CHINA 977 



Communications. The Postal Secretary, M. Piry, became Postmaster General and the pre- 

 vious organisation was retained. A substantial reduction in telegraph rates throughout the 

 Empire was introduced on June I, 1912. 



Government and Administration. Pending the meeting of a National Convention 

 and the adoption of a permanent Constitution, China remained in 1912 under the 

 Provisional Constitution adopted by the Nanking Council. Yuan Shih-kai, as Pro- 

 visional President, undertook on entering office to retire or seek re-election at the expira- 

 tion of the term of provisional government, which was fixed at ten months. The 

 Nanking Constitution defined the powers of the Provisional President and stipulated 

 that he had to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the National Council at a session 

 at which three-quarters of the members were present, but did not concern itself with the 

 term of office or method of election of future Presidents of the Republic. The Premier 

 was nominated by the President, but his appointment and that of the other members of 

 the Cabinet were subject to the approval of the National Assembly; he had direct con- 

 trol of the Bureau for Tibetan and Mongolian affairs. Various laws were promulgated 

 during the provisional regime defining the functions and powers of the Cabinet, the 

 Ministries and other departments of State. But the entire system of central and 

 provincial administration was in a transition stage, and the Administration reforms 

 announced by proclamation had not had time to be put into force. 



In November 1912 the following composed the Provisional Government: 1 Presi- 

 dent, Yuan Shih-kai; Vice- President, Li Yuan-hung; Premier, Chao Ping-chun; Minister 

 of Foreign A fairs, Liang Ju-hao; Interior, Chao Ping-chun; Finance, Chou Hsueh-hsi; 

 War, Tuan Chi-jui; Navy, Lu Kuan-hsiung; Justice, Hsu Shih-ying; Education, Fan 

 Yuan-cien; Agriculture and Forestry, Chen Chen-hsien; Commerce and Industry, Liu 

 Kuei-yi; Communications, Chu Ch'i-ch'ien. On November 12 however a crisis oc- 

 curred over the question of negotiating with Russia concerning Mongolia, and Liang 

 Ju-hao resigned. Lu Cheng-hsiang, the late Prime Minister, took his place. 



In the Provinces, Governors (under the name of Tutuh) officiated as before the 

 Revolution, variously assisted by a Finance Commissioner, a Law Commissioner, a 

 Civil and a Military Commissioner, Commissioners for Education and Foreign Affairs. 

 In Tibet there was a Government Agent. The affairs of Mongolia and Tibet were 

 nominally under a Bureau controlled by the Cabinet or Premier. 



Parliament. During the period of provisional government in 1912 the functions of 

 the National Assembly were performed by a National Council composed of five members 

 from each province elected by the Provincial Assemblies. The chairman was Wu 

 Ching-lien, and Vice-Chairman Tang Hua-lung. 



Parliament, under the Republic, was to consist of a Senate (Tsan Yi Yuan) and a 

 House of Representatives (Chung Yi Yuan). The date of the first elections was fixed 

 for December 10, 1912, Primary elections, and January 10, 1913, Secondary elections. 



The Senate, comprising 274 members, was to be elected as follows: 220 by the Provin- 

 cial Assemblies (10 Senators to each Province); 27 by the Electoral College of Mongolia; IO 

 by the Electoral College of Tibet ; 3 by the Electoral College of Chinghai (Chinese Turkestan); 

 8 by the Central Educational Society; and 6 by the Electoral College of Chinese abroad. 



The House of Representatives was to consist of 596 members elected by constituencies 

 on the basis of one representative for each 800,000 of the population, with a minimum of 10 

 representatives for a Province, together with 27 representatives for Mongolia, 10 for Tibet 

 and 3 for Chinese Turkestan. The number of representatives allotted to each province for 

 the first election was as follows: Anhui 27, Chekiang 38, Chihli 46, Fukien 24, Honan 32, 

 Hunan 27, Hupeh 26, Kansu 14, Kiangsi 35, Kiangsu 40, Kuangsi 19, Kuangtung 30, Kuei- 

 chow 13, Shansi 28, Shantung 33, Shensi 21, Sinkiang 10, Szechuan 35, Yunnan 22, Shengking 

 16, Kirin 10, Heilungkiang 10. Candidates for election as Senators must be thirty years of 

 age and upwards, for election as members of the House of Representatives 25 years and 

 upwards. The qualifications of an elector for the Lower House are: (i) A male citizen over 

 21 years of age; (2) Two years' residence; (3) Either payment of direct tax of $2 per annum, 



1 The Foreign Office has changed its name from VVaiwupu to Waichiaopu; the Ministry 

 of the Interior from Minchengpu to Neiwupu; that of Education from Hsuehputo Chiaoyupu ; 

 that of Justice from Fapu to Shihfapu; that of Finance from Tuchihpu to Tsaichengpu; 

 that of Communications from Yuchuanpu to Chiaotungpu, while the Ministry of Agriculture, 

 Commerce and Industry has been divided into two Ministries. 



