Revolution and construction, two tasks that cannot be carried out at the same time in the eyes of others, have done an excellent job here in Chen Wenqiang. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

Break first and then stand, stand while breaking, don't break or stand, I can't say which is the most correct, but it shouldn't be the truth. Because, in different situations and situations, the approach taken will be very different.

The waning central authority of the Qing court, the growing centrifugal tendencies of the people, and the mutual promotion of revolution and constitutionalism, the outcome of the Manchu Dynasty's stubborn conservatism and radical reform may have been foreordained. There are too many debts owed by history, the rule of ethnic minorities, and the corrupt and incompetent bureaucratic system can no longer withstand the impact of the tide of the times.

In preparation for the constitutional, local self-government, and consultative bureau elections, it can be seen that regardless of whether the Qing court is conforming to the will of the people, it is inevitable that the division of local power will be unavoidable. And once the social forces are mobilized, they cannot be stopped by the Qing court if they want to. In other words, once political reform is initiated, it can only move forward, not backwards, otherwise the energy of the people will be extremely terrifying.

In October 1907, before announcing the intention to establish the Constitution, the Qing court had already promulgated the Statutes of the Provincial Consultative Bureaus and the Regulations for the Election of Members of the Consultative Bureau, which were drawn up by the Constitutional Review Office. In accordance with the plan for the preparation of the constitution, in 1908 the provinces began to prepare for the Consultative Council and held an election for the Consultative Council. In official documents, the Advisory Council and the Advisory Council are both transitional bodies that practice parliamentary democracy, with the Advisory Council corresponding to the local councils and the Advisory Council corresponding to the National Parliament. As a result, the constitutionalists acted quickly.

In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, each provincial advisory bureau shall have a speaker and two vice-chairpersons, and the quota of provincial councillors shall be "subject to 5% of the total number of places in each province", and they shall be elected. The functions of the Advisory Council are similar to those of local councils, which are mainly responsible for making decisions on local affairs related to the revitalization of the local government, budgets and final accounts, local laws and regulations, tax laws and public debts, and election of members of the Advisory Council. It is also the basis of local self-government.

Of course, it would be unrealistic to expect too much from the level of democracy at the time. For example, to be eligible for voters, they must meet one of the following conditions stipulated in the charter: first, those who have a Chinese or foreign secondary school degree or above; the second is that there are people who have made meritorious contributions; the third is those who have served as officials of the seventh rank or the fifth rank of martial arts and have not participated in the revolution; Fourth, those who have been in the province for three years in the province for academic affairs or public welfare affairs; Fifth, those who have a working capital or immovable property of 5,000 yuan in this province.

In addition, the statute stipulates that in addition to meeting one of the above five conditions, voters must also be men of the province over the age of 25; If not from this province. To participate in the provincial election, one must meet one of the following two conditions: first, those who have lived in the province for more than 10 years and have reached the age of 25, and second, those who have more than 10,000 yuan of operating capital and real estate in the place of residence; To be a candidate, you must meet one of the above conditions and be a man over 30 years old.

It is clear from these regulations that the election of the Advisory Council at that time was based on education, property, etc., and that women did not have the right to vote. Limited to it, the ACB election left most people out of the line, making it a political game of the local gentry. However, there is no need to be too harsh on this. After all, the use of election methods to run the Advisory Council is the first time in Chinese history, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it has epoch-making significance.

Moreover, from scratch, from defects to perfection, this is the path that must be taken. The road to constitutionalism in various countries was not achieved overnight, from the Magna Carta to the Glorious Revolution to the final basic perfection of Britain. But it took hundreds of years to complete.

One can imagine how interesting and hectic China's first election was. Many local governors were at a loss when they received the message from the Constitutional Review Office. These traditional bureaucrats have no idea what elections are, let alone what to do.

As a result, the personnel of the Constitutional Review Hall and some students studying politics from abroad immediately became local sweethearts, and the governors of the provinces rushed to invite them to guide the election work.

While the constitutionalists rejoiced and actively participated in the election and preparation of the Consultative Bureau, Chen Wenqiang, the backbone of the constitutionalist faction, did not devote himself to it. Instead, he presided over the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Guangshao (Guangzhou-Shaoguan) line, and then took the Baisha River from Guangdong to Hunan, and took the train from Chenzhou to Wuchang.

Although the railway connection from Shaoguan to Chenzhou is a difficult and important point, Chen Wenqiang is thinking about how to continue to stabilize his power in Huxiang after Zhang Zhidong leaves.

