1924

CHINA
China—by a revolution, the origin and progress of which will befo und described in
the following pages—decided in 1912 to adopt the Republican form of government
Sun Yat Sen, the Republican leader who was appointed first President of the
Republic by the Provisional Government set up at Nanking, resigned the
Presidency in favour of Yuan Shih-kai on receiving from Him satisfactory
assurances regarding his political views in support of the.Republic. In recommending
the National Assembly to elect Yuan Shih-kai (who had up to then been the “one
strong man” of the Imperial party), Dr. Sun Yat-sen said: “The abdication of the
'Ch’ing Emperor and the Union of the North and South are largely due to the great
exertions of Mr. Yuan. Moreover, he has declared his unconditional adhesion to the
national cause. Should he be elected to serve the Republic, he will surely prove
himself a most loyal servant of the State. Besides, Mr. Yuan is a man of political
experience, upon whose constructive ability our united nation looks forward for the
■consolidation of its interests.” Yuan Shih-kai was unanimously elected, and Sun
Yat-sen retired from politics to devote his energies to economic projects, and
especially to the development of a scheme for covering the country with a network
of railways. Yuan Shi-kai continued to serve as “Provisional President” until October
10th, 1913, when, the two Houses of Parliament having in the meantime been set up,
he was duly inaugurated.
The Boards of Government or Ministries remain, with some few changes, as they
were reconstituted in 1906, when the first steps were taken towards constitutional
government and a reform of the official system. They are as follows:—(1) The Wai
Chao Pu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (2) Nei Wu Pu, Ministry of the Interior ; (3) Lu
Chuen Pu, Ministry of War; (4) Hai Chu^n Pu, Ministry of the Navy; (5) Ohiao Yu-Pu,
Ministry of Education; (6) Sze Fa Pu, Ministry of Justice; (7) Nung Shang Pn,
Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce ; (8) Chiao Tung Pu, Ministry of Communica¬
tions ; (9) Tsai Cheng Pu, Ministry of Finance. Provincial Councils were established
in October, 1909, and a National Assembly came into existence on October 3rd, 1910.
Its duties were purely consultative, the actual government remaining in the hands of
the officials. The intention had been to grant a full Parliament of two chambers in
1917, the intervening years being devoted to preparations for the change; but, in
response to repeated memorials from the Provincial Councils, supported finally by a
unanimous vote of the National Assembly, the period was shortened by four
years. The full Parliament came into existence in 1913, being inaugurated on April
8th. The Senate consisted of 274 members and the House of Representatives of 596.
Both Chambers were dominated by an ultra-Republican majority, which showed an
attitude of hostility to the President from the outset. The President did not attend
the inauguration of the Parliament, because (so it was reported) it had been intimated
on behalf of the predominant party that he would be welcomed only as a spectator,
and the Chambers went so far in their discourtesy as to refuse to allow his Chief
Secretary to read to the House a Message congratulating the Parliament upon its
inauguration. After spending two or three months in framing rules for the Parlia¬
ment, the members by a majority voted themselves a yearly salary of $4,000 each. The
proceedings of both Houses during 1913 were distinguished by violent attacks on the
policy of the President and his Cabinet, and by the languid interest shown in the
serious business of the legislature. Very frequently one House or the other was
unable to sit because a quorum of members had not put in an appearance. Hostility
towards the President found further expression in a new revolution, which broke out
in the province of Kiangsi and extended southward to Kwangtung, involving some
fighting at Shanghai, Nanking and a few other points in the Yangtsze Valley, the
avowed purpose of the revolution being to organise an expedition “to punish Yuan
Shih-kai.” Within a couple of months this movement was effectually suppressed by the
Central Government, and the leading spirits of the revolution fled the country. Among
the refugees was Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Thereupon the President and his Cabinet showed a
greater determination to secure more effective control over the provinces. The first
thing to be done was to confirm the President in his office, and Parliament, evidently
impressed by the confidence the country had shown in him during the late troubles,
elected him President of the Republic for the next five years, and Li Yuan-hung, who
since the first Revolution had remained in command of the troops at Wuchang, was