The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-08-27
IChina's Rulers Lead Simple
ife on One Dollar a Day
Every Official Must Manage to Exist on Salary
Of Thirty Dollars Month, Owing
to the Financial Stringency.

ing large loan. On the contrary, q
period of enforced short rations will
probably be the best possible thing
that could happen.
Chinese officials, the new as well as
the old, need to learn the virtue
of economy. To put the whole of Of
ticialdom on sixty dollars month in.
come may seem petty. Doubtless pol.
icy of low salaries would be bad if per.
manent, since it would increase the
temptation to "squeeze. But as an
emergency measure there is much to
commend it. One result will be the
wedding out of superfuous officials, a
much needed reform. Another, and
more important, will be the building up
of public sentiment that will closely
scrutinize the expenditures of the gov
ernment s money.
Country Now at Peace.
A broad view of the outlook shows
that as between pessimism and optim.
ism the balance is in favor of optim.
ism. The country as a whole is at
peace. The army is now almost back
to the pre.revolution figures. Normal
administrative conditions prevail in all
but four provinces-Kansu, Kweichow,
Szechuen and Fukien-and in these the
hes are due for the most part to
the rivalries of local leaders.
The possibility of split between
| North and South or of further disinte.
| grafton seems to have been passed. The
provinces have gone through their pc
Rod of independence and are now
back in the field. All acknowledge the
authority of the Republic. Each day
shows strengthening of the civil au
thority and of the central government
The provincial authorities are admins
tering the local governments and col
Letting taxes.
1t is not to be expected that strong
central government can be set up in 3
day. China has never had strong cen
trail government. Except for the an
nual tribute, the provinces have al
ways occupied the position of independ
ent states. To strengthen the hand OF
the federal government will take time
The revolution by developing a nation
alism that never before existed has
helped toward this end, but there is
still vast deal to be done.
The six Powers, through their bank
ers, are insisting that China ought Il
contract large loan and administer il
under foreign supervision. Thoughtfu
Chinese in Office and out are opposed t.
contracting any big loan at this time
Want Government to Be Free.
They are, moreover, very dubiou.
concerning the wisdom of tying tn,
government hands by any agreement
that will place in foreign hands the de
termination in any great deuree M
China's internal policies. They be
lieve Chinese know better how tt
handle the people than any foreigner
They may be right. One does moi
have to go very far back in China ;.
history to find an illustration to sup
port their theory. 1t was only last veal
that the whole province of Szechuer
rose in revolt against the railroad pol
icy of the central government ani
drove from Office the ablest men in thai
government, Sheng, the minister OF
communications. Sheng's policy wa,
formulated by the famous Hu.Kwanf
railway loan. under terms stipulated by
the foreign bankers, and the manifesto
tons of that policy, which brought
about the revolt of the people, were thu
result of the advice given to him b,
the ministers of the United States
Great Britain, Germany and France.
The advice was given in good faith
In any other country the policy adopt
ed would have brought beneficial re
suits. In China it brought revolution
1t can hardly be wondered at. there
fore, that many Chinese are yery du
bious of the value of foreign advic,