The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
CHINA PROGRESSING
Secretary Williams Makes
Report from Pekii.
DESERVES CONGRATULATIONS
Considering the Difficulties EncOun-
tered, Empress DOwager's Govern
ment Has Achieved Considerable
Amount of Success In bringing
About Reforms-Nevv Constitution.

Inc state Department mas ISCelNcO a
report on the progress Of reform in China
from Edward T. Williams. Chinese secre-
tary to the American Legation at Pekin-
Many important changes" Mr.. VIII
Jams reports, were attempted in the con-
sutution of the government, in the organ
ization Of the army, in education, IN
finance, and in the courts. Some of these
have been but partial in realizing the
hopes Of their promoters; others have
made matters decidedly worse than they
were, but the military and educational re-
forms have been successful in a high de-
gree.
"The Empress Dowager appears thor
oughly 70 understand the situation She
sees plainly that the hope of the dynasty
lies in strengthening its hold upon the
masses. No one, therefore, has been more
earnest than she in the efforts that have
been made 10 prepare the way for a con
stitutiop D"
Creates Great JOY.
September !, 1906, an edict appeared an
nouncing the intention Of the throne to
establish a constitutional government as
soon as the people could be made ready
for IL The edict created great joy
throughout the empire. On the following
day another edict was issued, directing
the immediate preparation Of plans for
the reorganization Of the civil service
Two commissions were appointed. the
first 10 draft the new regulations; the
second. a superior commission, TO revise
the work OF the first. and submit IL 10
the throne. The discussions by the COM
mission showed two strong parties stTug-
Cling for mastery, one endeavoring TO
secure as liberal a government as posi-
bic on modern lines, and the other de-
termineI to prevent any departure from
the traditions Of the fathers.
The lower commission made many
recommendation 10 the higher body
Some of these were adopted, some mOdi-
fed, and some rejected altogether \
compromise report was finally made, al
though the recommendations were moo
crate. they were not adopted by the
throne without further amendment.
Much hostile criticism of the ediCt
has been INDUCED in by foreigners Mr..
Williams says, and the result Of so
much labor and discussion has been ridi-
culed as mere empty verbiage Certainly
the reform is not thoroughgoing, but no
one acquainted with the temper Of the
Chinese and with the actual condition Of
affairs could expect greater changes IS
a first installmeut. Considering the dif-
hcuIties encountered. the government de-
serves rather TO be congratulated on the
large measure Of success achieved.
Commenting on the difficulty which has
to be overcome in promoting a reform
movement in China, especially when il in
wolves the abolition Of Institutions Of the
past, Mr. Williams says:
Dead Hand Weighs Heavily.
Nowhere does the dead hand weigh
more heavily upon the living than I'm
this old empire, whose religion is the
worship Of ancestors. and whose social
institutions and moral standards find
their justification IN the sacred literature
Of the past.
Any movement which runs counter 10
the precepts and examples Of the Sages
Is doomed 10 failure, and the first essen
tial TO success in any contemplated re-
form is to show either that It is not an
innovation, or at least that it is not hos
tile to the spirit Of the fathers"
One-Head Boards.
Equally important, MI Williams re-
marks, IS the abolition OF the useless null
tipIicatiOn of offices, specially Of the dual
and In some cases triple headship of the
boards. Under the old system each board
had usually two presidents, one Manchu
and one Chinese. and sometimes a di-
rector general over both of them The
fact that each board viii hereafter have
but one president is regarded as most
important
The edict provides for a number Of
changes in titles Of persons and civil or
CARNATIONS. One Of the important
changes is in the board of punishments
which never did actually describe the
functions of the institution. and will
hereafter be known as the board of law