Now my friends, you have stated in a worthy manner the reasons why the republican form of state cannot assist China to maintain her existence; now let me state why it is impossible to restore the monarchical system.  The maintenance of the dignity of a monarch depends on a sort of mystical, historical, traditional influence or belief.  Such an influence was capable of producing unconsciously and spontaneously a kind of effect to assist directly or indirectly in maintaining order and imparting blessing to the country.  In this lies the value of a monarchy.  But dignity is a thing not to be trifled with.  Once it is trodden down it can never rise again.  We carve wood or mould clay into the image of a person and call it a god (idol).  Place it in a beautiful temple, and seat it in a glorious shrine and the people will worship it and find it miraculously potent.  But suppose some insane person should pull it down, tread it under foot and throw it into a dirty pond and suppose some one should discover it and carry it back to its original sacred abode, you will find the charm has gone from it.  Ever since the days of monarchical government the people have looked on the monarch with a sort of divine reverence, and never dared to question or criticize his position.  After a period of republicanism, however, this attitude on the part of the common people has been abruptly terminated with no possibility of resurrection.  A survey of all the republics of the world will tell us that although a large number of them suffered under republican rule, not a single one succeeded in shaking itself free of the republican fetters.  Among the world republics only France has had her monarchical system revived twice after the republic was first inaugurated.  The monarchy, however, disappeared almost immediately.  Thus we may well understand how difficult it is for a country to return to its monarchical state after a republican regime.  It may be said that China has had only a short experience of the republican regime; but it must also be remembered that the situation has been developing for more than ten years and in actual existence for about four years.  During the period of development the revolutionists denounced the monarch in most extravagant terms and compared him to the devil.  Their aim was to kill the mystic belief of the people in the Emperor; for only by diminishing the dignity of the monarch could the revolutionary cause make headway.  And during and after the change all the official documents, school text-books, press views and social gossip have always coupled the word monarch with reprobation.  Thus for a long while this glorious image has been lying in the dirty pond!  Leaving out the question that it is difficult to restore the monarchy at the present day, let us suppose that by arbitrary method we do succeed in restoring it.  You will then find that it will be impossible for it to regain in former dignity and influence.

Turning to another aspect, the most