The San Francisco call., 1907-01-13
CHINA UNDERGOING
MANY REFORMS
Reorganization in System
of Government Marks
Epoch in Nation s Welfare
FOR THRONE

WASHINGTON. Jan. IA com
prehensive review of the remarkable
change that is taking place In China
as result of the PRONUNCIATION Of the
recent DEGREES reorganizing the Chi
nese Governmemnt is supplied to the
State Department by Edward T. Will
ltams, Chinese secretary to the Ameri-
can legation at Peking
Reciting the orders for the forma-
ton Of the two commissions which
were to deal with reform projects,
Williams says that for over a month
past these commissions have been
holding daily sessions, wherein two
strong parties have been struggling
for leadership, one bent on securing
liberal government on modern lines
and the other determined that there
shall be no departure from the ira
ditions of the fathers. So far as the
commissions have gone their report
is a compromise. but many valuable
features are retained.
Particularly worthy of note is the
abandonment of the scheme for a
Cabinet and of the proposed consolida-
ton of the council of customs affairs
with the new Board, of Finance. proba-
bly, because of foreign opposition to
further interference with the customs
administration. The great difficulty
which has been encountered in the
reform movement is worship of the
past" for nowhere 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 it is not an inno-
walton. or at least that it is not hostile
to the spirit fathers.
WANT AUTHORITY CENTRALIZED
The chief feature is the manifest
2 - ~
man, one office. Equally important
is the abolition Of the useless multi
plication OF officers, and, with the ex-
ception of the Board of Foreign Re-
latiOns, the composition of which
cannot be changed without permission
from the powers, there viii henceforth
be only one head to each of the gov
erning boards. Some of the old desig
nations were quite obsolete and the
titles have been modernized. The
Board Of Punishments was never
fully described in the title. 1t will
now be called the Board of Law, cor
responding with our Department of
Justice.
While the time is not ripe for the
establishment of a parliament, a par
tiaI substitute is afforded by the ap
pointment of a council ito assist in
government" which is to become the
mouthpiece OF the people, though they
are not permitted to nominate or elect
its members. The censorate is retained
as a terror to corrupt incompetent Of
fcials. The press is yet in its infancy
in China and is said TO be character
ized by such venality as to make 1t
unwise TO give it full measure of
4 liberty.
Some obsolete instructions have been
abolished or Incorporated with other
boards such as the court OF sacri-
fetal worshop,r the court of imperial
entertainment" the court of state
ceremonial" All OF whose functions
have been taken over by the Board
Of Rights"
EPOCH FOR GOOD MARKED
Williams calls attention TO the fact
that the commissions are continuing
their work of reform and that the re-
port forming the basis of the edict al
ready issued is but partial The pro-
vincial civil service is now receiving
attention and this is said to be a great
er task than that already completed.
In conclusion Mr.. Williams says:
"On the whole. the edict must be
regarded as one of the most important
epochs in the history of China, and
while the sanguine Will undoubtedly be
disappointed In the results, there seems
no reason TO doubt that the desire of
the throne and OF many patriotic off,
cials for reforms is most sincere and
that some measure OF Improvement will
follow. We may hope at least that
the changes now being inaugurated
viii prove to be the beginning of a
movement that will bring China into
line with the most progressive nations
Of the world"