Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-10-11
THE CHINESE
PARLIAMENT IN
CLASS STRUGGLE
Premier Presidentand ParIia-
ment Strive to Define the
Offices of the Various De-
partmentS,
tNssocIatcd Press correspondence J

ASSOCIATED Press CoIrespondcncel
Picking, oct. 12.-Premier Tuan
| Chi-iui. President Ii Yuau-huug and
the Chinese parliament arc engaged in
! a complicated struggle to define the
| exact functions of the various branchos
| of the Chinese republic as 1t now
| stands organized under the Marking
provisional constitution enacted at the
very beginning of the republic.
| Conditions are wholly different from
| what they were when Yuan Shi-Kat
originally assumed the presidency and
attempted to launch the Chinese re-
public. At that time the struggle be-
| came very acute between the president
| and the parliament alone The pre-
mier was not a great factor, as Yuan
Shi-kai dominated him, But parlia-
ment displayed great Independence
and determination. 1t also played
| politics in "A ruthless manner Yuan
| Shi-kai was accustomed to dominate
! and could not endure the opposition
| II parliament which spent months in
| useless dickoring and seemed to have
no fixed plan for the advancement of
| the republic. firing of the constant
| 3quabbles, Yuan Shi-kai abolished
| parliament with ono swoop and took
| affairs into his own hands
| Made an Honest Effort.
| With the re-cstablishment of the
actual republic under Ii Yuan-hung
| there has been an honest effort to|
live up to the Marking provisional
| constitution but Chinese statesmen
are finding 1t extremely difficult to.
bring order out of chaos in a country
not accustomed to genuine consutu-
uonal government, Notwithstandng
| hat Premier Tuan was designated by
! President III the two men have not
been in accord on various government
tai matters, and Tuan Chi-jui has re-
lpeatedly threatened to submit his
| esignation.
| Parliament is about TO begin the
| lrafting Of permanent constitution
| md great strife is anticipated. The
| PREMIER and tho cabinet while ap-
| 1roved by parliament. are not IN ac-
| ,ord with the views of parliament by
any means From the time that Yuan
;hi-kai designated Tuan Chi-jui as
premier, it has been repeatedly stated
hat the Chinese cabinet Is respon-
, dblo cabinet a cabinet having author
, ty to act independently and respon'
] | dble directly to the public.
i Framed From American Ideas
, However, the Marking constitution
| was framed more after American ideas
1 than after those of any other country
b md the members of the cabinet are
E not men elected to office directly by
popular vote. Consequently they can
, mot be reached directly by the public
through the support of polltica
parties as is the case in England
where cabinet members must be mer
| elected to membership in the house
Of commons.
The Chinese premier and cabinet
is they now stand approved by parlia-
uent. can only be removed by two.
birds vote of parliament at a parlia
uentary session attended by at leas
rhree-quarters Of the members. Con
! cquently the present cabinet Is Sc.
ure in its position.
No definite dclimination of the pow
ers Of the chief executive. the cabine
3 md parliament has been made. China
. Is wholly without precedent to guido
2 It, and the clash between the various
-. branches of government is acute anC
D lighly interesting.
Parliament rs apparently quite in
tent upon limiting the powers of the
president ana the cabinet as Yuar
Shi-kai was active iu limiting the pow
j | ers of parliament There is a com