The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-09
MENACE TO
PEACE
uASTY ACTION OF CHINESE
REGENT MAY CAUSE
q
TROUBLE.
WAN Shin Kai's Dismissal Not TO
Be Overlooked by Diplomats.
$ Apprehension of Natives Sur
passes Even That Felt by For
eigners in Pekin.

Peking, Jan. 5.-Following the dis
missal from office of Yuan Shih Kai,
grand counsellor and commander-in-
chief of the forces, and the appoint
ment of Ma Tung as grand counsellor.
an edict has been issued appointing
LANG Tun Yen, customs tao tai, to
the position thus made vacant on the
foreign board.
The British and American ministers
agreed that the dismissal of Yuan
Shin Kai should not pass unnoticed.
The American, British, German and
Japanese ministers met again at the
American legation, Sir John Jordan,
the British minister, joining with Mr..
Rockhill, the American minister, in
submitting an outline of representa-
tons which should be made to the
foreign board.
The ministers disagree on the ques-
ton as to whether the welfare of
foreign interests is technically in
volved by the regents recent action,
but they agree that peace is endan-
gered. The representatives of Great
Britain, the United States and Ger.
many view the regents action as tan
tamount to an affront to the powers
on account of Yuan Shin Kais posi-
ton abroad. He is recognized as the
medium of fair and equitable treat
ment toward the nations.
interference Unlikely.
The dissenting ministers believe
that unless other serious events occur
interference would not be justified
Japan concurs in the opinion that the
dismissal is certain to result in in.
ternational injury, but that represen
tations to China would be difficult
There is a marked lack of unanimity
among the diplomats.
The courts action fortnight age
in increasing the palace troops and
forbidding the entrance TO the palace
even of the highest officials, without
passes, was taken as an indication al
that time of the alarm felt in court
circles, and it is now believed that
there was fear also of an anti-dynas
tic plot.
The government has intimated its
intention of making public the i'm
parchment, giving details of Yuan
Shin Kai's alleged intrigue upon which
his dismissal was based. According
ia reliable information the impeach
ment is framed on charges against
Yuan Shin Kai in connection with the
coup d'etat of 1898. when the. regency
of the dowager empress was restored
and reactionary policy inaugurated
The flight of Kang Yu Wal, the re
former, occurred at this time.
Suffering From MaIady.
The last minister who saw Yuar
Shin Kai at the foreign board on De
cember % states that he was at thai
time suffering from no malady, but
the reason given for his dismissal was
that he is afflicted with rheumatism
The foreign ministers agree that Yuar
Shin Kai's restoration is impossible
in eliminating him cannot be recalled
Liang Tun Yen's appointment only
serves to increase the feeling of pes
simism at the legations, as Yuan Shlt
Kai exercised an authority with the
viceroys and governors which was his
alone and which the foreign board, nc
matter what it's composition, cannot
now retain.
Yuan Shih Kai must leave Picking
within four or five days. Consterna
ton among the Chinese surpasses thai
felt by the foreign residents. Many d
the supporters of the former viceroJ
are panic-stricken. 1t is probable thai
among the first changes both Yam Sh
Slang, the viceroy of Chi Ii, with
Prince Ching, president of the boare
of foreign affairs, will be removed
There is the keenest interest as to the
fate of Prince Tang Shao Yi's mission
to the United States, in which the
source of his authority has now beer
relieved.