Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-11-07

of their historic oppressors, ana e
take the government of their country
into their own hands.
This rebellion differs from all other
uprisings that have taken place in the
Chinese Empire Forces are at WORK
which never operated there before, Thou
sands Of young men have been educated
in foreign lands and at missionary
schools, including Yuan-Shi-Kai. who
has Just been called to the premiership
with the hope that he can conciliate the
rebels and end the disturbance. Through
out the Empire there is, therefore, q
widespread knowledge of modern science
and Christian morality The value OF
man as man is better appreciated than
ever before by the Chinese mind, and
that nober appraisement of the individ-
ual man, which has been conspicuous
among the ruling ideas of the world
during the last hundred years, is finding
general acceptance everywhere in the Ce-
Iestial Empire. Fictions of ancestral wor-
ship and imperial divinities have beer
exploded. The popular mind has been
urged to a very great extent of myths
which have supported foreign tyrants
in their subjugation OF a peace-1oving
people
The war between China and Japan
some years ago did much to shock China
into a better comprehension of modern
things and modern science. Later the
war between Japan and Russia tended te
confirm and enforce the awakening les
sons learned before. The Boxer War and
the conflict with the allied armies OF
Christendon dispelled other decisions
All these and other things have SO
awakened the Chinese nation that il
can never go to sleep again. Mankind
may as we'll understand that China is
henceforth a power to be. reckoned with
The First Napoleon, a man not given
to the indulgence of idle or eXtravagani
fears. warned the world in HIS day that
grave consequences would follow the
awakening of this sleeping giant II wa:
inevitable that China should awake II,
time. and the world must now face the
fact.
Some imagine that the notion Of a
Chinese Republic is absurd. and repub-
lican form of government is hardly ex-
pected to arise from the present insur-
rection; but the idea is not a preposter-
Gus one by any means. Pagan republics
have not been common since the days
of the Grecian and Roman experiments
in that form of government; but of all
heather nations in modern times China
has the best preparation for such a
system The throne does not descend by
heredity strictly; the ablest rather than
the oldest son of the emperor has gen.
orally been nominated to succeed a de-
ceased sovereign: and when seated on
the throne his divine right to reign must
be established by good government. The
executive system of government under
him is based on competitive examinations
designed to sift out of the millions of
educated Chinese the best and ablest
men for the public service. One of the
most competent writer's upon the philos-
ophy of the Chinese government summar-
ICES the political doctrines upon which
it rests in the following principles: Cd
That the nation must be governed by
moral agency rather than by physical
force. &, That the service of the wisest
and abIest men In the nation is, indis-
pensable to its good government. CD That
the people have the right to depose a
S vereign, who from either wfckedness
or incompetency, gives rise to oppressive
or tyrannical rule. II is obvious that
these principles have an affinity for free
government, and that the Chinese peo-
pie would not undertake such a form
OF government without some qualiflca-
tons for making it successful.
Two things stand in the way of the
nation in this matter. Cd The COMPETE
tive examinations for the public serv-
ice have until recent years been con-
fined to the Chinese classics to the ex-
clusion of the scientific and philosoph-