The Fight for the Republic in ChinaPutnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
History
The Fight for the Republic in China
Putnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949; China -- Politics and government
Mr. Hu: It is a bad policy to deceive the people. Individually the
people are simple, but they cannot be deceived collectively. The
Manchu Government committed an irretrievable mistake by promising
the people a constitutional government but never carrying out their
promise. This attitude on the part of the then reigning house
brought about the first revolution. As the standard of our people at
the present time is not very high, they will be satisfied with less
power if it is properly given to them. Should any one attempt to
deceive them his cause will finally be lost. I do not know how much
power the people and the parliament will get in the constitutional
monarchy, but I would like to point out here that it is better to
give them less power than to deceive them. If they are given less
power, and if they want more, they will contend for it. Should the
government deem it advisable to give them a little more, well and
good. Should they be unfit for the possession of greater power, the
government can issue a proclamation giving the reasons for not
complying with their request, and they will not raise trouble
knowing the true intention of the government. However, honesty is
the most important element in the creation of a constitutional
monarchy. It is easy and simple to practise it. The parliament must
have the power to decide the laws and fix the budgets. Should its
decision be too idealistic or contrary to the real welfare of the
country, the Government can explain its faults and request it to
reconsider its decision. Should the parliament return the same
decision, the Government can dissolve it and convoke another
parliament. In so doing the Government respects the parliament
instead of despising it. But what the parliament has decided should
be carried out strictly by the Government, and thus we will have a
real constitutional Government. It is easy to talk but difficult to
act, but China like all other countries has to go through the
experimental stage and face all kinds of difficulties before a
genuine constitutional government can be evolved. The beginning is
difficult but once the difficulty is over everything will go on
smoothly. I emphasize that it is better to give the people less
power at the beginning than to deceive them. Be honest with them is
my policy.
Mr. Ko: I thank you very much for what you have said. Your
discussion is interesting and I can understand it well. The proper
method of procedure and honesty of purpose which you have mentioned
will tend to wipe out all former corruption.
Mr. Ko, or the stranger, then departed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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