Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1915-10-29

ldTSS III inc controversy NAlSA 10 pC-
i. e hotly waged in China over the
monarchiaI plan. President Yuan Shi-
kai and ais supporters are constantly
quoting the ancient sage. Advocates
of the republic are also using Con-
fucius freely, and urging that the
change to monarchy would be a viola
ton of a Confucian oath and conse-
quently would discredit the teachings
Of the great leader in the eyes of the
world
Plans are now in preparation by
government officials for the erection
of a gerat bronze statute of Confucius
in Peking At present the ancient sage
is represented in the various temples
only by pictorial images or sacred tab
lets. These do not create the vivid i'm
preston of the great teacher which
the Chinese officials desire and the
movement is under way to place
bronze statues of him in Confucian
temples throughout the republic.
Mandates have recently been issued
by President Yuan Shi-kai strength
ening the position of Confusius teach
ings in Chinese schools, and the soci-
ETY. for the preservation of peace has
constantly quoted the sayings of Con-
fucius concerning loyalty to the en-
peror in support of the restoration of
the monarchy.
Four Confucian canonical books are
taught in Chinese schools, and no
students who are not thoroughly vers-
ed in them are regarded as we'll edu-
Gated. Quotations from these books,
written NEARLY twenty-five hundred
years ago. are frequently used in
nearly all governmental communica-
lions. The advocates of absolute con-
centration of government lin an en-
peror are especially fond of such Con-
fGciaa excerpts as this: ITO no one
but the supreme head of the empire
does it belong to disturb the establish
ed religious and social institutions, to
introduce new forms of government, to
change the form and use of language.
AT the preseJt day throughout the
empire carriage wheels all have the
same standard form and size, all
writing is written with the same char
acters, and in all the relations of life
principles
Public speeches, concerning the
rGnarchial movement, letters to the
newspapers and editorials in support
OF the restoration of the empire are
filled with quotations concerning the
five duties of universal obligation out
lined by Confucius and three moral
qualities by which the sage said these
duties must be carried out. The first
Of these duties are those between ruler
and subject. Next are the duties be-
t3een father and son. Then the duties
between husband and wife. The fourth
duties are between elder brother ami
younger, and the fifth duties are those
In the intercourse between friends. In
telligence, moral character ard cour-
age, in the order named, are the three
moral qualities upon which Confucius
laid great stress. Of these he says
They are the three universally rec
ognized moral qualities of men. 1t
matters not in what way men come to
the exercise of these moral qualities,
the result is one and the same
Some men are born with the ldlowl-
edge Of these moral qualities; some
acquire it as the result of education;
some acquire it as the result of hard
experience. But when the knowledge
is acquired, it comes to one and the
same thing. Some exercise these NOR
al qualities naturally and easily; some
because they find it advantageous to do
SO; some with effort and difficulty. But
when the achievement is made it
comes to one and the same thing"
The effort to strengthen the interest
in Coafusianism is apparent through