Evening star., 1920-03-28
CONSERVATIVE CHINA
CFIANGESIN NINE YEARS
Imperial Regime Had Been Unbroken for
More Than 1000 Years Until Insur-
rection, Occurring in 1911.
BY THEODORE T.. BURTON,
Former Senator from Ohio.

bl
Former Senator from Ohio.
n the last nine years changes have
occurred in China, the land of
conservatism and calm. quite as
startling as in storm-tossed
Europe. After an unbroken imperial
regime lasting for more than 1000
years an insurrection against the
Manchu dynasty and in support Of
| republic broke out at Wuchang. op-
posite Hankow, on the Yangtze river.
on October 10, 1911. In the contest
which ensued two classes of soldiers
| took part; the imperial troops under
| the directin of the central govern
| ment at Peking, and the provincial
| troops under the control of the local
| authorities of the twenty-five prov
inces of China. A majority OF the
! latter, especially in south China, sup;
ported the insurrection.
| After a brief conflict, in which there
| were varying successes, the revoiu-
| tionists prevailed. capturing the
prominent cities of Hankow, Shang-
| hal. Nanking and Canton. A provi-
sional constitution was promulgated
at Nanking, and Mr.. Sun Yat-sen was
chosen as president of the newly es-
| tablished republic on December ~
1911.
| Prior to the outbreak there hao
been two opposing schools OF thougnt
| in China: one supporting republic
| the other a constitutional monarchy.
The Dowager Empress Of China,
| woman of great force. but of reac-
| tienary ideas. was in practically ao-
solute control for many years until
| her death in 1908. Early in this cen
tury she recognized the necessity TOT
| sweeping reforms. In 1907 a com
| mission was chosen, including
| prince Of the blood. to study the IN
stitutions of other countries. Tne
dowager empress realized that other
peoples could no longer be regarded
| as barbarians of the outer world, out
| that their methods must be consider
! ed in the government of China
Efforts to Avert Revolt.
: In 1909, after her death, provincial
assemblies were established, and a
promise was made that national as
sembly should be convened in the year
1915: a date which later was changed
to 1913. In the year 1910 a natlona'
assembly of 200 members styled an
advice board" was called together'
half of whom were chosen by the I'M
perial government and half by the
provincial assemblies. 1t was no douo'
anticipated that, by reason OF the ap-
pointment of half the members, the
! whole body would be under the con-
| troll of the sovereign; but this ex-
pectation was disappointed, as those
chosen by the provincial assemblies
| included many radicals who were SO
! much more assertive and able than
the hand-picked members that their
influence prevailed.
1t was thought that these reforms
present and prospective. would satisfy
the aspirations of China. During the
course of the insurrection, Yuan Shih-
kai, who had been called from Danish
ment to support the throne, seemed to
favor the continuance of the monarchy
with constitutional reforms. and ap-
pointed delegates to confer with the
southern rebels. The negotiations
failed, however. and on February Il
1912, the child Emperor of China, after
| having made a pitiful appeal in which
he admitted his weakness and mis-
flakes, abdicated, and the Manchu
sovereignty came to an end
The causes Of the overthrow of the
monarchy are not difficult to explain
In the first place, there had been an
infusion of new ideas by reason OF
larger contact with the outside world
the education of numerous Chinese
abroad and in missionary and other
foreign schools in China. Again, as In
Russia, the final overthrow Of the dy-
nasty was largely due to its weakness
and inefficiency. Those who had the
welfare of China at heart regarded
the imperial rulers with more or less
contempt, and as utterly incapable oi
| igrappling with the problems confront
ing the country. The domination OF
the alien Manchu race had caused
deeply rooted resentment. For centu-
ries secret political societies. which
are numerous in China, had existed
one of the most prominent of which
was the so-called Ku-Ming-Tong, an
anti-Manchu organization, said to in