The farmer and mechanic., 1915-08-31
YUAN SHIH-KAI AND ALLEGED
INTENTION TO BECOME KING
Former Attorney General Of The Philippines Says What
ever President Yuan Is Planning Is Not Due 10 Any
Desire For Personal Aggrandzement


thing Of the past, and Of course the
worst of the old official class has also
been eliminated.
Il assume that it is Yuan's purpose
to establish a constitutional mon
archy. and his object is no doubt to
use most efficiently the material he
has at hand. That means that to
some extent he can make use of the
old machinery of the monarchy with
out having to go to work to create
new administrative systems in this
time of stress: but 1t will be the old
machinery informed by a new spirit
the introduction of the principles
of modern administration of the prin-
ciples of modern administration into
the ractical workings of the Chinese
government.
Il do not wish to venture an opinion
as to what form of government is best
adapted to China, but any one familiar
with the situation can see at a glance
that it would take long time to de-
velop the Chinese people to the point
where they could put in operation
representative government according
| to AnglO-SaXon standards.
Such a change in the form of gov
ernment at this time must be regard
ed as disturbing, to be sure; it is
| swapping horses in the middle of the
stream. 1t is quite possible that we
/
/ anese and pointed out to the rest of
| the world as a proof that stable gov
| ernment in China is impossible, that
| the nation is incapable of managing
| it's affairs and needs the interference
| of a foreign power
| But l regard it as likely that Pres
| ident Yuan and his advisers thought
that by taking this step at this time
| they might be able to forestall such a
| criticism a little later; that certain
measures would be necessary in order
to strengthen the government and
i that the lull succeeding the storm
occasioned by the japanese negotia-
tions would be the most fable
time for making the change.
That there will be some oppos-
ton to the proposed constitutional
alteration goes without saying. AL
ways, under such circumstances
there are reformers of the extreme
type who disregard compromise and
concessions and insist on establish
ing at once the full end and object
of their desires. AS an illustration
we can take no better example thar
the difficulties of Cavour in his work
Of establishing a constitutional mon
: archy in Italy. He was constantly
/, harassed by the Reds and the Blacks
representing the extremes of repub
licanism and absolutism. and will
course from beginning to end.
Yuan, like CavOur, is a practica
= statesman, who is willing to face TIL
; facts as they are and to conform hi
= policies to meet actual condition
!. | rather than to expend his entire fore
L on the attainment of an unattainabl
ideal | should call Yuan an oppor
: | tuniSt, to be Sure-an. OppOrtunis
a and a statesman, Of the highest or
= der.
It Would this move tend to strength
II en- the Chinese government abroad
= l am disposed to think it would.
n would tend to stability and to tn
l. establishment of credit, for the rea
= son that it is calculated to eliminat
n the doubt that arises in the minds {
t, most observers with regard to tn
l. succession. Moreover, Yuan whe
a he was "a subordinate official, had th
only efficient army in China. Wit
ID the better elements of the old NOR
Of archical organization at his dispos;
h he could perhaps build up natiol
l. al army that would be an effectiN
le force.
IN Il do not think that any element
ye consideration of a possible addition
lit his dignity by the adding of the reli:
r. lous sanctions of imperial authori
ld enters into the plan; the Chimes he
IS, pretty we'll lost their reverence f,
IL. tne Manchu dynasty, ana uan pro
ne ably neither could get such reveren
C nor would want it. But the chan:
w would promote administrative G
ne ficiency. Naturally, Yuan would su
IN round himself with the ablest men
d. China, and would build up an ord
d. which would correspond to the Ell
e. er Statesmen of Japan. This gro1
e would be perpetual and would tel
'd. to give stability to whoever was
to the head Of the nation.
W Much crit icism will undoIbt cd
ne come from the radical party of S
ng y Hat-Sen, and also from the ella
cd made up Of Chinese students w
" have been educated in Japan a
ms have half-baked ideas of Weste
lal civilization. There are thousands
his these students Who could NOT ffo
son to go to F1rone or A,,ar;a, oI -
he went to JaDan instead ,a ~.
the notions of Western o,1+ So ~