Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-08-11
HIS WILL is ABSOLUTE.
After the Emperor the Authority is
Vested In the Grand
Council.

Nhihcse 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 private life
The highest form of legislation is an i'm
perlal decree. whether promulgated H.
general terms, or conveying orders on
particular point, In all matters judicial
administrative or executive. The per-
sons and property of all his subjects are
Mt MS dlsnOsai and he can bchead, ini-
/ prison or contlScate without form of trial
or reason assigned. In ordinary CirCum-
stances the rule is lenicnt enough and
conducted according to recognized forms,
! Dnt when occasion arises the government
/ docs not ScruplC To use its deSpotic power
4 to the utmost. Brt. although the con
| stltutlou provides no checks ON the arbi-
/ tfary VIII of the Emperor, his power is
! clrcumScr'hed in practice by the iects-
/ Sity OF hnding capable ana willing agents
J 10 carry out his DEGREES. The part that
! the emperor personally plays III the mat
Ter depends on his character. \ strong
Emperor can bG in fact rs well as in
/ theory absolutely dcSpotic. \ weak En-
peror Is simply tool in the hands of
1 those who are strong enough and united
( enough to seize his power and WELD it,
he power of the sword is IN either case
| the instrument hy which DEGREES and or
( NN ~ 'iiAbIttti, anu inc HtuitattON OF
/ authority Is the extent TO which it may
be. used without provoking a successful
rebellion
The Grand Council.
After the Emperor himself the func.
tions of government vest in the grand
council of which we have already spoken
! The number of this council is undetcr-
mined, but usually does not exceed five
/ or sin. They are nominated by the scy-
| ereign and can be changed at his pleas
/ nre; or, If the Emperor is nonenity.
! tney nominate one another. The Nom
bers are selected from among the highest
| officers of state and include both Man
chus and Chinese, 10 recent years one
/ or more of the princes of the blood have
! always been included. who are at the
same time COMMUNICATIVE chief of some
4 of the Banner forces. Ii is this small
! 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 aud
! directed either TO the executive boards in
! Pekin or direct To the provincial authori
! ties. The Emperor is not cOnstitutionally
! hound to consult his council, hut in prac-
! tice he cannot dispense with their assist
ance or act in cOntrayenton to their
wishes.
The TsunE Ii Yamcn.
! 4NtNA ~ Inc SIulu COUNCIL. inc depart
mcnt with which we are most concerned
( IS the tsung-li-yamcn, which many PEG
/ pie take to be Synonymous V 18th the Chi
nese government. 1t is, however, a body
of quite recent creation. Prior to the
war of 1850 there was no foreign depart
/ ment N Pekn. Foreign affairs were
transacted by the viccroy of Canton and
only reached Pekin rs filtered through
his dispatches. After the war and the
establishment Of the foreign legations.
something more was needed and n board
was then created to deal with foreign
questions. At first the men appointed
to it were of no great standing, except
Prince kung, who ably presided over il
i for many years. IT was regarded as
and was probably intended to bc. sort
of buffer between the foreign ministers
and the real government. a body to re
ceiyc the hard knocks and transmit then
in modified form TO those who held III,
power. rs function never was to facili
tate business. but only To stnve off i'm
Fortunate demands as long as possible
and when things became too importunat'
to yield the minimum that would kecr
the peace. Latterly il has included
among its members officials who also be
longed TO the grand council, and to that
extent its authority has been strength
ened, but even so, it has no Independent
power everything il may agree to being
subjected to the approval Of the Emper,
h
partments of the central government
comprising six principal boards and sew
cral ministries of state. fulfill a two
fold office of rendering advice TO the SOW
creign and carrying on the administrative
work Oe the country.
No Popular Representation.
1t will be noticed that nowhere is
there anything in the nature Of popular
representation. The constitution, how.
siaut rfp In 10 q
stitute in the censorate, which deserves
n word or two. The ccnsors are paid
body Of public servants whose duty il is
to keep the Emperor informed of any
thing that may be transpiring in any
part Of his dominions and in particular
to keep an eye on malfeasancc or OPP
precision GA the part Of his officers In
some respects they may be compared to
tribuneS of the people who are expected
/ to stand up fer the popular cause
against the officials. But however ex-
cellent the theory may have been in
practice the censor2te has become simply
n huge Matchmaking office, its function
being 10 denounce officials. IL anyone
wants to ruin another he has only TO
! trump MP II story, bribc n censor and the
thing is done. Or. as yillany il usually
d0uhle-dyed, private notice will BE- given
To the accused that the blow may be
| avertcd by a bigger bride on his side.
| There is no court 10 which n man thus
wronged can appeal for justice and.
however clean-handcd he may be, it i
usually wisdom FOR him 10 submit and
pay the squeeze demanded
No provision is made for fresh legis-
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 case, but If by
chance some difficulty occurs for which
there is no precedent il is referred to the
board concerned which ia turn reports
TO the throne decree or rescript is
thereupon issued which settles the case.
Periodically the code is revised and these
various dccrees are consolidated or in
corporated and become part Of the statute
law. London Saturday Review.
Rejane's Name.