清光緒二十八年七月十二日 (1902年8月15日),直隸總督袁世凱由京到津，率領下屬各官，前往“都統(tǒng)衙門”辦理接收手續(xù)。懸掛在門前的各個侵略國家的旗幟降落了下來，從而結束了都統(tǒng)衙門在天津2年多的軍事殖民統(tǒng)治。袁世凱以天津市為基地，積極推行“新政”。其主要內容是：
編練新軍。袁世凱任直隸總督前，即在天津小站練兵，采用日本、德國的軍事技術，訓練軍隊。并開辦學堂，培養(yǎng)新式軍官。新軍的步、騎、炮、工程、輜重等兵種，配備外國的新式武器，成為當時裝備精良、械餉充實的軍隊。
創(chuàng)辦中國警察。袁世凱接管天津后，留用原巡捕創(chuàng)建天津警察局，把在保定招募的2000多名巡警調到天津。警察局下分南、北兩段，分別管轄金鋼橋南北地區(qū)；原設在保定的警務學堂與天津巡警堂合并，改為北洋警務學堂，培養(yǎng)了一批警官。以后，又陸續(xù)增設了河巡、馬巡、暗巡及消防隊。光緒三十一年(1905),又在天津四鄉(xiāng)設立了巡警。天津開了全國設立警察機構的先河。

·北洋新政(國畫 作者 王天惠)

興辦工商企業(yè)。袁世凱令天津候補道周學熙，在天津河北開設各類工商企業(yè)。周學熙積極操辦，首先籌辦了北洋銀元局。光緒二十九年(1903),在天津東南城角草廠庵，設立了直隸工藝總局。
在工藝總局的宣傳、倡導下，天津很快出現(xiàn)一批“官助商辦” 的企業(yè)。天津織染縫紉公司、造胰公司、華世啤酒公司、海北(制鹽)公司、萬益織呢廠、牙粉廠、玻璃廠等，幾十戶企業(yè)，史稱“北洋實業(yè)” 。這對天津早期民族資本主義的發(fā)展，培養(yǎng)技術人才等，起了積極的作用。
發(fā)展教育事業(yè)。清代的教育機構，包括府、縣所設立的府學、縣學和私人設立的 “書院” ,以及 “私塾” 、“義學” 。李鴻章任直隸總督時，曾創(chuàng)辦了幾所新式學堂，但在中日甲午戰(zhàn)爭時大多停辦。甲午戰(zhàn)爭后，在天津建立了全國最早的大學北洋西學堂。地方士紳高凌雯等人，在稽古書院舊址設立普通學堂，后遷知府衙門，在此建立官立中學堂，即后來的省一中、今之第三中學，也稱鈴鐺閣中學(俗稱“官立中” )。
袁世凱任直隸總督后，設立直隸學校司(后改稱學務處、提學使),負責全省的教育工作。天津縣衙門設立了勸學所(即縣教育局前身) ,負責管理天津縣境內的中小學。又建立天津教育會，負責監(jiān)督、協(xié)調天津的教育事業(yè)。在省、府、縣各級政府的倡導下，嚴范孫、林墨卿、高凌雯、溫世霖等開明士紳積極活動，由光緒二十七年(1901)到辛亥革命(1911)的10年間，天津掀起了辦學高潮。據《天津縣新志》載： 1911年天津已有高等學堂4所(北洋大學堂、北洋法政學堂、北洋醫(yī)學堂、直隸高等工業(yè)學堂); 中學9所，小學六七十所，還有被稱為實業(yè)學堂的電報學堂、商業(yè)學堂、藝徒學堂等9所； 專門招收女學生的北洋高等女學堂、北洋女師、長蘆女醫(yī)學堂、女子公學、普育女學堂，5所私立女子小學堂、10所官立女子小學堂和蒙養(yǎng)院(幼兒園)20多所，以及半日學堂、半夜學堂多所。社會文化教育機構也有所發(fā)展，陸續(xù)建立了天津圖書館、博物館、宣講所、閱報處等，使天津的教育事業(yè)有了好的開端。
地方自治。光緒三十二年(1906),袁世凱遵照朝廷關于“預備立憲” 的指令，命天津知府凌福彭設立“天津府自治局” 。先后設立“地方自治研究所” 、“自治學會” 、“天津縣自治期成會” ,天津縣以投票方式選舉議員30名，組成“天津縣議事會” 。
On August 15,1902,Yuan Shikai,Governor-Generalof Zhili,came to Tianjin from Beijing. He led hissubordinates to take over the power of Dutong Yamen.All the flags of the invader countries fell down,whichrepresented the end of Dutong Yamun`s 2-year colonialrule in Tianjin. Yuan Shikai promoted his "New Deal"with Tianjin as its basis.
