The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-07

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Gated one, as many suppose, and I doubt
whether 10 men in 1000 can read and
write. BY 1913. those who have investi-
gated the matter say, one In every 100
should be able to read, and during the
following year, If the school scheme Is
carried out, one in every 80 should be
able to both read and write. while at the
close of the nine years, when the first
members of parliament are elected, the
proportion Of literaey should be about
one to twenty.
The new schools will practically create
a new language for China and a new
system of phonetic writing. Schools are
now being organized by the tnoosanos,
and there are tens of thousands of the
old Chinese professors who are fitting
themselves to become modern teachers.
At the time the edlct was sent forth TO-
coo went to Japan and spent ABOUT Six
months there fitting themselves for the
new education. The most of these nave
returned, but there are at present some
thing like 5000 Chinese studying In Japan,
and there will soon be in the neighpor-
hood of 1900 studying in America
It is a wonderful evidence Of the good
citizenship of the Chinese that the in
PRODUCTION of schools and the apoll-
ton of the old examination system nave
been made without causing revolution.
Such change would have created war
In almost any other country, necessitat-
ing as 1t did the loss of jobs by thou
sands of the old tutors and the maxi
ine of their celestial education of no
value
Who May Vote In China.
The new constitution is rigid as to the
qualifications of voters. All elections are
to be by ballot and plurality shall elect.
All voters must reside in the district Tor
more than a year. They must be apie
to read and write and must nave their
family records unblemished. the iran
ohise is not given to men OF bad char-
acter nor to opium users. 1t Is forbidden
to DULLES and criminals and there are
certain low professions whose members
will not be allowed to come to the polls
In general any. Chinese will have right
to the franchise provided he has the Or
binary qualifications and any boy may
hone to become a member of parliament
and to have part in the government
The constitution provides for the free-
dom of the press, for the right OF PUBIC
assembly and for freedom from taxation
except by law.
The Emperor Will Still Rule.
Throughout the whole of this new con-
stitutional programme the power of the
sovereign is respected. He will stand In
about the same position which the mikado
holds in Japan or the kaiser In Ger
many He is to be the commander of the
army and navy and to have the right
to declare war or peace. He will nave
In cass of emergencies, all power over
the liberty of the people with the right or
pardon. He can fix the salaries OF his
own household and can take the sums
needed for that purpose from the treas
30, ..1f as.f1t a
has the right to appointNall officials and
can degrade or promote them at will.
From these provisions 1t would seem as
though the parliament would have little
real power, but 1t must be remembered
that in both Germany and Japan the
force of public opinion is such that the
emperors have to follow it. This will be
the same In China under the new con-
stitution. Besides this first parliament
is but the opening wedge and its sue.
cessors may in time split the imperial
privileges into fragments and leave IN
their place a republic. This seems far
cry, but 1t is a possibility.
The Provincial Legislatures.
The provincial assemblies. which are
now preparing, will be much like our
state legislatures and will correspond to
them in the new government. China has
20 provinces and each will have its own
legislature, which will be large or small,
according to the number of its literary
graduates and the amount of its grain
tax At present Chilli. the province in
which Pekin and Tientsin are, pays the
most grain taxes and has the most grad
yates. Its assembly will have 140 men,
bers Chinese Turkestan and IIeiung-
Kiang are the smallest and each of them
will have 80. Kiangsu will have 116, and
Chekiang ia. shantung has 1oo Honang
90 and Shansi S1h. Altogether there Will
be 1877 Chinese members in these state
legislatures. and in addition some 20 or
25 Manchus 1t is probable that from
these assemblies the future parliament
will come.
In order to be a member of the pro-
vincial assemblies a man will need far
higher qualifications than those demanded
for election to our state legislatures. The
candidate must have been connected with
educational enterprises for at least five
years, or have graduated from the mid
die schools of either China or abroad or
he must be a master of arts or retired
official who has never been denounced
by the censors. or cashiered by the gov
eminent. If he has capital of $1,000,
and is otherwise respectable, he may also
be a candidate; but If he is an opium
smoker or has ever been in prison he
need not apply. Furthermore, If he Is
elected he will not be allowed to decline
unless incapactated by illness from serv-
ing.
Where Uncle Sam Comes In.
The new constitution is bound to be OF
great advantage to the United States. and
in a lesser degree to all foreignspowers.
1t will bring about the reorganization OF
business and trade. and will lead to
large number Of Chinese students goins
abroad. The most of these will be sent
to either Japan or the United States. Hun
dreds will come to our country, especially
as by the scheme adopted for the use
of the Boxer indemnity which We re-
turned to China a large sum Is to be con-
tin1Ni;siv spent In educating Chinese boys
In America. Tang Shao VI took over the
first installment of students last year.
One hundred more are to be sent over
in 1910, and so more each year for 80
years thereafter This means that for
the next generation China will always
have 200 of its brightest young men in
the States They will be studying Amer
lean institutions. making American
friends and coming back here to favor
America for China in its foreign rela-
tons.
Talk about a Chinese alliance. The re-
turn OF that indemnity was the most
profitable work Uncle Sam ever did. From
now on 1t will serve as a steady leaven
of Americanism In the dough of the old
Chinese empire working for the interests