Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-08
CHINESE AS SOLONS
First Lesson of Imitation Par
lament Comes to End.
REAL ONE IN THREE YEARS
Members Will Be Elected Under a
New Constitution.
MEANT AS TRAINING SCHOOL
Throne Yields to Demand in Cutting
Down Delay in Establishing
Constitutional Rule.
BY WILLIAM f.. RTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The first session of the first senate of
the Chinese empire has just adjourned
after an experience of four months, which
has been both successful and satisfactory
and marks an epoch in the history of
China. The people were only partially
represented; the senate was an expert
mental body, sort of probation parlia-
nent, intended, as the edict which called
it together said, ''for the purpose of de-
veloping public opinion and to prepare
the way for national parliament"
You will remember that the late en-
press dowager voluntarily offered the
people of China constitution and rep
resentative legislature to be known as
the imperial parliament at the end of
nine years. Constitutional government
was to be approached by gradual
stage. The first stage was the es-
adjustment of provincial legislatures
/! throughout the empire: the second
an experimental parliament with author
| ity to discuss all kinds of questions and
pass resolutions defining the opinion OF
/ the members, but without the power 10
pass laws. 1t was. in effect, an advisory
body, as well a rehearsal for future
i legislatures, to give the members an OPP
portunity to practice public speaking and
parliamentary law, and at the same time
i to give the grand council and the regent
an opportunity of learning public senti-
! ment. Altogether it was a novel and at
the same time practical proceeding in
political economy, illustrative of the wis
dan and prudence of the Chinese.
Many Mobiles in Senate.
t The tzucheng yuan. as It was called.
consisted of 1911 members, about one-half
loft hoi,,
the other half elected by the provincial
assemblies which have been in session an
nually for three years. The delegates
appointed by the throne consisted of six
teen imperial Manchu princes, twelve Chi
nese princes, six imperial clansmen, four
| teen nObes from Mongolia and Tibet, ten
of the most distinguished scholars in
China, the ten highest taxpayers in the
empire and thirty members of the differ
ent boards of the government
Members of the grand council and the
| heads of the thirteen great boards of the
government are officio members of
| the senate with the right of discussion,
| but without votes; and they can be inter
concerning the administration of their
duties, as in the British and other par
| liaments.
| About 100 members were elected by the
| assemblies of the eighteen different prov
inces They had to be approved by the
/ several viceroys, but l believe no one
was rejected. Most of them were news
paper men, merchants and lawyers. The
reason for such a large representation of
| the press is that the easiest way for a
person to obtain influence and advance
ment in China today is to start news
paper In which he may express his views
and educate the people to his way Of
| thinking.
Opened Without Ceremony.
| The Tsucheng Yuan was organized on
the Sd of October last, by Prince Chun,
the regent. in the lecture hall Of the law
college in the foreign quarter OF Picking.
Notwithstanding the great historical and
was little ceremony and no one was
| present except the prince regent, the
members Of the grand council. the heads
OF the various boards and members
bers of the diplomatic corps were
not invited and representatives Of the
press were not admitted, because the
room Is too small to accommodate
from the Forbidden City by troops of
| cavalry and the streets were cleared in
order that there might be no obstacle to
| his progress. He rode in a yellow sedan
/ perial livery.
I The prince called the senate to order
and made a speech in which he told the
members that This assemblage Is an
/ iS1coSulCu Undertaking IN CHINA and
will be the forerunner of a legislative
parliament. The members are earnestly
entreated to show their patriotism and
sincerity, to observe proper decorum and
to fulfill their obligations to the public
as wen as to the throne by truthful and
honest expression Of opinion and by Civ
ing their sincere advice to the throne.
| Ihus 1T is hoped that our earnest wish
| to effect constitutional reforms in their
| proper order and to improve the admin
istration OF the government may be duly
satisfied.
The senate organized by electing its
own officers, and very shortly divided into
parties and factions. birds of a feather
| hooking together. as is usually the case
There were radical. liberal moderate and
| conservative factions, and they all ex-
pressed their ideas freely and without
| fear. The proceedings were generally
orderly bat at times they were very ex-
| citing.
Baited Prince Ching.
Under the rules the grand councillors
and ministers were required to attend the
session and answer questions concerning