Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-03
.CHINA'S PRESIDENT
DEFIES PREMIER
Chinese Parliament Becomes
Involved in Dispute Over
Various Powers.
CABINET IN QUESTION

Peking, Sept. 30.-Premer luan
Chi-jui, President Ii Yuan-hung and
the Chinese parliament are engaged in
complicated struggle TO define the
/ exact functions of the various
branches of>the Chinese republic, as
it now stands organized under the
Marking provisional constitution en-
acted at the very beginning of the re-
public.
Conditions are wholly different
from what they were when Yuan Shi-
kai originally assumed the presidency
and attempted to launch the Chinese
republic. AT that time the struggle
became very acute between the presi-
dent and the Parliament alone. The
premier was not great factor, as
Yuan Shi-kai dominated him. But
Parliament displayed great independ-
ence and determination. 1t also played
politics in a ruthless manner. Yuan
Shi-kai was accustomed to dominate
and could not endure the opposition
of Parliament which spent months in
useless dickering and seemed to have
no fixed plan for the advancement of
the republic. firing OF the constant
squabbles, Yuan Shi-kai abolished
Parliament with one swoop, and took
affairs into his own hands.
Chaos Still Rules.
With the re-establishment OF the
actual republic under Ii Yuan-hung,
there has been an honest effort to live
up TO the Marking provisional consti-
tuition, but Chinese statesmen are
finding it extremely difficult to bring
| order out of chaos in a country not
accustomed to genuine constitutional
government. Notwithstanding that
Premier Tuan was designated by
President Ii, the two men have not
been in accord on various govern
mental matters, and Tuan Chi-jui has
repeatedly threatened to submit his
resignation.
Parliament is about to begin the
drafting of permanent constitution
and great strife is anticipated. The
premier and the cabinet while APP
proved by Parliament are not in ac-
cord with the views of Parliament by
any means. From the time that
Yuan SKi-kai designated Tuan Chi
jul as premier, it has been repeatedly
stated that the Chinese cabinet is a
responsible cabinet, a cabinet having
authority to act independently and
responsible directly to the public.
American Ideas.
However, the Marking constitution
was framed more after American
ideas than after those of any other
country, and the members OF the
cabinet are not men elected to office
directly by popular vote. Conse-
quently they cannot be reached di-
rectly by the public through the sup
port Of political parties, as is the case
in England, where cabinet members
must be men elected TO membership
in the House of Commons.
The Chinese premier and cabinet,
as they now stand approved by Par
lament, can only be removed by a
two-thirds vote of Parliament at a
parliamentary session attended by at
least three-quarters of the members.
Consequently the present cabinet is
secure in its position.
No definite illumination of the
powers of the chief executive, the
cabinet and Parliament has been
made. China is wholly without
precedent to guide it, and the clash
between the various branches of~gov-
eminent is acute and highly interest
ing.
Envy of Rivals.
Parliament is apparently quite in
tent upon limiting the powers of the
president and the cabinet, as Yuan
Shi-kai was active in limiting the pow
ers OF Parliament. There is COM
plete reversal of the situation which
existed three years ago. Parliament
claims that it stands as the directly
elected organ of the public, and is su-
preme in its authority. As the Nam
king provisional constitution provides
for the election of president by Par
| lament, and the premier and his
cabinet are appointed by the president
with the approval OF Parliament, par.
liamentarians hold that they should
not be regarded as subservient to the
president and the advisers he APP
points.
Ii Yuan-hung stands well aloof
from party lines. Premier Tuan Chi
Jul is not rabid party man, but has
the support of the military party.
Other members of the cabinet are
divided among various factions, but
the members OF the Kuomintang, or
ultra revolutionary party, prevail i'll
l