THE SAD PLIGHT OF CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 21 February 1914, Page 4

THE SAD PLIGHT OF CHINA.

The cheerful optimists who expected that in China we should see the minicle of "a nation •horn in ;i day" must he sadly disappointed at the failure of their growing anticipations. Since the overthrow of the Manclius there has been nothing but a succession of rebellions, disorders, slaughterings and robberies. TJie hopes that were centred in Republicanism have come to naught. The idea that a Parliament would give freedom and tranquility has proved illusory. The President, Yuan-Shih-Kai, has seen lit to close Parliament and send the politicians packing; but even this Cromwcllian measure has made no difference in the course of events. China is stilj a great, inert, conglomerate of humanity, without the homogeneousness necessary to form a nation, without any genius for government, and given over to crime, confusion and anarchy. Tlie latest news is most discouraging, showing that ''the internal and financial situation" is ball'ling the ability of Chinese statesmen. China is indeed up against a ileaci wall, in the blindest of blind alleys. She cannot raise a loan while her Government i„ so unsettled, and the Government cannot suppress the rebels and robbers without the help of a heavy loan. Professor F. 1. Goodnow. an American who is now adviser to the Chinese Government, recently issued a report, in which be championed Yuan as against the Parliament, and pleaded for u change in the Constitution, ilc remarked truly: "China is ;i country of great diversity of conditions, due to climatic differences which differentiate a north from a south China, to geographical features, and to the absence of good means of communication. It is a country which has had little if any experience in popular selfgovernment so far as concerns the solution of the larger problems of its national life. Party organisation has not developed as yet any great strength, certainly not such strength as may be relied on to ensure the presence of'two great parties. Kxperience of the immediate past further would seem to show that distrust of the advisability of Cabinet Government for China is justilied. The Ministries have been so unstable that little if any progress has been made in the solution of many most important and pressing problems, A large part of the trouble is to be found in the attempt of the Council and later the Assembly to exercise too strict control over the action of the executive. What China would seem to need, for the present at any rate, is a strong Executive who should be permitted, subject to a general control to be exercised by the Legislature over the policy to be followed, to pursue that policy unhampered by vexations restrictions." It is strange to find the absence of party feeling blamed for the ineffectiveness of the Oliincsc Government, because the

complaint of most countries that have experience of the party system is that it is a great hindrance to progressive legislation and pure administration. It is, of course, possible that political parties are a necessary phase in the development of a perfect Government, and that, while wo have passed that stage, China is only approaching it. If so. it is plain that the Chinese have a long way to travel before they can hope to attain stable conditions or to take their place as a great factor in the comity of nations. One advantage of this will be the allaying of the ''yellow agony" for a generation at least; for, so long as China has such difficult internal problems to face, she is not likely to become a menacing Power, threatening the peace of the world with millions of armed men and a strong and aggressive, navy. For this relief other nations may well he thankful,