Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12

nent. and diplomats We're warned not to
take sides with the Manchus.
The Chinese government appears to be
quite prepared to deal with any situation
Of violence which might occur Seven
thousand native troops in Marking, whose
loyalty was suspected, were deprived of
ammunition and the bolts and bayonets
Of their rifles withdrawn. On the other
hand there remained in Marking eight
thousand loyal troops, whose fidelity 10
the government was guarantee of
peace and the maintenance of order Ii
is affirmed in official circles that notwith-
standing the many dispatches reporting
violence it is largely due to fear, and
that for fact there is no serious unrest
in China.
The evolution and transformation OF
China will, in the course of events. be at
tended by incidents which
CnlneSe may temporarily cause
rh,..o disorder, but that any
serious trouble is appre-
hended there is little cause to fear
A dispatch from Picking, dated June 6
announced that delegates Of the pro-
Vlnc1al assemblies which had gathered in
Peklng proposed to address a memorial
TO the throne demanding the immediate
convocation Of the national parliament
which, as we have seen, had been de-
ferred by the late empress dowager to the
nine years period of preparation-that is
in 1915
The delegates have determined not 10
leave the capital until their demand is
granted. That they mean what they say
is apparent from the fact that Eight OF
their number are pledged to suicide in
the event Of Prince Chun, the regent, re-
fusing to accede''
The occidental is doomed to eternal
ignorance OF the orientafs soul, for the
former may vainly seek to learn what
extraordinary bliss may come to Kim in
the convocation of a parliament which he
may not await for five short years, which
the wise old empress dowager would en-
pioy by school Of preparation. What,
indeed, has come into the slow and pa
t1ent mind OF the oriental that he should
no longer wish to make haste slowly? At
any rate. the Chinaman rarely does
Things without backing these things up.
In this case the merchants want the par
lament at once, and they are behind the
provincial assemblies with refusal to
pay the stamp tax until the regent comes
to their way of thinking. Prince Chun is
in dilemma
The famous Hankow- Szechuen railway
loan agreement was signed May -. The
agreement provides for a loan to the
Chinese government of $50 COO 600 for rail-
road construction. The signers are repre-
sentatives of financial groups of France,
Great Britain, Germany and the United
States. Thus the United States, which
was well nigh counted out of participa-
ton in the loan, has come in for a share
X
The agreement assures equality Of
treatment to the four groups in the dis
tribution Of supplies: in
Railroad addition. the American
Aoraemar+ group is given suben-
gineer. The American
group will build 200 kilometers OF the
Ichang branch and 400 kilometers of the
Sze-Chuen railroad. The British group is
better favored in being accorded the en-
gineering rights for the Hankow-Canton
sections; the Germans the engineering
rights for the Hu-Peh loop. The facilities
for tenders Of manufacturers and ma
terials are shared proportionally.
1t will be recalled that the Hankow-Sze
Chuen loan agreement has been the sub
ject Of much diplomatic correspondence
since a year more, when the cables an
nounced China's agreement with British
German and French banks for the loan Of
$27. 500, 900 for the construction of the fore
mentioned road. An American syndicate
which had obtained the concession of this
road in 1898 was not in it at all. Secre-
tary Knox indicated to the Picking gov
eminent the singularity of the proceeding.
China was willing to make amends, but
the interested powers were unwilling to
let go the cake they had carried off.
President Taft finally interposed in behalf
of the discounted American bankers by
sending a strong note of protest to the
prince regent, who promptly assured the
Department of State that justice would
be done and that America should be ac-
corded her share. But how? The whole
loan had been distributed and there was
nothing left! Where there is a will there
is way. The Chinese government very
politely increa sed the loan to $30.O00,OO0.
and this was divided in four shares with
other concessions of a material character
and thus the agreement signed on the oath
ultimo concludes affair which at one
time threatened the peace of China, Eu-
rope and America.
Has the matter been entirely conclud-
ed? A cable from Paris on the 9th ul-
timo expressed some doubt.
~
Another dispatch Of recent date from
Picking affords assurance that they are
thinking of real progress
PROGRESS sion there, rather than
g., making trouble. BY edict
00oAeu' was announced the es-
tablishment throughout China OF
national decimal coinage and the abol-
ishment, at the same time, of all coming
by provincial mints. The new currency
is to be on the basis Of seven mace two
candareens to the dollar, and is to con-
sist of coins of the following denomina-
tions: Dollar, fifty cents, twenty-five and
ten cents minted in silver, five cents
minted in nickel, and cash minted in
copper
The establishment of national coinage
in China is in compliance with the treaty
of September s. 1902. in which the Chi
nese government pledged itself to adopt