p. 16 | Our Sister Republic by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 12, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 11.

Our Sister Republic

By Editor

THE republic of China seems to be now assured. Our article on another page will simply tell our readers something of the process through which the actors passed in developing the republic. But the Manchu Dynasty, seeing that the republic was inevitable, attempted to get out of it as gracefully as possible by saying: "It is the will of heaven, and it is certain we could not reject the desire of the people for the sake of the honor and glory of one family. We, the dowager empress and the emperor, hand over the sovereignty to the people. We decide the form of government to be a constitutional republic." Then to guard themselves, eight pledges were to be made to the emperor, (1) permitting him to retain his title and be respected as a foreign monarch; (2) to receive an annual grant of four million taels until the currency is reformed, after which four million Mexican dollars; (3) temporary residence in the Forbidden City, and later in the summer palace ten miles outside of Peking; (4) he may observe the sacrifices at his ancestral tombs and temples, protected by republican soldiers; (5) the great tomb of the late emperor Kwangsu will be completed, and funeral ceremony observed at public expense; (6) palace attendants retained, but the number of eunuchs not increased; emperor's property protected by the republic; imperial guards governed by the army board, the republic paying their salaries. This will presumably die out with the emperor.

Yuan Shi Kai, President of the Chinese Republic

Yuan Shi Kai is to organize the provisional government as president, and Dr. Sun Yat Sen has shown himself to be one of the princes of patriots by resigning all honors in favor of Yuan Shi Kai. The latter might have assured the republic months ago. The great nation has passed through a very critical period with but little bloodshed. It has been one of the most tremendous revolutions the world has ever seen, and the glory of its success will be due to Sun Yat Sen. Long years of anxious, dangerous effort has been put forth by Dr. Sun, and he should have had the honor of being the first president of the republic. He has been rightly termed the "Washington of China." He is truly the father of the republic; but with a magnanimity that was marvelous in these days of practical politicians, he lays down the honor of the presidency, that he may give place to an older man who is supposed to be wiser and more experienced. He thus throws his whole influence to the welding together of the north and the south. He does this, too, in the most cordial way, telling Yuan that he had been chosen unanimously, the only man in the world's history so chosen except Washington.

We know of nothing which has taught this great element of self-sacrifice and self-effacement in Dr. Sun but Christianity. We hope that out of its tremendous financial difficulties, despite its severe sufferings from famine and disease, China will come forth a strong republican government, giving freedom to the Word of God for the salvation of souls from more than Manchu tyranny — the tyranny of sin.