the most reasonable demands for better government, and reluctantly conceded so-called reforms under the most urgent pressure, promising without any intention of fulfilling.  They have failed to appreciate the anguish-causing lessons taught them by foreign Powers, and in process of years have brought themselves and our people beneath the contempt of the world.  A remedy of these evils will render possible the entrance of China into the family of nations.  We have fought and have formed a government.  Lest our good intentions should be misunderstood, we publicly and unreservedly declare the following to be our promises:—­

“The treaties entered into by the Manchus before the date of the revolution, will be continually effective to the time of their termination.  Any and all treaties entered into after the commencement of the revolution will be repudiated.  Foreign loans and indemnities incurred by the Manchus before the revolution will be acknowledged.  Payments made by loans incurred by the Manchus after its commencement will be repudiated.  Concessions granted to nations and their nationals before the revolution will be respected.  Any and all granted after it will be repudiated.  The persons and property of foreign nationals within the jurisdiction of the republic will be respected and protected.  It will be our constant aim and firm endeavour to build on a stable and enduring foundation a national structure compatible with the potentialities of our long-neglected country.  We shall strive to elevate the people to secure peace and to legislate for prosperity.  Manchus who abide peacefully in the limits of our jurisdiction will be accorded equality, and given protection.

“We will remodel the laws, revise the civil, criminal, commercial, and mining codes, reform the finances, abolish restrictions on trade and commerce, and ensure religious toleration and the cultivation of better relations with foreign peoples and governments than have ever been maintained before.  It is our earnest hope that those foreign nationals who have been steadfast in their sympathy will bind more firmly the bonds of friendship between us, and will bear in patience with us the period of trial confronting us and our reconstruction work, and will aid the consummation of the far-reaching plans, which we are about to undertake, and which they have long vainly been urging upon our people and our country.

“With this message of peace and good-will the republic cherishes the hope of being admitted into the family of nations, not merely to share its rights and privileges, but to co-operate in the great and noble task of building up the civilization of the world.

“Sun Yat-sen, President.”

The next step was to displace the three-cornered Dragon flag, itself of quite modern origin, in favour of a new republican emblem.  For this purpose was designed a flag of five stripes,—­yellow, red, blue, white, black,—­arranged at right angles to the flagstaff in the above order, and intended to represent the five races—­Chinese, Manchus, Mongols, Tibetan, Mussulmans—­gathered together under one rule.