New-York tribune., 1909-03-08
ALL CHINA AWAKENED
PEOPLE WANT REFORMS.
Possible Reasons for the Dismissal
of Yuan Shi Kdi.

Pekin9 Feb 4-Whatever the actual reasons may
be for the dismissal last January of Yuan Shi kai
from the office OF grand councillor-and there are
several courses of redsoning to account for this
step on the part Of Prince Chun, the regent-lt is
generally conceded that the prince. judged accord
ing to Chinese precedent. acted with rare sencon-
troll in not putting the councillor to death No out
side observer knows just what prompted the prince
to dismiss the councillor, and the truth Will De
revealed only by skilful political deductions from
events to come in the mean time the three pos
sble reasons any one of which may have led TO
the removal Of Yuan Shi Kai. may be set down as
follows
Yuan Shi Kai in command Of the Chinese
army the Pe-Chi-Li. capital province, In lSSS
the year Of political crisis in the life OF the
late Emperor Kuang Hsu He sided with the EN-
press and furnished to her the troops which mace
It possible for her to dethrone the emperor anu
take the reins Of government into her own hands
The Emperor deeply resented what he regarded as
his betrayal by Yuan shi Kali and 1t has been
freely said that II he had survived the Empress
his first official would have been an order TOT
the execution Of Yuan Sh Kai Prince Chun' the
present regent, is younger brother OF huang Hsu
and he felt called to resent this insult onered
to his dead brother in 1898. His action in simply
dismissing Yuan Shi Kai from office seems all the
milder when 1t is remembered that Ii Hung Chang
for far less serious offence in the eyes OF the
Chinese people was openly disgraced and stripped
of all his official honors and titles.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE JAPANESE
Another view is that Yuan shi Kai in his efforts
for reform-he was a determined and practical re-
former-made enemies among the Conservatives
and that they. together with the Japanese COM
passed his downfall. Yuan Shi Kai opposed the
Japanese in Manchura. and they are said TO have
appealed TO the family sentiment of Prince Chun
and his duty to his dead brother TO put Yuan Shl
Kai out of the way promising in return to support
his policies. II this is the right view reversioh
to reaction may be looked for.
A third view is that Yuan Shi kai's retirement
is in part personal. He aroused deep-seated jeal-
ousies by his aggression and consciousness OF his
own fancied Importance to the empire, with the
result that many of the palace clique were eager
10 against him from reasons of spite Chinese
doctors say that Yuan Shi Ka has had slight
attack of paralysis ard is not at the present time
able walk unaided.
The next six months will Begin to disclose which
of these Views is correct. Reports OF continued
progress and any Indication that Yuan Shi Kai
may be recalled Will indicate the accuracy Of the
first deduction; If reaction sets in, the second view
is probably correct. but II there is no Teversion
toward reactonary measures and Yuan Shi Kai IS
recalled. then the third view would seem TO be
right
The outlook for reform and progress throughout
the empire is however, considered good by OBJ
servers whose long residence in China and intimate
knowledge of affairs give weight to their deduc-
tions. Much of the hopeful feeling is based the
personality OF the Prince Regent Chun is the first
ruler Of China who has been abroad. He is
OF Western learning, speaks and reads English
Teduly anu mas sustained lot some years lIIS
reputation OF an honest and progressive He
undoubtedly has real ability. and is believed TO
have a far higher standard OF honesty in public
affairs than that which has prevailed in China in
the past. There is TO believe that the pres
administration has thought Of deviating
from the path OF progress marked out bp Yuan Shih
kai or Of even slackening its pace in the reform
march.
ALL NEWSPAPERS URGE REFORM.
A second and more important fact is that China
, already has entered period of reform. Pe-Chf-
II Province has nine thousand schools. and these
least aiming Western education. In the
empire a whole there must be from thirty thou
sand TO forty thousand such schools. The anti
opium struggle is on, and public sentiment this
question is beginning to find expression in every
village in China. 1t is safe 10 that the new
regency in all probability will adopt more strenuous
efforts than did the Empress Dowager for the sup
preston of the cultivation and the use of opium
throughout the empire Government by graft no
longer finds its defender and humiliation the
opium traffic and the corruption of officials is
slowly turning into condemnation. The railroads
have demonstrated their advantages, and the
Chinese are eager for them. Postofices steadily
multiplying. Every Chinese newspaper is
advocating reform. and there is not a single re-
dictionary journal in the empire Furthermore, the
young men Of China committed 10 reform. 1t
would be sheer impossbility to tear up the rail-
road tracks, close all the schools, suppress the
newspapers. lead all the people back TO the old
acquiescence in opium destroy all the young
who have caught gmpses of Western civilization,
shut out foreign commerce and uproot missions
The vast empire is in motion. and the chances
that Il will continue to move in the direction in
which 1t is going to-day. In the event of a re
version to reactionary the question would
not be what would become of China. but what
would become Of the reactionaries. No group OF
dictionaries could stand long in front OF the awak
ened sensibiIities OF the people.
HAMS sane. SAYS WIFE.