Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-05
CH|NAMEN WANT
MODERN REGIME
Special Cablegram to The Star

PEkING, November 5-The conferences
on the constitution continue and are still
eagerly discussed outside. All indications
point to sharp division between the party
of moderate progress, represented by the
Viceroy Yuan Shih-kai and the conservative
elder statesmen, many of whom are dan
chus whose prerogatives are threatened.
The situation is full of interest because OF
the position of the Viceroy Yuan Shh-kai
who controls the only effective army, and
who, welding power rarely attained by a
Chinese official, has for the first time in
history entrusted many of the most lucra-
tive and responsible posts in the metro
politan province to Cantonese educated
abroad, while every high provincial author
ity who owes his position to the influence of
Yuan-Shih-kai has a Cantonese attached to
his staff In view Of the remarkable clam
nishness and cohesion of the Cantonese the
question naturally arises to what extent are
Yuan Shih-kais proteges to be identified
with the political activities of their fellow
provincials in Singapore, America, Japan,
and elsewhere abroad, whose avowed pol
icy Is the expulsion of the Manchus and
the exclusion of foreign influence
While these important conferences are
continuing, and while the outspoken press
is clamOring for every conceivable reform
from compulsory education, the establish
racial distinctions to the suppression of do
nestle slavery and eunuchs and even to the
alteration of dress, no attempt is being
made to improve the condition of the Wal
wu-pu, the Chinese foreign office. Broadly
speaking, every internal change called for
by the press is in the right direction, but
the methods are crude and the achievement
so far is inconsiderable. Most satisfactory
is the continued extension of western edu-
cation for ignorance in the chief danger in
China. Greater knowledge must bring
greater security for the foreigner and a
greater demand for foreign things. Thus
every power is willing to assist the spread
of education, yet every power is confronted
with the difficulty of dealing with China in
the present condition of the Wai-wu-pu. The
removal of Prince Ching from the post of
president is a pressing necessity. The
prince never attends the office, but dwell
ing on a higher plane, grants rare au-
diences to foreign ministers at his private
residence, ignores dispatches, and is alb
Sorbed in amaSSing wealth.
To any one who has witnessed and studied
the rise of Chinese journalism the remark
able talent and enterprise displayed by the
Chinese in editing and conducting their YER
nacular press cannot fail to convey a sense
of admiration. Similarly to their general
capacity for handling the latest inventions
of a mechanical age, such as the motor in
all its forms, and emulating many of the
methods of modern civilization, they have
acquired the art of journalism in the most
natural way. With no inherited qualifica-
capped as they have been till recently by
an ignorant and meager clientele and by
the hostility of the official classes of all de-
grees, the fact that they have succeeded in
producing organs which are having enor-
nous influence on the evolution of the new
China, is another proof of the untiring pa
thence, perseverance and industry of the
Chinese. When one remembers that only
ten years ago there was hardly Chinese
newspaper in China, and that the one or
two trumpery sheets which then did exist
had a circulation of a few hundreds only, 1t
is Of truth wonderful to know that there
are now organs whose circulation runs into
hundreds Of thousands and whose status
is such that not only do the local foreign
papers quote largely from them, but for
eigners of standing contribute to them and
read them. 1t is equally of interest to re-
member that this remarkable progress is in
a great measure due to the comprehensive
liberty of the subject or individual of any
race nationality whatsoever, which is
afforded by the treaty ports Of China I'M
der aegis of that extraordinarily which
at present forms such prominent factor
in the relations existing between the for
eigner and the Chinese. Under the British
flag in Canton and Hongkong, in the inter-
national settlement of Changhai, and the
cosmopolitan concession of Tientsin, to say
nothing of extra territorial communities
scattered along the seaboard Of the celes-
tial empire, the writ of the Chinese govern
ment does not run.
One of the most significant out of the
cent upheaval and revolution that is going
on all round in China is furnished by the
post Office. In the year 1901 there were 1856
post offices and agencies scattered through
out the country. and they handled ten and a
half million articles At the end of 1905
and during that year they handled seventy
six million articles.