Art. 13.  Citizens shall have the duty to pay taxes according to law.

Art. 14.  Citizens shall have the duty to enlist as soldiers according to law.

Art. 15.  The rights of citizens as provided in the present Chapter shall be limited or modified by laws, provided such limitation or modification shall be deemed necessary for the promotion of public welfare, for the maintenance of public order, or on account of extraordinary exigency.

CHAPTER III.—­THE NATIONAL COUNCIL

Art. 16.  The legislative power of the Chinese Republic is exercised by the National Council.

Art. 17.  The Council shall be composed of members elected by the several districts as provided in Article 18.

Art. 18.  The Provinces, Inner and Outer Mongolia, and Tibet shall each elect and depute five members to the Council, and Chinghai shall elect one member.

The election districts and methods of elections shall be decided by the localities concerned.

During the meeting of the Council each member shall have one vote.

Art. 19.  The National Council shall have the following powers: 

(a) To pass all Bills.

(b) To pass the budgets of the Provisional Government.

(c) To pass laws of taxation, of currency, and weights and measures for the whole country.

(d) To pass measures for the calling of public loans and to conclude contracts affecting the National Treasury.

(e) To give consent to matters provided in Articles 34, 35 and 40.

(f) To reply to inquiries from, the Provisional Government.

(g) To receive and consider petitions of citizens.

(h) To make suggestions to the Government on legal or other matters.

(i) To introduce interpellations to members of the Cabinet, and to insist on their being present in the Council in making replies thereto.

(j) To insist on the Government investigating into any alleged bribery and infringement of laws by officials.

(k) To impeach the Provisional President for high treason by a majority vote of three-fourths of the quorum consisting of more than four-fifths of the total number of the members.

(l) To impeach members of the Cabinet for failure to perform their official duties or for violation of the law by majority votes of two-thirds of the quorum consisting of over three-fourths of the total number of the members.

Art. 20.  The National Council shall itself convoke, conduct and adjourn its own meetings.

Art. 21.  The meetings of the Advisory Council shall be conducted publicly, but secret meetings may be held at the suggestion of members of the Cabinet or by the majority vote of its quorum.

Art. 22.  Matters passed by the Advisory Council shall be communicated to the Provisional President for promulgation and execution.