Life. There is nothing that cannot be solved, but there are always things that cannot be solved.

In Guangdong, the governor could be suppressed by strength, but in Huxiang, Chen Wenqiang sat on the train and couldn't stop sighing.

The Qing court transferred Yuan Shikai, the governor of Zhili, to the center, and formed two princes to sit in the town, obviously not at ease, and finally issued an order to transfer Zhang Zhidong into Beijing. Mingsheng and secretly fell, the two most powerful Han governors were taken down, and Chen Wenqiang smelled a bad meaning.

If Zhang Zhidong insisted on resigning, with his more than ten years of operation in Huxiang, and with the mixed association of Hubei Eighth Town and Li Yuanhong that he built, the Qing court would have no choice. However, Zhang Zhidong urgently summoned Chen Wenqiang to Hubei, obviously with the intention of entering Beijing, and he had to make some arrangements in advance.

In fact, it is not difficult to understand that Zhang Zhidong is an old scholar, and he pays attention to loyalty and patriotism, which is more firm than Yuan Shikai. When Yuan Shikai was transferred to the center, he still shirked left and right, and he didn't leave. Zhang Zhidong, he can't make such a move on the surface, so he seems to be a loyal minister!

But if Zhang Zhidong goes, it will be Chen Wenqiang who suffers. Once a son of heaven and a courtier, replaced by the new governor of Huguang, can he still be so involved and relied on Chen Wenqiang? Obviously, the strength of Huxiang cannot make Chen Wenqiang as strong as in Guangdong, especially in Hubei, can the Hanyang Iron Works and the Hubei Military Factory still produce according to their own plans, and will they be forcibly taken over by the Qing court?

Chen Wenqiang has to think about all the aspects involved and think about how to deal with them. The scenery outside the car window flashed in the bumps, but he didn't bother to look at it. It wasn't until the train slowed down that Chen Wenqiang woke up from his contemplation and looked out the window.

The train slowly approached the station, and the platform was crowded with peasants, hunched over and carrying large burdens. The noise was deafening, and there was some indescribable smell in the air. Chen Wenqiang wanted to see the scene in the distance, but there were too many people, blocking his view.

There was a commotion in the aisle of the sleeper car, the door of the car suddenly opened, and Chen Deping and Yang Hongming, who were wearing big caps, walked in. Salute and greet Chen Wenqiang.

These two people are already the assistants of the Hunan Railway Patrol Police, and hundreds of railway patrol officers along the railway line are under their jurisdiction, not only to maintain the safety of train operation and the security on the train, but also under the instruction of Chen Wenqiang, they are also expanding their jurisdiction to villages and towns along the railway. Squeezing the patrolmen who are already few in the countryside.

"Sit down, you don't need to be so polite." Chen Wenqiang smiled and waved his hand, and said, "Since you're here, let's talk about the recent situation, anyway, there will be some time in Changsha." ”

……………

Outside the car window, the countryside is bathed in sunshine. The train clattered forward, and Chen Wenqiang looked at the scenery outside, as if he was contemplating, and seemed to have wandered away.

The countryside in the interior has great potential. Railways are undoubtedly the catalyst for exploiting this potential. When the distance is changed from days to hours, the input and output will gradually be revitalized because of the acceleration of the flow speed.

From a small age to a big day, on the station, Chen Wenqiang saw so many passengers. Those who carry large burdens and carry baskets of live chickens and ducks. Carrying bottles and snack boxes, whether farmers or small businessmen, or just visiting relatives and friends, people are getting used to taking advantage of this new thing that can quickly bring people closer.

If you stretch your imagination, you will be able to know the trading houses, warehouses, hotels, restaurants and so on in the villages and towns along the railway. Business will be better and the supply will be more abundant. There are also mines that will be developed because of the railway, and factories that will be opened because of the ease of transportation......

If you want to get rich, build roads first. Or not entirely true, but the railroad did open up the enclosed countryside.

Chen Wenqiang has seen the data report of the railway company. As investors, the management and operation of the railway company, as well as the financial supervision, are carried out by Germans. In this regard, Chen Wenqiang did not care, but believed in the professional ethics and advanced management experience of the Germans.

It's faster than expected to pay for yourself! This did not come as a surprise to Chen, because the economic situation of the two provinces is relatively good in China as a whole. Pigs and grain have always been the main commodities exported by Hunan Province, and the construction of railways has enabled villages in the interior to make use of Hankou as a commercial port. If the Guangdong-Hankou Railway is fully connected, with Hankou in the north and Guangzhou in the south, the economic development of Hunan and Hubei will be accelerated.

