The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-13
FLOWERY KINGDOM
|. UNDERGOES CHANGE
Two Strong Parties, One Very
Liberal, Are Struggling for
the Leadership.
AN EPOCH FOR CHINA
CUSTOMS WILL BE ABOLISHED
TIME NOT YET RIPE FOR PAR
LAMENT, HOWEVER.
Publishers Press.l

| WaS.HnGtCI, jan Ia cOmprenen-
| sive review Of the change that is TAX
| ing place in China as a result of the
recent decree recognizing the Chin
csc government is supplied to the
| state department by Edward T. Will
| liams, Chinese secretary of the United
| States legation at Picking. Reciting
the orders for the formation of the
| TWO commissions which were to deal
| with reform projects, Williams says
| that for more than a month these COM
sions have been holding daily sessions,
wherein two strong parties are strug-
Cling for leadership; one bent on Sc
curing liberal government on mod
ern lines and the other determined
that there shall be no departure from
the traditions of the fathers. AS far
as it has gone their result is a com
promise, but many valuable features
are retained. Particularly worthy of
note is the abandonment of the
scheme for cabinet and OF the pro-
posed consolidation of the council of
custom affairs with the new board of
finance. probably by foreign opposition
to further interference with the Gus
toms administration. The edict itself.
hints at the greatest difnculty encount-
cred in the reform movement, namely,
worship OF the past" for nowhere.
says Mr.. Williams. does the dead
hand weigh more heavily on the living
than in China" and the first essential
to success in any new movement is to
show either that it is not an innova-
ton, or at least it is not hostile to the
spirit of the fathers.
The chief feature in the edict is in
the manifest endeavor to approach the
ideal of one man. one Office. Equally
important is the abolition of the USE
less multiplication Of Offices and, ex-
cept the board of foreign relations,
whose composition can not be changed
without the permission of the powers.
there will heucefcrsh be only one head
to each OF the governing boards. Some
of the old designations are quite obso-
lete. and the titles have been modern
lied. The board of punishments was
never fully described in the title.
which will now be called the board
of law. corresponding with our depart
called the board of posts and COM
munications.' is said to be in line with
the most advanced western nation
policies.
While the time is not ripe for the
establishment of parliament, par
tial 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 retain
ed as terror to corrupt incompetent
officials. The press, IS yet in it's in
fancy in China, and is said to be char
acterized by such venality, according
to Mr.. Williams, as to make it unwise
to give it full measure of liberty.
Some obsolete institutions have
been abolished or incorporated with
other boards, such as the court of
sacrificial worship" the court OF i'm
perial entertainment" the court of
state ceremonial all Of whose func-
tions have been taken over by the
board Of rites" and the court of the
imperial stud,' which has been swal-
lowed up by the board of the army"
Mr. Williams calls attention to the
fact that the commissions are continu-
ing their work of reform. and the
work reforming the basis of the edict
already issued is but partial. The
provincial civil service is now receiv-
ing attention and 1t Is said to be a
greater task than that already COM
pleted.
In conclusion Mr.. Williams says the
edict must be regarded as marking
one of the most important epochs in
the history of China. and while the
sanguine will undoubtedly be disap-
pointed in the results, there seems to
be no reason to doubt that the desire
of the throne and of many patriotic
officials for reform is most sincere,
and that a measure of improvement
will follow We. may hope at least
that the changes now being inaugur-
ated will prove to be but the begin
ming OF movement that will bring |
Chins into line with the most progress |
sive nations OF the world