The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-11
1he ADVERTISERS
 M HOME STUDY CIRCLE

I Vn the ether hand. this infsliible, omni- potent despot has his limitations, and very well marked. The most important in ths Rssce R:G ,bsr. s aways the 70 her the great Son of Heaven must ire Suentiy do homage by nine prostrations Cce.ore her. Besides that. the Board of CT collectively. of telling the Emperor just what they think of him-a right which they have frequently exercised, sometimes to be sure at the cost of their
 All through the Chinese system of gov ernment runs this strange contradictory mixture of absolutizm and limitation. enJey power almost as despotic as that ' or the Emperor, and are often guilty of high h-handed violations eff law. yet in the individual Chinsman win submit stoIidIy te any persecution or robbery by ofil- cials. because alone he Is helpless; but let V whSle sss village be oppressed and the will combine against the ocpressor and defeat him. -F
 The explanation of all this is found in character which have been ground into him and transmitted to him through cep- turies. In the first place, the political ethics of Confucius have been incorpor- ated into the laws to a large extent, thus lending to the Government that special power which. theocracy always pos sesses over an ignorant and superstitious ningly exploits the hereditary ennlity be- tween the Chinese and Manchu races to It's own advantage. It is for this reason Snd sL not from any love of impartiality. nese ceadjutor by his side. in order that each may act as spy and check upon the other
 through the whole system from top 10 bottom there are spies everywhere no man knows whom to trust. The object is to isolate every man es completely ay possible, and make combinations against the Government impossible. Consequent ly, nothing short of an outrage which af- fscts the whole community will impel Chtnaman to self-protection.
 In line with this policy of isolation are the regulations governing the life of of- ncial. They are. forbidden to hold of- flee in taeir native province, to marry tion, or to have son, brother. or near relative in office under them. The time of most offices Is limited to three or four years Of course, the effect of all these condi- tions in land where the only read to afiuence and influence is this office-h hold ing. is to bind the whole class of officials to the government by bands of steel, and to promote every species of political in- trigue and treachery between the aspf- rants for favor. A man who incurs the Of b,, 1ss had better
 
 succeeds in running away. the severest punishment win be meted out to his fam lily, his relatives, even his village, and any property which they may possess will be promptly bounced upon and par celed out. He will never dare to return or to show himself where the piundered ones can catch him. for fear of their vengeance. They are like wolves who fall upon and devour any one of the pack which becomes disabled.
 Of course, all this is very heathenish, yet is not some of the same wolfish sell nshness to be seen even among Chris tians when they have become well inocu- lated with the political bacillus? Bad as the Chinese system Is, 1t Is far superior to any other native Asiatic government, and in many respects it is equal to the best of Europe. That 1t is suited to the people who have presumptive evidence in the fact that fer centuries they have lived with pretty general contentment under their system of government. But once let entrance be given te foreign ideas of in- of education. or organization, of fallibility of rules, of separation of church and State. of the sovereignty of the people. No wonder the Chinese Gov ernment holds the door shut with des- perate determination.
 ICopyright, 190e.