The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-12
WILL DECIDE IF CHINA WILL BE
 REPUBLIC OR NOT
President Yuan Shi-Kai will Leave Question to Vote
 of Provinces.

f1H Picking, Nov. 12-Pres1dent Yuan Shi-kai's latest plan is to have the pro-
 vinces decide whether China is to be I a republic or a monarchy. Primaries will be held soon to elect delegates to the cdtizen's conference which will | act upon new constitution, and the men named by the districts of the various provinces will be utilized to decide the form of government China is to have before they come to Peking
 and actually ratify the compleeed con stitution. I Government officials explain. that about 1, 800 delegates will be selected ! at the primaries. They are scattered among the various provinces accord ing to their .population- In addition f the Manchus and the Mahammed will be given afspecfaI representation
 and Peking has extra delegates This special, representation is explained by government officials, will amount to tabout 200, so the total number of men
 who will pass on the form of govern
 ment will be about 2.0oO-
 Chinese election machinery is in lvo1ved in such a tangle of mandates land decrees that foreigners are unable Ito understand it. However the claim, of President Yuan Shi-kai and his sup
 porters is that the primaries will be Ihelds under absolutely fair conditions (which will give the public chance to select men representative of public l sentiment.
 I After the delegates have been se- llected they will be given two slips. I One registers approval of the repub lie and the other favors a monarchy.
 They will vote for their favorite form of government. and the result will be btabuIated in Peking. It was first rum l pred the delegates in each province would select one of their number to come to Picking and register his vote as representing the delegation from his province. but President Yuan Chi kaf andS Shis advisers have abandoned ttfat plan, saying they wish to keep the ldeIegates free from Peking influence land will probably have the voting on form of government in the provincial capitals.
 With Yuan's army in control of all
 the provincial capitals. the enemies of
 the rnonarcnial plan insist there is no chance that a majority vote will be .l counted against the monarchy. There
 is also widespread criticism of the
 qualifications tentatively agreed upon
 for delegates to the citizens confer
 ence Only men who have $2O,oOO worth of personal property or e,oOO
 iworth of real property may qualify. Il They must also be men who have serv- T ed the governnle ent as magistrates or in higher official position for at least
 five years and must have the equiva- , lent of a high school education. s<the republic has been in exist
 kence less than five years, the provis- ion that delegates must have held of
 flee for a longer period assures the
 choice of men who are in favor under the monarchy, few progressives have
 1held office under the Manchus. Spe- . cial representation to the MancIlls : and te Picking, it is also pointed out
 fF1e-I- g endanger the cause of the monarch. : iists.
 But the president and his supporter. E urge it is necessary to adopt the re 5 quirements agreed upon to insure the l intelligence and integrity of the me1 entrusted with decision upon the flu 2 ture form of state. After the dele = gates have voted upon the nnonarchi. -I al question the constitution draftins y coTnmitte, which is now at work 1T Peking, will proceed with it's work, fo s lowing out the will of the delegates . When the drafting committee lsha1 B have completed its work the pro1in
 cial delegates will be summoned tt T Peking to sit as the citizens confer fence and ratify the constitution Thi : tconference, unless present plans b, altered, will probably be summoned ; by the president about January l O. : next year.
 p CenSOrShdp OF the press and tele - graph has been instituted by the gov
 ernTnent and foreign correspondent nt. V fare protesting vigorously against de
 lay in their messages. No official an ] nouncement has been made of any : censorship and up to the present tim, l the work las been carried on unee1 cover and in such manner that f ) l is highly unsatisfactory to correspon ; ldents.