The Washington times., 1915-09-04
AUTO MAGNATE SEES
DECLINE OF CHINA
Secretary General Of Provisional
Government Tells Of His
Views Of Situation.

This article on the Chinese situation
by Charles DENLY IL pertinent at this
time. due to the new conditions in
China. Mr.. DENLY was formerly
American consul general at Shanghai.
and later at Vienna. He lived in China
for twenty-five years, and was secretary
6encrAl Of the provisional government
established by the allied powers for the
district of Tientsin In 1850, during the
Boxer revolution. and adviser to the Chi
Hese government. 1so2-le06. He also Is
Suan Shih-kai.
M. DENLY has just returned from =
lSip to Chlpa and the Orient in tho In.
Ssrests Of the Hupp Motor Company, Of
Views are Of recent personal investisa-
The announcement that has ap-
peAred In the recent cables from China,
kai with the concurrence of his Ameri-
can constitutional adviser, DR.. Good
now, 10 about to set aside the republic
and establish a monarchial government,
excites no great surprise among those
acquaintsd with the progress Of the
Dandy.
This result was to a certain degree
toretold lin the course Of events which
LED up to the republic and was empha-
treme republican institutions when tried
under the early revolutionary govern
rnent at Peking. 1t Is only necessary
to review the progress Of events dur
Ing TIE revolution. and the attitude of
Shth- kai to see that he was placed in
a position Of ,pre-eminence and that he
alone wa sable to obtain the abdication
Of the Manchus and to lead the revo-
luton to success.
In the beginning OF the revolutions ry
movement. the feeling In North China
was more In favor Of local self-govern-
ment than Of the creation Of a republic,
In South China. In general. the upper
sentiment
1T is probable that in the early stages
OF the outbreak q constitutional mon
archy would have satisfied the country.
dents returning from foreign countries
offered their counsel to the revolution
ary leaders that extreme republican de-
mands we're made. II we watch the
tions we can detect the movements Of
one Of the most skillfully conducted ORR
entail intrigues that history records.
1T IL evident throughout that Yuan
revolutionists. in hand, and it Is notice
able that he did not come out strongly
for either the republic or the throne II
he had advocated either he would have
he controlled both parties to the point
where he could suppress the throne and
not be overcome himself by the re-
public.
note how the thrones proposal of a
constitutional government. toward the
end Of 1911. which might have satisfied
the reyolutionists Of the north. was
military commanders of northern gar
rison in the province of Chill in which
Peking is Itself situated, for more ex-
treme concessions. 1t Is not known that
mand. but ne could have done 50. as it
emanated from an army which he con-
troilsd In fact and in sentiment:
The whole progress OF events seems to
yield. step by step. and that each step
was indicated as insufficient by a fur
ther demand from some unexpected
quarter. When the throne had gone so
and in the middle Of December. 1911.
had entered into negotiations with the
revolutionionary committee at Shanghai.
1t seemed that everything that the revo-
remained. however. one item-What to
do with the Manchu dynasty itself?
II the throne had abdicated in favor OF
the revolutionary committee. the po-
sition Of Yuan would have been some
what weakened. Thereupon. arose in
some way-how 1t Is not definitely ex-
plained-a premptory suggestion, origi-
mating with the commanders OF the
northern arpies. that the Emperor abdi-
February II. 1912. a degree Of abdica-
tion by the throne was published by
which. instead of turning over the gov
eminent to the revolutionary organixa-
ton. Yuan Shih-kai was himself desig-
mated as the originator of the new gov
ernment.
Whether Yuan had definitely aimed
throughout all his momentous negotia-
tions OF 1911 at obtaining the monarchy
er to have been led to it by the course
Of events. The republic had a fair trial
at Picking: the republican senate proved
Itself entirely incapable Of grasping the
and. In perfect faith. there seemed moth
ing for Yuan to do other than to dis
solve the parliament.
In order to strengthen his position.
the parliament was. however. kept In
existence until In accordance with the
constitution. 1t had elected Yuan Shih-
ksi constitutional President Of the re-
public. ,tS thereby placing him at the head
leaving him by imperial decree success
sor Of the Manchus.
I'm the spring Of 1914 the parliament
was abolished. and council in place Of
lished. While far from being a true
representative government, the expert
ence OF the past fifteen months has
shown that some such highly central
lied government Is better adapted to
the needs Of the Chinese people than the
immature republic which they had In
mind. The fact that DR.. Goodnow, him
self an American. should have advised
the establishment of constitutional
monarchy is an indication from an In
formal observer that this Is the form of
government best adapted to the people. "