Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25
A PARLIAMENT FOR CHINA.

from the United States ambassador at
Picking furnishes the text of
Rescript the constitution which was
Issued. accorded China by the I'M m
perial rescript issued July -
1905 on which was written. Sanctioned.
China thus appears to have followed In
the wake of Turkey and Persia. For
fact, China led the way toward constitu-
tionalism. after Japan. having declared
her desire for constitution in 1906. But
China is a great body and makes haste
SLOWLY. China is conservative and felt her
vay as in the dark by the establishment
of what she terms provincial deliberative
assemblies. from which members of the
constitutional assembly will be chosen
That the proposed parliament may have
time to fit itself for its task the edict
concludes: I'm the fcrty-third year of the
reign of Kuang- Hou, or 1917. China will
become. following it's plan. parliament
airy country like Japan or Russia
The abstract OF the memorial submitted
the throne by the bureau for the COLA
ton of administrative methods begins:
THE idea of consulting the wishes oil
the people is not a new one to CHINA IL
is advocated in the Chinese classics. But
such popular discussion must be strictly
regulated to avoid leading TO disastrous
results.
The memorial outlines the general char
acter of the constitution and defines the
qualifications of members and electors
The elector in order to vote i'll the cleo
ton for members of the deliberative as
sembly must be twenty-five years OF age
or over He must have been engaged in
teaching or some other occupation con-
ducive to the public good; a graduate OF
a middle school. either in China or
abroad: having held any official post OF
the seventh civil or fifth military rank
and not having been degraded or I'M
peached: having a business capitalized
at 5000. or possessing real estate to the
value of 5000.
Universal franchise cannot be grant
ed" the memorial continues. IF prop
erty qualification alone
Qualified were demanded, it would
rh;. tend to inculcate money
greed among the people
and lead them to honor the rich. So vari-
Gus qualifications have been selected and
the range has been wdened to include
other things besides material wealth.
There have been added qualifications of
reputation. learning and official Office. all
of which are adjudged of equal importance
WIFI Wcdili, dHd ohS oiiO ~ '''-~N- 49,
entitle a man to vote.
Among those disqualified are the turbu-
lent or lawbreaking: those who have suf-
fered imprisonment: those engaged in dis
reputable business: those who have been
placed under suspicion and who have not
been exonerated: those who use opium;
the insane and the illiterate.
Time is a factor in almost all political
changes in China, and it is the best guar
antee for stability. Five commissioners.
it will be recalled. were dispatched by the
government at Picking in 1905 to study
the science of government and contem-
plated reforms in all the principal capt.
tails of the occident. They returned to
Picking in 1907. and one of them has just
published a report of his observations IN
a hundred and twenty volumes! 1t is as
sumed that this extensive compendium is
the united expression of his colleagues
At any rate it was after the return of the
commissioners that the proclamation OF
the constitution was definitely decided. :.
Nor should it be forgotten that the spirit
of reform in China was given an impulse
by the results of the Russo-Japanese war,
which inspired the viceroy. TchenS-cne-
Tong to publish hook entitled An APP
neal to Study which contained ideas OF
reform that were adopted by imperial de-
cree.
While the adoption of constitution in
China may be accepted as in the nature OF
a message of peace and good VIII TO the
occident. it is especially SO to the United
States, to whom at this moment China is
sending a message Of thanks and greet
ing.
Tang-Shao-Yi has been appointed spe-
cial commissioner to the United States
and he has already sailed
Tang's for San Francisco. accom-
Ir:.: panied by numerous
suite. His apparent mis-
sion is to convey the emperor's recogni-
ton of the voluntary return ito China OF
the surplusage of the Boxer indemnity.
but the China Mail. in an article entitled
China and America declares that the
special commissioner is charged with far
more important mission than that indi-
Gated in his instructions as to Boxer in
demnity, and adds:
public opinion in the middle kingdom
is strongly in favor of the establishment
of the most friendly relations with the
United States. The native press teens
with articles and paragraphs for the most
part advocating an alliance 1t would be
departing from American custom and pre-
cedent to enter upon such a pact; the
United States believes in being friendly
with all nations. but still clings firmly to
WaShngton'S advice not to enter upon
any entangling alliance"
The writer has had occasion to refer in
The Star to Tang-Shao-Yi, with whom
he was associated in Korea, where he was
secretary of the Chinese commission of
which Yuan Sie-Kwai was president.
while the writer was consul general of
the United States and secretary to the
United States legation. In welcoming
Tang-Shao-Yi to America it is a pleasure
to render tribute to the ability of which
he gave proof in combating Russian in
triSues to dispossess China of her natural
heritage Mr.. Tang as the special COM
missioner will now direct his talents to
the more easy and agreeable task OF
strengthening the friendly relations be-
tween China and America.
Besides Tang-Shao-Yi is not stranger
in America, and il the writer remembers
Alright he was educated at Harvard and at
Columbia University. Since his service in
tanned from Great Britain recognition of
Chinas sovereignty in Tibet. in Mukden
Chinas rights again Japan. He has held
high position in the Wai-Wa-pu or for
eign affairs office, from which he has been
chosen for merit for his present mission.
Li-Sum-Ling is a Chinese patriot and
editor of the Hongkong Chinese Mail.
Mr.. Lis mission to this
Special country is entirely per-
~...ore sonal. but because of his
recognized ability and dis
tinction he was the guest of honor on
the Goth instant. at Chicago, of the 1lli-
nois Manufacturers Association. This
association seizes every occasion to de-
ut fra6