During the past few years bad administration has been rife throughout this country, due to defects I have already pointed out. Titles and honours have been sanctioned, while nowhere have punishments been carried out. This is surprising, but true. An old proverb says: ''With punishment will be engendered a sense of grace and with the bestowal of honour greater ambition will be created." The awarding of punishment and reward'has not been carried out in accordance with this proverb.
Throughout the country breaches of the laws, malpractices and injustice are of daily occurrence, As soon as a man secures an official post his object is to accumulate wealth to the detriment of public interests. His last resort is to hand in his resignation, In such cases what punishment is meet? This has been the state of affairs in this country for some time.
There is no punishment. in allowing a corrupt official to resign. That merely serves as an incentive to other unworthy men.
It is true that the fall of a nation is brought about by official degeneration. If this be not check-nothing; can prevent it.
Now, at this incipient stage of your presidency, is the time to check these evils. You are unfartunate in having assumed Office at, such a critical period in the history of China, but the way to reform of the official system is not closed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.