New-York tribune., 1908-10-19
CH[NA'S CONSTITUTION
an Attempt to Convey .Wester"
Ideas to Minds of People.

Peking, Sept 15-The chinese coheu'u
promulgated in this city August 81. Inc pre-
b,o aio,s 6Is twenty large pages and is written
in an incongrllous mixture of Chinese classic<Ni
terms and new japanese terminology invented 10 MT
Western meanings. The efforts Of the autioIs nav
been aimed at conveying TO the Chlhese iiiho 11'
understanding of things hitherto beyond ''s COM
prehension The explanations often convey noui'"s
TO the Western mind.
The subject Is approached n an Amos. pray
attitude The fact that China obtains THIS cons'i-
tuition by the imperial VIII is reiterated again anu
again IT is set forth that the imperial government
under tba constitution shall not be criticised on the
principle that the sacred majesty OF hhe SoVeiee
may not be offended against. and that lne ieAoei
Of the political parties are TO be appoin'eo ny .e
throne Full government under this CONSTITUTION
v,r1 hecon,e effective at the end of nine years
While the proposed system is called constitutional II
is far removed from, Western constitutional govern
ment.
Broadly speaking, the document follows 'ne CON
stitution Of Japan Some OF its most STRIKING
clauses follow:
nous ana the hearts OF the people are uneasg~ so-
threatening and no parliament at the side TO IN.
vestgate matters-that urgent Ineasuess nroccras g
taken 10 overcome half-heartedness ana pIo@clas @
tnation that there may be peace above ana coiii-
We have therefore laid down the genera P1fnr fnr
ciples OF the constitution and the prograIne i%1 in
the work of getting everylhs m bnp.5 m in the least
particular. 81 ,-oraroen+ MAY
viii
the .sSlken sounds" descend to inform the empire
and the road for ten thousane & EssIs soD neace
ing the hopes OF the myriads who long i0F pedoe
Fourteen laws are then submitted, as foho"s'
The Ia Ching Emperor will rule supreme
over the Ia Ching Empire for one ogsver
2 Majesty OF the sovereign
I Right of promulgating laws ..,
1 Convocaton, suspension, extension ana olss0-
Ia 3 APPOINTMENT, payment promotion, degradation
u 6. Command over army and navy.
= Power to make war. peace, treaties; TO receive
and appoint ambassadors.
"a Rirt over Judges and the administration of
laws.
p p Right Of raising funds when parliament is
IA Right of fixing the expenses OF the imperial
- Respecting authority over the imperial clan:
We look TO our Empress DowRger and Emperor
and see that they take the measure or heaven sno
as their heart The oficias and people within the
wide reverently gratefuI; ~ .ho su.iAe
witeu Pe9e seiash Teservatons which would hinder
the public welfare and without hssh nnt looking
on the matter as too easy SO that the denoera- ira
derstand the limitation Of powers. so as 10 lrlaAe
laws which overstep authority. which b. .x-
The sovereign has absolute power "ii0i i'' -
ercises in constitutional form
II ,s then set forth that the dissolution ct
narlisment the people shall be called on to elect
new parliament. and the document continues;
iS above
Officers and people Eho keep within the - Jaw wII
biy. thev shall not be disturbed without cause III
their possession OF property nor on to
nay taxes and render military service and the duty
OF Me@6eTs Of e pafameH @ shall speak disTs
speCtfuy OF the court or slander others Violation
Of this law viii be punished
The nine year programme IS as follows:
Thirty-fourth year Of Kwang Hsu, or lsos-Locs!
selfgovernment rules for reorganization OF hnance:
Iqs5Sn' Tison of 8' criminal rfh9 rt;t code
sssem6iymen: election to constitutional c9mmis.
sion; local self-goveEnment bureaus esta9hsmeo, m &
icons Of PeRing oclas issuing Of school books
Thirty-sixth year, or 19lo-Provincial assemblies
reports; tax rate fixed organization Of proyincis!
treaty ports publishing criminal code extension OF
schools: preparation for organizatio Of sub-pre-
and or Gs1gf1
rnent continued: public account: imperial budget;
20 oo coda @Iq of n5nicpsi and commercial laws
and civil and criminal procedure drawn up.
Thirty-eighth year, or 19l2-Completion OF general
arrangement Of urban self-government census re-
po-ts: publication of taxation laws OF empire; per-
lection of arrangements for provincial and lesser
Thirty ninth Year. or is18-Police registration:
periai trial budget Of variable expenses; Supreme
Court courts OF law IN urefectures, sub-prefecuTes
departments and districts: criminal code promul-
SS5Tsi seI+eovernment: rules for urban police
Fortieth year. or 1s14-Imperial trial budget of
fixed expenses: publication OF system of national
accounts rural seIf-government established; rules
for lower courts.
Forty-frst year or 1s15-Imperial household ex-
penses fixed; Organization OF the Banners con
troIler's office: public accounting enforced; lower
courts established: municipal and commercial laws
and civil and criminal procedure rules tablished;
police system complete.
FoTty-second year. or PRONUNCIATION OF full
constitution and the laws of the imperial clan:
parliamentary rules and rules for parliamentary
elections; budget for consideration Of parliament;
reorganized Official system; appointment of pre-
mier.
The document concludes with these words:
In the forty-third year of Kwang Hsu, or 1911,
China will be. by following this plan, a parliament
ery country like Japan Russia.