to it were of no great standing except
Prince kung, who ably presided over it for
many years. 1t was regarded as, and was prob
ably intended to be- sort of buffer between
the foreign Ministers and the real Government.
a body to receive the hard knocks and transmit
them in a modified form to those who held the
power. Its function never was to facilitate
business, but only TO stave off impOrtunate de-
mands as long as possible, and when things
became too impOrtunate to yield the minimum
that would keep the peace. Latterly il has in
cluded among its members officials who also be-
lOnged to the Grand Council and 10 that extent
its authority has been strengthened, but even
so ii has independent power. everything il
may agree to being subject to the approval OF
the Emperor and Grand Council.
The other departments of the central Govern
ment, comprising six principal boards and sew
rendering advice TO the sovereign and carrying
on the administrative work of the country. II
will be noticed that nowhere is there anything
IN the nature or popular representation the
constitution, however. endcavOrs 10 provide a
Of substitute in the Censorate. which de-
serves word two The CenSOrS are a paid
bOSy of public servants whose duty il is TO keep
the Emperor informed of anything that may be
transpiring in any part of his donlirions and in
particular to keep an eye on malfeasance or Op-
preston on the part of his officers. In re-
spects they may be compared to tribuHes Of the
people, who are expected to stand up for the
popular cause against the ofhclals- But however
/ excellent the theory may have been. in practice
the CensOrate has become simply a huge black
/ mailing office. Its function being denOunce
officials if any one wants 10 ruin another he has
only 10 trump up a story. bride a censor and the
/ thing is done or, villany is usually double
dyed, private notice will be given 10 the accused
. that the blow may be averted by a bigger bTibe
I on his side. There IS no court TO which
thus wrOnged can appeal for justice. and, how
ever clean handed he may he il is usually Wis
dom for him TO submit and pay the squeeze de-
manded.
No provision is made for fresh legislation as
I such. The Penal Code, which is the only body
of statutory law in existence. is supposed to
contain enactmentS 10 meet every possible case.
but if by chance some difficulty occurs for which
there is precedent il is referred TO the BOavd
| concerned, which in turn reports to the thrcne.
I decree or reSCript Is thereupOn issued which
settles the Periodically the code is re-
vised, and these various DEGREES are consolidated
or Incorporated and become part OF the statute
/ law.
SAR4H'S THEATRE FOR THE COHEDIE.