THE  GOVERNMENT  47
by  its  own  strength  ;  and  from  the  very  beginning,  before
the  ruins  which  marked  their  military  progress  ceased
smoking  and  were  cold,  they  not  only  continued  the  system
and  forms  of  their  predecessors,  but  associated  with  themselves, ­
  in  the  administration,  the  literate  class  of  their  Chinese
subjects,  and  the  mode  of  living  and  customs  of  the  people
remained  unchanged.  Garrisons  were  established  at  certain
strategic  points  to  maintain  the  conquest  ;  certain  posts  in
the  central  government  were  reserved  for  Manchu  nobles
and  leaders  ;  certain  “  milking  ”  posts  were  created  to  tap
the  wealth  of  the  provinces  ;  and  the  Court,  the  Manchu
nobles,  and  the  Manchu  garrisons  at  Peking  and  elsewhere
were  maintained  by  tribute  drawn  from  the  provinces.
Apart  from  this  the  government  of  the  country  has  been
more  in  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  than  of  their  conquerors,
and  the  Civil  Service  has  been  a  carrière  ouverte  aux  talents.
Some  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  predilection  of  the
ruling  powers  for  men  of  their  own  race,  and  it  is  only
natural  that,  in  the  exercise  of  patronage,  Manchus  should
be  somewhat  preferred.  This  preference  is  now  shown
less  frequently  than  in  the  past,  as  the  Manchus  have  become
more  and  more  assimilated  in  thought  and  in  training  to
the  Chinese,  and  of  late  years  the  proportion  of  Manchus
holding  Imperial  appointments  in  the  provinces  has  not
exceeded  one-fifth,  while  the  numerous  and  important
extra-official  posts  created  by  modern  conditions  are  seldom
held  by  Manchus.  To  apply  American  terminology  to
things  Chinese,  the  Municipal  and  State  (provincial)  government ­
  is  almost  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Chinese,  while
the  Federal  (Imperial)  administration  is  influenced  and
controlled  as  much  by  Chinese  as  by  Manchu  minds,  with
the  further  proviso  that  full  weight  is  given  in  the  Emperor’s
Council  Hall  to  the  shrewd  brains  of  his  Chinese  counsellors. ­

The  American  simile  may  be  carried  even  further,  but  the
Western  reader  must  be  cautioned  not  to  apply  it  except  as
specifically  indicated.  American  government  stands  firmbased
  on  the  town  meeting.  This  was  generally  true  in