The Detroit times., 1915-11-13
Shall China Go
Back to Monarchy?
BY DR.. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Cranel

Chinese republic
In recently published statement DR..
Goodnow gives his reason why China
should no longer continue the danger
Gus experiment of democracy, but
should become a monarchy
These reasons are nothing new. They
have been used by the Stand-patters, re-
dictionaries and opponents of special
privilege ever since man emerged from
his cave dwellings, and began the thorny
enterprise of civilization
The gist of them all is that people are
not competent TO govern themselves and
should not essay democracy until they
are sufficiently educated
We have heard this since the world
began. The PtolemieS of Egypt the ar
chonS Of Greece and gentlemen who
ruled before Noah doubtless Iucubrated
the same sort Of declarations.
There is a continuous uutcropping Of
royaliStS i'm France, who insist that the
country will never he TT TO live in mtA
some pigeon-headed Bourbon is once
more ON the throne. The wiseacreS have
been shaking their heads and tut-tut-
ting ever since Portugal got rid of its
ne er-do-Well crowned family. The 20
or so American republics receive the
combined Sneers of European statesmen
Still. il would be difficult TO conceive
how republics could have botched the
Job of government worse than the en-
perors and cZars ana Kings have done
The French Revolution was chIld's play
compared TO the hideous collapse of hu-
mainly i'm the present war Where
RobeSpierre and Danton killed one, the
royal miScreantS of this present time
. l., Ay,l bn In
t ton was for an idea. This wrctched war
is for nothing at all,
The same arguments that set forth
the advantages OF monarchy are used
10 support all kinds Of autocracy. De-
mocracy i'm business is opposed as siren
uousv as democracy i'm politics Portly
gentlemen and their hired advocates in
Sist that the laborer cannot prosper UNI
less the millionaire manages the business
for him. Everything from proft-sharing
and labor unions to socialism Is regarded
as destructive TO efficiency.
The only possible way TO develop our
resources and get rich, we are told is
to hand the management Of affairs over
20 a chosen few As for the common run
of us. let Us be content with a dollar
day and that station in life in which it
hath pleased Providence 10 place US.
The only trouble with this line Of talk
is that it iS-not true. Aside from that,
il is very convincing.
Ii is true that the people Of no State
on earth-NeW York. the Philippines. or
Mexico-are competent 70 govern them
selves wisely. But THE ONLY WAY
( THEY CAN BECOME COMPETENT Is
/ TO KEEP OF TRYING. To slump back
into the medieval plan Of government by
mobiles is TO retard progress.
THE BEST AND ONLY SCHOOL
+ FOR DEMOCRACY Is DEMOCRACY.
The South American republics are far
/ from perfect, but they are deal nearer
perfection than if they had remained un-
| der Spanish rule. @
With all the turmoil in Mexico the
Mexicans are vastly better off than if
! Diaz still regned They are coming 10
/ themselves They are finding out their
own weakness and strength.
Some day every monarchy has 10 go
down. and all Of them go down in blood.
Property may be destroyed in a revo-
luton and inanciers and adventures dis
commoded but the people are not de-
stroved they get the one priceless boon
liberty they learn the one invaluable
/ lesson self-relance.
AFTER THIS EUROPEAN WAR
MUST COME THE GREAT RENOLU-
TION. for it is unthinkable that the peo-
/ pie will continue in the twentieth century
! ia allow themselves TO be destroyed by
the rulers that have got them into so
meaningless and causeless calamity.
Why then should an American. the
Ipresident of an American university.
! lend his name to the old, moth-eaten, and
specious arguments for monarchy in the
case Of China?
Some day the Chinese must learn to
Govern themselves. The only way TO learn
that is by practice in democracy. And
the sooner they begin, the better.
If the Chinese, beguiled by Yang Tu,
Sun Tu Yum. Yen Fuh, Hu Wing. and DR..
Frank Goodnow, saddle new monarchy
upon themselves they may find the task
easy: but it will not be 50 easy to unsad-
die when the times comes-as come it al
,vayr does