The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-01-14
REVIEW OF GREAT CHANGE I'M
The FAR EAST BY STATE
DEPARTMENT..
DEAD HAND or THE PAST
Is a Great Hindfancc to the wilma
Reform Aboiishes Old Boards
People to Have Council
Mouthpiece.

Washington. Jan ia c0mprc.
7 fhensiye review of The remarkable
7 lehange that Is taking place In China
as a result of the recent decree r..
organizing the government is given
the state department by Edward T.
Williams, Chinese secretary To the
American legation a, peklng
After quoting the orders for the for
nation Of two commissions to deal
with reform projects Mr.. Williams
SAYS that for over a month these com.
missions have been holding daily n.
SONS wherein two strong parties haqe
been struggling for leadership. one
bent on obtaining n liberal govern.
mont along modern lines and the
other determined that there shall be
no departure from the traditions Of
The fathers As far as 1t has gone
the report is compromises but many
valuable features are retained Es.
pecially worthy Of note Is the ahand
onment Of the scheme for cabinet
and OF the proposed consolidation ~
the council Of customs affair wi h
the new board Of finance. probably
because of foreign opposition 10 fn.
ther interference with the customs
administration
Dead Hand Weighs Heavily.
The edict Itself hirts at the great
est difficulty which has been enconnt.
cred in the reform moyement-"wor.
ship OF the past"-for nowhere s7ys
Mr.. Williams does the dead hand
weigh more heavily upon the living
than In China and the first essential
to success In any new movement Is
to show either that Il Is not az innn
vation or at least that II is not hostile
10 the spirit of the fathers.
The principal feature Of the odiet
Is the manifest enGeavor TO appr ach
he ideal Of zone man. one office"
Iust as important Is the abolition of
he useless muItiplcat on Of offices.
md except In the case OF the board
# foreign relations whose compost.
ion can not be changed without the
ermission Of the powers. there will
q only one head for each one of Tho
overning boards. Some Of the cid
esignations are obsolete and the
Ties have been modernized. The
oard OF pnnishments never was fully
escribed in title. 1t will be called
ie board of law. corresponding with
he Aemrican department Of instice
he new department called the
BOARD Of posts and communica ions"
said to be in line with the most
lvanced western nations policies.
Retains Press Censorship.
Although the time Is not ripe for
e establishment Of a parliament.
lrtIai substitute ls afforded by he
,pointment of a council "to assist in
'vernment," which Is TO become the
Of the people though they
g not permitted 70 nominate or
ect members. The censo3ate is re.
ined a. a terror to corrupt and IN.
mpetent officials. The press ig yet
It's infancy in China. and Is said
be characterized nv. sIch venality.
eordiHg ~ Mr. Williams. as TO
IKE II unwise 10 give It a full meas
e Of liberty.
Some obsolete institutions have
en abolished or incorporated with
Ter boards. Such are the court Of
'rihcial Worship the court of in
rial entertainment" the court of
te ceremonial AL of whose func.
rs have been taken over BY tie
ard Of rites and the court Of the
'erial stud which has been swaI-
ed up by the board of the army"
Work Of Reform Continues.
Dr. Williams calls attention to the
that the commissions are con.
ling their work or reform and that
report forming he basis Il the
,t already issued l. only partial.
provincial ciyh service is re
ing attention and this is said 10
a greater task than that already
pleted
conclusion Mr. Williams saws.
the whole the edicts must be se
led a. marking ore Of he most
ortant epochs in the hi.tory Il
Ia and while the saaguine TN.
}tedly vii be disappointed in the
ITS there seems % be n reason
oubt thar the desire % he throne
# the many pa riotie OF eials fcr z--
-m Is more sincere and that some
sure Of improvement viii follow.
NAV hope At feast that the
ges TOW being made viii prove
g but the beginning Of a move
that VII bring China into line
tue most progressive nations in
world"