The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-31
YUAN THE CRAFTY.


ian missionaries and by representatives.
Of Mohammedanism, Taoism and Bud
dhism, the Chinese administrative coun-
ell has prescribed the worship Of heaven
and of onfucius as the state religion.
The administrative council is most
remarkable institution. 1t has taken
the place of the constitutional parma
mcnt which Yuan Shi Kai abolished
Every member has just as much
power ms any other member and
that means no power at all.
Everything that Yuan proposes the ad-
ministrativc council must adopt. In
specializing upon the purpose back OF
the move, therefore, il is necessary TO
conjecture the motives Of Yuan Shi kai.
1t is said that President Yuan wishes
TO set an example to the Chinese nation,
which he believes needs the moral mp
lift of religion
In this connection it is amusing to
note an incident which recalls the act
of Caesar in thrice refusing kingly
crown. 1t is reported from Pekin that
someone proposed diadem for Yuan,
but the administrative council, owing
to the criticism that the comforting of
a diadem would be taken as an indica
tion Of Yuan g monarchical designs, de-
cded not to give the president this in
sigma of royalty. 1t is not difficult
to imagine that Yuan decided upon this
point before the diadcm was offered.
Indeed, it is probable that he ordered
someone TO propose crown in order
that nc might refuse it.
II will he recalled that Plutarch iu
his biography Of Marc Antony describes
a similar ludicrous scene. Marc An
tony. hoping to gain favor with Caesar
aud to enhance his own fortunes, Of
fercd Caesar wreath shaped like n
crown, and tried TO place it upon mis-
leaders, head in the market place. He
proffered the crown thrice and each
time Caesar thrust ii aside when he
heard the populacc roar their protests
SO chagrined, however, was Caesar at
the fiasco that when the day was done
he thrust iuto prison an orator who had
had the icmerity TO dcnouncc the act
of Marc Antony in speech to the peo-
pie.
II was Caesar who invented the sub
terfugc of title to take the place of
king. He called himself ''imperator
which has como TO be a favorite title
OF monarchs who rule over kings Kaiser
Wilhelm is an emperor and the king Of
Great Britain and ireland is the em-
prror Of India, but whether Yuan Shi
Kai decides TO cali himself president
or emperor he IS an absolute monarch.
Never true friend Of liberal institu.
TORS. although he assumed The pose OF
republican when the rebellion made
striving to confirm the reactionaries in
power and NAV plan TO found dynasty
OF his own. lie probably believes that
some sort Of a state religion is ucccs-
sary TO ytsizc such scheme. The
rulers OF the dynasty recently destroyed
were regarded as divinities and Yuan
Shi kai may count upon the supersti.
~ hn IL
crs 10 aid his imperial designs.
Long before the Christian era. re
lgiou was employed by rulers TO con
troll tho people through fear or pety
The historian Polybius, who lived be
fore the time of Christ, declared that
some held this 20 be the secret
purpose of all religion II is an
old charge, but is true only TO the or
tent that certain rulers have used re
ligion 10 enforce obedience and thu.
sustain their tyrannies. The Christian
religion. however. has flouriShcd in fre,
countries as well as in countries GOV
crned by absolute monarchs.
II probably is part of Yuan prof
Get to hamper Christianity because i
has been one OF the guiding stars of tn,
Chinese revolution. Given an unim
pcded path, Christianity would lead t,
the triumph Of free institutions and t,
the permanent overthrow Of the reac
tionaries. The civilized world need no
be surprised, therefore, if it soon hear
that Yuan is placing restrictions upol
Christian missionaries and covertl,
fostering prosecutions.
1t is only just TO add tina
Coufuciansm is not religion in tb
sense that Christianity or Buddhism