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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