Weekly journal-miner., 1916-01-12
HOW REPUBLIC OF
 CHINA WAS CHANGED

whose father, Sun Vat Sen, mas fought for twenty years for the liberty of the Chinese people, and became the first president upon the organization of the Chinese republic in 1912, deliver cd an address on the "Monarchist Usurpation in China" Mir. Sun To is a senior student in the University of California, and mas lived in this coun- try nearly four years. He covered his subject quite fully saying:
 Recent reports of the Chinese situ' ation may cause persons unfamiliar with events in that country to con- ciude that the Chinese people is un- fitted for republic; that, after four years trial, a monarchy is better for them; and that the decision tor change, as given out by the Picking government, is unanimous on the part ol the people Nothing is further from the truth. The republic, under the control of Yuan Shi Kai, never had fair trial. The monarchist usurpation reflects the ambition and autocratic will of one man. Tine Chinese people has nothing to do with it.
 During the revolution of 1912. ! uan Shi Kai agreed with the rcpub- licans to persuade the Manchu house to abdicatc, and to unify the republic, He was made the second provisional president. and soon began to betray his trust by unconstitutional acts. The struggle between democracy and autocracy began about year later. when Sung Chiao Jen. ex-minister of agriculture and forestry, and leader of the majority party in parliament. was assassinatcd in Shanghai. The crime was traced to Peking. and laid at tlc door of Chao Ping Chun, the premier of Yuan Shi Kai.
 Shortly after. Yuan dclicd parlia- ment by signing tfe ivc-power loan or S125.000,00O without its sanction. From that time, it was unable to re- strain him. Thus supplied with ample funds. Yuan gained control of parlia. mcnt, by bribing some of the mem bers. \ new party was formed by Yuan. known as the Cninputang, or progressive party, which opposed the Koumintang. or nationalist-maiority party. As a result, only one bill passed parliament in four months. This was just what Yuan mad planned, so as to discredit parliament, and have an excuse to assume autocratic powers.
 After the revolution in 1913. Yuan accused parliament of attempting to overthrow him, and issued an Illegal order cxpelling BIO Kuomintang mem bers. In January II. 1914, Yuan form ally abolished the parliament elected by the people; but not until he had forced its members 10 elect him as the regular president. On the same day that he abolished parliament, all of the provincial or State legislatures, district and municipal councils were ordered to be abolished. With a stroke of the usurper's pen, all Of the elective bodies of the republic were destroyed. Since January 1914. the Chinese republic has been forced to submit to dictatorship; Yuan being the dictator.
 Yuan was elected president Octo- Der ;, 1913, for d term of five years, being eligible for a second term. After he abolished parliament. he prcmul- gated an illegal constitution o1 May lst. 1914. A council of state was then appointed by him. and empowered to act as the legislature. He had the presidential election laws changed by that council, extending his term of office to ten years, with no limitation as to reelection.
 ''Yuan's pcrma1cncy Of office was further secured by providing that in the year of the presidential election, ii the council of state deems it po' litical necessity, that body. appointed by him, can prolong the presidents term of office to another ten years, without the electoral college acting, thus enabling Yuan to be president for life: and that the retiring presi' dent shall nominate three candidates, out Of which the electoral college shall choose one as his successor. Thus Yuan may nominate three oi his sixteen sons, and one of them must succeed him.
 Even ii there were no movement to create a monarchy in China, the republic would not be a real republic under Yuan. Ever since his coup d'ctat of 1914, the republic mas been nonresident.
 The agitation for monarchy be- gan last August. The apparent cause