CHINESE REFORMS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1123, 10 May 1911, Page 5

CHINESE REFORMS

A CABINET ESTABLISHED. PRINCE CUING AS PRIME MINISTER By Telesraph—Press Association-Copyriclit. (Eec. May 10, 0.5 a.m.) Peking, May 9. | An Imperial Edict has been issued establishing a Cabinet, and appointing i l'rince Ching* Premier, and Natung and | Jlsushihchang Vice-Presidents of the 1 Cabinet. The two first-named are Manchus, and Hius.hihchang is a native of the province Chihli. The Edict also creates a General Staff under Princes Tiato and Yulang, both of •whom are Manchus. A rrivy Council is created under Hnyunghsiang, a Chinese septuagenarian scholar, with Yungsing, a Manchu, as Vice-President. The Chinese National Assembly, in November last, made a strong fight for the more rapid introduction of responsible government, and began a fierce attack on the Grand Council. This body, consisting of five Ministers appointrd by and responsible to the Crown, forms the kernel of the Central Government. Its action in authorising the Governor of Huan Province to raise a foreign loan, without reference to the Hunanese Provincial Assembly, formed the immediate causa of attack, and a demand was formulated insisting upon the substitution of a Cabinet for the Grand Council.. Mutters reached a crisis, for the Grand Councillors one and all sent in their resignations. On December IS it issued two Edicts, one refusing to accept til 9 resignation of the Grand Councillors, the other administering a severe rebuke to the Assembly couched in the following terms: — "We wish, it to be understood that the supreme power of appointing, remunerating, and dismissing officials i< in the hands of the Government. . . . Thus it is clear that the question whether or not the Grand Councillors should assume responsibility and whether a responsible Cabinet should be formed is to be decided by the Government, and is not to be interfered with by the President of tho Tzucheng Yuan ar«' others." Prince Ching is Chief of the Chinese Foreign Office.