New-York tribune., 1911-11-19

! last ten years that il is unnecessary
TO do anything more than to remind
my readers that it is not the first time
/ that he mas had supreme power within
his grasp Whereas. in days gone by,
he refused the opportunities offered
him TO take actual possession Of
the throne. he has been since then so
abominably treated by the reigning
house as not only TO kin all sentiments
OF loyalty within his breast, but also TO
fill his heart with the utmost bitterness
against the dynasty. What he can ac-
complish for good among his country
men is perhaps best shown by his eX-
traordinary and wellnigh miraculous
feat of practically ending for all time
the national consumption of opium
that is to say. the crushing of the ma
tional vice of a people Of 400,000,O00.
Should China, as expected by the
most careful students of Chinese af-
fairs-especially by those whose ac-
cuaintance with China is based on ac-
tual residence within her vast borders
decide To adopt a republican form Of
government. under the presidency Of
'Yuan Shih-kai, the latter viii find the
machinery for the constitution Of a
great democratic commonwealth al
ready in existence. There are, first Of
laH the provinces. which have always
been more or less autonomous. That is
TO say. they were allowed to govern
themselves more or less in their own
iuav so long as they furnished the nee
es-arv amount OF tribute. eXacted
through viceroys and through Manchu
generals by the imperial administra-
tion at Pekins. The provinces are all
Idiyidrd into districts, which are under
the authority Of district governors and
local councils. And then come the towns
and villages. with their mayors and al
dermen and with their headmen and
Village elders. respectively.
In addition To these, there are the
great guilds of China. which are Of
three different classes. Thus, there are
tine craft guilds. for each species Of in
.dustry. Then there are the so-called
provincial guilds. which embrace landed
proprietors. officials. etc. Finally, there
are The mercantile guilds. which include
associations. not only for every kind Of
trade. but also of professional men,
isu.r ae. for instance. the guild of ply
sicians. the guild OF architects, the guild
of lawyers and last. but not least, the
guild of cashiers and bank clerks. The
latter is one of the most remarkable in
Icyistence. and its members are to be
found in every foreign house Of business,
mot only i'm China but i'm all other coun-
tries of the Orient where the Chinese
.comprador. or cashier. is Indispensable.
1T is not only because they are so eff
|cicnt but because the guild 10 which
|thcv belong furnishes a guarantee for
their integrity IN all the history Of
I European and American trade in Asia
/ there is but single case on record Of
one of these Chinese cashiers having
been guilty Of fraud and embezzlement,
land i'm that instance the loss was at once
made good to his employers by the guild.
which likewise undertook his punish
iment. pursued him TO his hiding place
IN the interior of China and by means
of the cooperation of one Of the great
secret societies with which it is afiili-
ated. subjected him 70 such a lingering
death by torture as to frighten any other
comprador from ever following his eX-
ample.
40 man can labor i'm China who does
not owe allegiance 10 a guild, and who