"The construction of the light rail railway should be accelerated, and the railway patrol police should be expanded." In the silent waiting of Chen Deping and Yang Hongming, Chen Wenqiang slowly said: "The standard of the trunk line is high, and the branch line can be lowered, one is fast, the second is to save money, and the third is to make a profit as soon as possible." ”

Chen Deping and Yang Hongming nodded, listened carefully, and did not rush to speak.

"Strive to take over the right to law and order in the villages and towns along the railway." Chen Wenqiang continued: "Don't take into account any authority, the patrol police are already weak, especially in the countryside. Now in this world, we have to rely on strength to speak, there are thousands of guns, and even the governor has to give us three points. If law and order are well maintained, the local gentry will speak for us, and I can even fight to snatch the power of the provincial patrol police. ”

"Your Excellency is very right." Chen Deping said confidently: "The patrol police equipment is not good, and the number of people is not large, most of them are concentrated in large and medium-sized towns, and they can't take care of the countryside." Even if there are a few, they can't compete with us. ”

"How's the party?" Chen Wenqiang nodded and turned to Yang Hongming, "I was hit hard before, but now I have not eased up?" ”

"Lord Hui, since the defeat of Gong Chuntai and other leaders, the Elders' Association has stopped recently." Yang Hongming said: "The dragons have no leader, and their subordinates can't toss them up." ”

"Don't take it lightly." Chen Wenqiang reminded: "There must be a fight and a pull for the elders, and we must send more eyes and ears to pay attention to their actions." Especially when there is a famine, it is an opportunity for them to deceive people's minds and create turmoil, and they must not be guarded against. ”

"Subordinates remember." Yang Hongming hesitated for a moment and said: "My subordinates heard a little rumor, saying that the Hubei Xiaoyi Society recruited a few boxers from the north, and they are very skilled. The news is not conclusive, and his subordinates are stepping up their investigation. ”

Boxers, that's the remnants of the Boxers. Chen Wenqiang thought about it, but he didn't know the point. As for the Hubei Filial Piety Association, the name is very unfamiliar, and it is common for the party to change its name anyway.

"Burning the Swallowing Talisman, is it invulnerable?" Chen Wenqiang teased with some contempt: "I'm afraid no one believes it now, right?" ”

"This-" Yang Hongming smiled bitterly and said, "Adults don't know, in places where the atmosphere is more civilized, naturally not many people believe this." But in remote villages, there are still many foolish people and foolish women. ”

Chen Wenqiang blinked, Yang Hongming obviously had a deeper understanding of the countryside than him. What seemed ridiculous to him might not seem like that to others.

"The Hubei Filial Piety Association is not a large number of people." Chen Deping said: "It shouldn't be very difficult for adults to destroy them. ”

"Don't worry, I have to meet Zhang Zhidong and finalize everything before I can decide how to act." Chen Wenqiang groaned and said: "As long as you firmly control the railway patrol police, no matter who takes over as governor, you can't help us." ”

"Don't worry, no one can snatch the railway patrol police, from top to bottom, they only recognize adults and only listen to their orders." Chen Deping assured more confidently.

"My subordinates think so too." Yang Hongming echoed: "With the ability of the adults, it doesn't hurt to change the new governor. What's more, if Zhang Zhidong leaves, he has to arrange it for adults! ”

"That's right, Zhang Zhidong is urgently called, and there will definitely be some arrangements." Chen Wenqiang smiled faintly and said: "My forces in Hubei are weaker, Hunan, there are two standard new armies in Changsha and Hengyang, and everyone has to give this official some face." ”

"Yes, without adults, they have no money and no guns, but they can't play."

"Maybe Zhang Zhidong will be appointed as the governor of Hunan, so it would be better."

Chen Wenqiang listened to the compliment, just smiled, and did not show modesty. From the perspective of personal future, if you are strong and confident as a leader, your subordinates will naturally follow you loyally.

Outside the car window, there is a bumpy countryside; The harvested fields were barren, with the ruins of adobe cottages, and the woods and shrubs with slightly yellowing leaves; A small, bare rocky hill with what appears to be a temple next to it......

The sunlight slanted in, Chen Wenqiang squinted his eyes slightly, and what seemed to meet his eyes was not fields and villages, but himself, like a warrior, marching on this vast land. (To be continued.) )