File No. 1787/4–5.
Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking,April
1907.
No. 593.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith in
translation a copy of an imperial edict which was issued on the 20th
instant, referring to the present administration of the three Manchurian
Provinces of the Empire, over which a viceroy is appointed.
The official chosen for the post of viceroy is Hsü” Shih-ch’ang, the
present president of the Mincheng Pu (home office), a young,
progressive, and deservedly popular official, who previously served for
many years under the Viceroy Yuan Shih-k’ai, to whom he is naturally
greatly attached. He was a few months ago sent with Ch’en Beileh, the
son of Prince Ch’ing, as one of the high commissioners to Manchuria to
investigate conditions there, and to devise means for the reorganization
of these provinces.
T’ang Shao-i, the first governor of the Province of Sheng-ehing (Mukden)
is well known to you. The office to which he is appointed is scarcely a
promotion for him, but his friends are of opinion that after the harsh
rebuke he received from the Throne a few months ago, it is best for him
that he should leave the capital for a while.
Of the new governors of Kirin and Hei-lung-chiang I know but little; the
former is provincial judge of Kiang-su, the latter police commissioner
of Tientsin and high in the confidence of Viceroy Yuan Shih-k’ai.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Imperial edict reorganizing
Manchuria.
The following imperial edict was issued to-day, April 20, 1907:
The government of the three eastern Provinces (Manchuria) has become
antiquated, and the condition of the people is one of poverty. It
becomes urgently necessary, therefore, to conscientiously undertake
a thorough reorganization of these provinces to get rid of
long-standing abuses, and to define the responsibility of
officials.
The tartar-generalship of Shengking is hereby changed to the
viceroyship of the three Manchurian Provinces, and to this post are
added the functions of the tartar-generals of these three provinces.
The incumbent of the post will have an office in each of the three
provinces and reside in each of them in turn.
The post of governor is created in each of these three provinces,
Feng-t’ien (Mukden), Kirin, and Hei-lung-chiang, to assist in the,
administration of the government.
Hsu Shih-ch’ang is hereby appointed to the post of viceroy of the
three Manchurian Provinces with the added powers of tartar-genera]
of the three provinces, and is also made a high commissioner of the
Imperial Government.
Tong Shao-i is appointed governor of Feng-t’ien (i. e., Mukden), Chu
Chia-pao acting governor of Kirin, and Tuan Chih-kuel is given the
rank of a provincial treasurer, and made acting governor of
Hei-lung-chiang (Amur).
[Page 179]
The said viceroy and governors, having thus been placed in charge of
these important Provinces, ought to exercise great care in all their
planning and in the exercise of their functions, disregarding the
importunities of friends and unmindful of enmities and hardships,
giving thorough consideration to all their duties and taking them up
in orderly succession, so that thus they may fulfill the trust
confided to them. As to the additional offices which may need to be
created, let the aforesaid viceroy and governors take the matter
into consideration and report to us.
