Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 5, 1916

File No. 893.01/90

Minister Reinsch to the Secretary of State

No. 955

American Legation,
Peking, February, 24, 1916.

Sir: I have the honor to report that on the occasion of a call upon His Excellency President Yuan Shih-kai, on February 16, I discussed with him, among other things, the subject of constitutional guaranties. More especially, I made inquiries concerning his policy with respect to the powers to be delegated to the cabinet and to the parliament. A memorandum of the conversation, drawn up by the Chinese Secretary of the Legation, is herewith transmitted.²

Many of the most experienced observers of Chinese affairs have come to the conclusion that the only chance of maintaining a central government, recognized by all the provinces, and of avoiding a disastrous conflict and eventual foreign interference, is for the President to make a definite and conclusive declaration of policy, including the firm establishment of an honest and straightforward constitutional system. This view is shared by the Ministers most familiar with and best disposed towards China, as are, for instance, the Ministers of Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Austria-Hungary.

I was subsequently informed by one of the Ministers of State that the President had discussed the question of an early convocation of parliament with his Council of State; that it had been considered by the Ministers desirable to undertake this measure and that a commission had been charged to ascertain whether, under the existing laws, the members elected for the Citizens (Constitutional) Convention could be summoned as a parliament, or whether a new election would be necessary. There is herewith enclosed an editorial from the Peking Daily News of today,² which is a semi-official paper, reporting that the cabinet has been ordered to meet once a week under the presidency of the Secretary of State, without the presence of the emperor. This and the other reports discussed in the editorial indicate that the establishment of true constitutionalism is occupying the President and his chief advisers. There is also enclosed a translation of a mandate, published in today’s Peking Daily News, in which the accession to the throne is indefinitely postponed.

I have [etc.]

Paul S. Reinsch

[Inclosure]

(From the Peking Daily News, February 24, 1916.)

The following mandate, issued last night, shows the decision of the Ta Huang Ti to postpone the date of accession until some more favourable time in future:

Every day we have received memorials and telegrams from various civil and military officials, representatives of the citizens of the country, various legal bodies and individuals requesting us to ascend the Great Throne at an early date. Although patriots have expressed their desires to devise means for permanent peace and a good Government, it is the duty and responsibility of those managing the affairs of the State to study the general situation of the country. At present Yunnan and Kweichow have raised disturbances, bringing consternation to the peaceful inhabitants and in Western Hunan and Southern Szechuan where the robbers have made their raid, the people have been scattered and driven away from their daily occupations. It is indeed an agony to hear the story of their miserable condition, and we cannot enjoy our sleep and food. Moreover, wicked men have put forth all kinds of rumors and false reports to deceive the people. My original desire to save the nation and the people has been made a pretext for the ambitious men to contend for wealth and power. My heart will not feel at ease if I should ascend the Throne at this time; therefore I have decided that the accession should be postponed. All the patriotic officials, scholars and people should therefore have sympathy with my difficult position; and it is hereby ordered that hereafter all the memorials and telegrams in connection with the request for accession should not be transmitted to us.

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