Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-03
Provisional Government
of lhe Republic of China

Va ]HS NCpuDuC VI Sulud
Shanghai, China, March 20. - The
draft of the provisional constitution of
the republic of China presented to the
national assembly at Marking Feb 30,
but which has to be adopted by the per-
manent parliament when elected, is a
/ document containing seven articles and
/ fifty-five clauses, as follows:
ARTICLE GENERAL.
% The republic of China has been
established by the people of China
60 The controlling power is vested
in the body of the people as a whole.
81 The territory of the republic of
China consists of % provinces, Inner
and Outer Mongolia, Thibet and Koko-
nor.
az The government Of the republic
of China is formed of the national as
sembly, the president and executive Of
fcers and the judiciary, acting con-
jointly.
ARTICLE 1.-THE PEOPLE.
90 There shall be no distinction of
race or religion, all being on an equal
ity.
CO. They shall have the following
liberties: (a) No infiction of punish
ment without judicial trial; OBJ no
confiscation of house and home with
out judicial sentence; Co freedom in
the possession and use of property and
choice of occupation; ID right of free
speech, publishing and printing, as
sembling and forming societies; (e)
privacy of correspondence; (f) free
dom of dwelling and removal else
where; (g) freedom Of religious be-
lief
ca They shall have the right to pc
tition the national assembly.
81 They shall have the right of ap-
pealing to the executive.
(9) They shall have the right of sub
hitting all cases TO the judiciary for
settlement.
10) They shall have the right, when
officials violate the law to the injury
Of popular rights, of appealing to the
administration court.
Cd They shall be eligible for gov
eminent examinations
G2) They shall have the right OF
voting and of standing for office
Q3) They shall pay taxes according
TO fixed tariff
, 14 They shall give due respect to
the military
G5J The above rights must be lin
lied by legal provision when demanded
by public advantage, the maintenance
Of peace, or times of special emer
gency.
G6J Until the establishment of the
8 parliament, legislative authority shall
. be vested in the national assembly.
S 90 The national assembly shall be
e constituted by delegates from eacl
}. province.
S G8) Each province, Inner and Outel
q Mongolia, Thibet, shall each elect five
d delegates. Kokonor one, the manner O
}. election being left to each locality.
S Each delegate has the right of one
L vote.
y G9 The national assembly has the
l following duties and powers: (a) Tt
make the laws; OBJ To decide upoI
). matters included in sections 80 ant
Sc; tc) To pass upon the budget; I'd,
- To enforce a uniform system of tariff
coinage, weights and measures, to
gether with regulating the public debt
(e) To audit the accounts of the gov
eminent; 81 To receive and act upol
popular petitions; (g) In legal an
similar matters requiring an interpre
tation, to decide for the government
(h) Five or more members may inst
tute an inquiry from the executive ant
demand a reply; G) Four-fifths of tn
members shall constitute a quoron
and three-fourths of the member
present for the purpose may impeacl
the president for violating the const
tuition, in which case each local as
tsembly shall elect one person to cor
stitute a special court of justice; q
Three-fourths of the members shall
constitute a Quorom for the purpos
and two-thirds of the members pres
ent may charge any executive Office
with failure to perform his duty O
violation Of the law; if the presideu
vetoes the decision and it still re
main unchanged, the said oficif
must retire from Office.
900 The national assembly shall Il
self decide upon times for meeting, an
the opening and closing of it's sessions
I'D The meetings must be publ
unless specially requested by execl
tive officers, or upon the vote of a ma
jority of its members.
(E2) A quorum shall require tn
presence OF a majority of the men
bers.
(2S) Ordinary questions shall r
quire a majority for settlement, bU
matters involved in section SO shall T,
Quire two-thirds vote.
(24) The speaker shall decide th
result OF the vote.
(25l The speaker shall announc
the decisions of the national assembl
to tae provisional president, who sha
instruct the various members of th
executive to carry them out
(26) II the president vetoes an a
ton OF the national assembly he mu:
within 10 days Of the announcemeI
make plain his reasons, and return