Before Yuan Shikai was the Governor-General ofZhili,he practiced his army at Xiaozhan in Tianjin,andadopted the military skills of Japan and Germany. Healso founded military schools to train new-style officers.The Wuwei army was equipped with infantry,cavaly,artillery,engineering,logistics,and modern weapons.The army was the best during that period.
After the takeover of Tianjin,Yuan Shikaitransfer the former patrol to police bureau. He moved3000 policemen from Baoding to Tianjin. The policebureau was divided into south and north parts,whichwere in charge of the areas to the south and north ofJingang Bridge separately. Baoding and Tianjin policeschool joined together to form the Northern PoliceSchool,which cultivated many police officers. Later,he built teams of river policemen,cavalry policemen,secret policemen and firemen. In 1905,he built patrolpolicemen at outskirt of Tianjin. Tianjin was the firstcity with police bureau.
Yuan Shikai ordered Tianjin Alternate MagistrateZhou Xuexi to develop trade and business in HebeiDistrict,Tianjin. Zhou Xuxi was active in setting upNorthern Silver Bureau (later enlarged to Mint GeneralBureau). In 1903,he founded Zhili Industrial GeneralBureau at Caochang`an,southeast of Tianjin. It hadaffiliations such as Industrial School,ApprenticeFactory,and Evaluation Factory. To exchange businessinformation,he set up Business Study Association,Industrial and Business Lecture Forum,etc. to promotemodern enterprise. Later,he opened the Northern PaperMill and Quanye Iron Factory.
Promoted by the Industrial General Bureau,many factories set up by businessmen and assisted bygovernment appeared in Tianjin,such as Tianjin Dyingand Sewing Factory,Soap Factory,Huashi Beer Factory,Haibei Salt Factory,Wanyi Wool Factory,ToothpasteFactory,Glass Factory,and so on. This was the so-called Northern Industry,which played an active role incultivating technicians for the development of nationalcapitalism in early Tianjin.
During Qing Dynasty,public schools were builtby the city or county governments. There were alsoacademies,family schools and donated school set up bythe private. Li Hongzhang constructed several modernschools,although most stopped operation during theSino-Japanese War from 1894 to 1895. After the war,he established Beiyang Western styled University,thefirst university in China. Gao Lingxiao and several localesquires built a middle school on the previous site ofHuiji Academy. Later,a public middle school was builtthere,as the No. 1 School of the province,now the No 3Middle School,or Lingdanggao Middle School.
Yuan set up the Department of Schools toadministrate the education of the whole province.Tianjin County Yamen established School PromotionOffice,responsible for the middle and primary schoolsin Tianjin County. He also founded Tianjin EducationAssociation,responsible for the evaluation andcoordination of education in Tianjin. Promoted by thegovernments of county,city and province,Yan Fansun,Lin Moqing,Gao Lingxiao and Wen Shilin participatedin founding schools. According to the Tianjin NewAnnals,Tianjin had four universities in 1911: BeiyangUniversity,Beiyang Law and Politics School,BeiyangMedical School,and Zhili Industrial School. There were9 middle schools and about 60-70 primary schools. Italso had 9 industrial schools such as telegraphy school,business school,apprentice school. There were girlschools such as Beiyang Woman University,ChangluWoman Medical School,Public School for Girls,PuyuWoman School,5 private primary schools for girls,10public schools for girls,20 kindergartens,several half-day schools and evening schools. With the developmentof culture and education institutions,Tianjin built library,museum,lecture hall,newspaper reading sites,and soon.
In 1906,Yuan followed the court`s decision on"Preparatory Constitutialization" and ordered Tianjinmayor Ling Fupeng to set up the Tianjin AutonomousBureau,and then,Autonomy Academy. The TianjinCouncil was created by voting. of 30 members.