this trifling with
words, for it is a principle which all critics of politics should
follow and never depart from. The reason is that critics of politics
should not, because they cannot, influence the question of _Kuo-ti_.
They should not influence the question of _Kuo-ti_ because so long
as the question of _Kuo-ti_ remains unsettled the major portion of
the administration remains at a stand-still. Thus there will be no
political situation properly so called and there will be no
political questions to discuss (here the term political means really
administrative). If a critic of politics, therefore, interfere with
the question of _Kuo-ti_, he will be leading the nation into a
condition of political instability, thus undermining the ground on
which the people stand. Such critics can be likened unto a man
trying to enter a house without ascending the steps or crossing a
river without a boat.

They cannot influence the question of _Kuo-ti_. The force which
drives and steers the change of one form of State or _vice versa_ is
generally not derived from mere politics. If the time is not ripe,
then no amount of advocacy on the part of critics can hasten it. If
the time is ripe, nothing the critics say can prevent it. He who
indulges himself in the discussion of the problem of
_Kuo-ti_--_i.e._, the form of States, as a political student, is
ignorant of his own limitations and capacity. This is as true of the
active politicians as of the critics; for the first duty of an
active politician is to seek for the improvement and progress of the
administration of the existing foundation of government. A step
beyond this line is revolution and intrigue, and such cannot be the
attitude of a right-minded active politician or statesman. This is
looking at it from the negative side.

From the positive, that is, the progressive point of view, there is
also a boundary. Such actions under one form of government are
political activities, and under the opposite form of government are
also political activities. But these are not questions of political
principle. For only when a man sacrifices the ideals which he has
advocated and cherished during the whole of his life does the
question of principle arise. Therefore the great principle of
looking to the actual state of administration of the form of
go