On Government.
"Government," says Wendall Phillips, "began in tyranny and force, in the foudalism of the soldier and the bigotry of the priest; and the ideas of justice and humanity have been fighting their way like a thunder-storm against the organised selfishness of human nature." Emerson remarks that "Government has been a fossil; it should have been a plant." On the other hand, it has been written that Government is a trust, and the officers of government are trustees; and both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people." One of America's greatest Presidents has exclaimed, " Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth." In these quotations we have a twofold presentation of the character and aims of human governments, and they illustrate with considerable appropriateness what we find in China. The practical side of government is indeed a fossil, and too often a tyranny, without possessing even the mutual utilitarianism that Hobbes insisted on in his "Leviathan." One has only to pass through a small part of the country to see overwhelming evidences of this on every side. Generally speaking, Chinese officials act only to fill their own purses, and when this allurement to activity is wanting, there will be indolence. As far as most foreig' ers see, few officials work in order to administer justice for its own sake, nor do they bestir themselves that they may lessen the burdens and add to the comforts of the Notwithstanding all this, the dicta of Mencits as to what he regards as the sential qualifications of a ruler are as beautiful as were ever conceived. The utter failure of them all must be laid at the door of human nature, which has proved self too insubordinate for him, as "Old Nick" was too many for Mr. Tulliver; and is strange, too, seeing that, Mencius wired to maintain the uprightness of nature against all comers. In theory he is good; in practice human nature has failed to rise to the positions open to it. In dealing with Mencius' conception of an ideal government, we have to avoid croaching on the subject of the people on the one hand, and the sovereign on the other. Each of these will command a separate paper. One of the first, if nob the very first qualification of a successful ruler is that he should love that which is, food. Nor can there be any doubt but that Mencitis here is at the heart of the ques: tion. Those who love and practise what is good come to us with the very safest test monials of their ability to help on the interests of the people. The prince of Loo, wanting to commit the administration of his government to the disciple Yo-ching. Mencius said, " When I heard it I was so glad that I could not go to sleep."
"Kung Sun-chow asked, 'Is Yo-ching a man of vigour?' and was answered 'No.' {Ts he wise in counsel?" 'No! 'Is he possessed of much information" 'No.' 'What then' made you so glad that you could not sleep?"
"He is a man who loves what is good.' Is the love of what is good sufficient?" <The love of what is ood is more than sufficient qualification for the government of the Empire—how much more for the state of Loo? If a minister loves what is good, all within the four seas will count 1,000 li but a small distance, and will come and lay their good thoughts before bim.'"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.