January 12.
Tax National Assembly has concluded its first session, and in the absence of urgent business calling' for a special meeting will not be' convened again until next November. Opinion regarding the value of its labours may be divided, but on one point unanimity will prevail, that it has belied altogether the expectations formed of it. As has already been remarked in these columns, its organization was tinged with officialism rather than with liberalism. The constituent classes—the nominees of the Throne and those who might be said to represent more direct people—were equally divided; but it was clearly not anticipated that the popular element in the Assembly would play such a prominent part. However sincere in its wishes to meet public opinion in regard to the introduction of a constitutional regime, the Chinese Government) could hardly have intended to forge, unless under greater pressure, a weapon of such deadly effect as the Teuckengyuan has shown that it! may well prove to be. For the moment the weapon may be regarded as being in inexperienced hands. It has been frequently discharged but the aim has been erratic, and through being carelessly loaded, there has been some danger that it would inflict more injury on the men who fired than on those at whom it was pointed. The Nation-Assembly has been a novelty both to its own members and to the Government. this reason For twofold:—legislative, with a view to providing the Government with information that would enable it to carry on ministration of the country more in keeping with popular wishes; and educational, with a view to preparing the members and the people at large for the exercise of their privileges under a parliamentary regime. It is certain that the Government will have learned much regarding the temper and attitude of the country from the first session, while the conduct of the Assembly itself suggests that the experience gained by three years' probation in the provisional Parliament ought to tend to the smoother working of the hi-cameral system. In its conflict with the Grand Council, as far as can be judged from reports and from the memorial of impeachment, the National Assembly has ignored the present limitations of the constitutional movement and has sought to indict the Grand Councillors for not arrogating to themselves duties and responsibilities which do not at present belong to them. Clearly in this respect the Grand Council is not at fault, and until it is replaced by a Cabinet more or less responsible to Parliament, it has acted within its rights in opposing the Assembly's encroachments upon its functions. At the seme time there is probably some justification for the Assembly's contention that the Grand Council is at heart more reactionary than progressive, The complete discomfiture of Prince Ching, whether it leads to his final retirement from public life or is only a temporary phase, has probably shaken the forces of ultraconservatism, and the result may be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.