has that anything to do with the change or not of the form of
State? Again, the absence, on the part of the people, of interest in
political affairs, of knowledge of politics, of political morality
and strength, and their inability to organize proper political
parties to make use of an inviolable parliament, are also hindrances
to the attainment of a constitution. Now what have these things to
do with a change in the form of the States? If I were to go on
naming such hindrances one by one, I should count my fingers many
times over and I should not be through. Yet it is quite plain that
not a single one of these hindrances can be attributed to
republicanism.

To say that what we cannot get under the republic can be secured
immediately upon accepting a monarchical regime, or to say that
what can be secured under a monarchical regime can never be secured
in a republican period is beyond the understanding of a stupid man
like myself, although I have searched my brain for a valid reason.

My view is that if China is really in earnest for a constitution,
the President should set the example himself by treating the
Constitutional Compact as sacredly inviolable and compel his
subordinates to do the same. Every letter of the compact should be
carried out and no attempt should be made to step beyond its limits.

Meantime give the people as many opportunities as possible to
acquaint themselves with political affairs, and do not stifle the
aspirations of the people or weaken their strength or damp their
interest or crush their self-respect. Then within a few years we
shall be rewarded with results. If, instead of doing all these
things, we vainly blame the form of State, we are, as Chu Tse says,
like a boat that blames the creek for its curves.

The most powerful argument of those who advocate a change to a
monarchy is that there is every possibility of disturbance at the
time of a Presidential election. This is a real danger. It is for
this reason that ten years ago I did not dare to associate myself
with the advocates of republicanism. If the critics want to attack
me on this point to support of their contentions, I advise them not
to write another article but to reprint my articles written some
time ago, which, I think, will be more effective. Fortunately,
however, we have discovered