The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10
CHINESE WILL RULE THEIR OWN COUNTRY Manchus Have Been Swept
 From Power
 KAI IS VERY ABLE MAN Before Becoming Premier and Throw
KAI IS VERY ABLE MAN
Before Becoming Premier and Throw in His Power to Manchus He Stripped Them of All Power.
 4 Remarkable Edict

Shanghai, China, December 9.-(Spe- iaD.-Though the rebellion is in no after ruling China since 164O have been swept from power, and no matter which side is crowned victor, henceforth the Chinese will rule their own country. This paradoxical statement is explained by the abject manifesto granting abso- lute power to the national assembly, governing body of native Chinese, and by the appointment of Yuan Shih Kai. Chinese, as premier, with a Chinese and navy under Chinese officers The fight at present, while it appears on the surface to be between the Manchus and the rebels, is, in reality, a struggle between those Chinamen who favor q republic and those who favor restrict ed monarchy, as the best means of ic- juvenating the Empire. It is not im- probable that the negotiations between Yuan Shih Kai. premier and exponent of restricted monarchy, and General Ii Yuan Hung, leader of the rebels and champion of republican form of gov ernment, will terminate the struggle within the next few weeks.
 Yuan Shih kai, by many able judges considered the ablest living Chinese, is the premier. Before throwing his strength to the Manchus, who only a few years ago stripped him of all pow CT and sent him into retirement, he in :n turn stripped them of power and sent them into retirement. He has sur rounded himself with able lieutenants, all Chinese so far. The Prince Regent turn stripped them of power and behalf of the baby emperor renounced all power and at the same time con- ferred that power upon the national assembly.
 This edict is the most remarkable document in the history of China. To any one familiar with Manchu charac- ter and especially with the proud and
 mperious character of the ruling classes 1t will be all the more amazing. It's utter abjectness shows to what eX- tremity the throne was reduced. Yuan Shin Kai made the conditions: The throne could only consent.
 This isn't the first time Yuan has i3umb1ed the present clique of Manchn princes For years, when the old Elm peror Dowager, Tsi An, and the young Emperor who died three years ago, were IulliS. I udu was lHle poWeT III Picking. Acting in concert with tho famous old Empress Dowager he kept the little Manchu prinnces off the payroll actually, they were penniless and powerless. But the death of the Enb- press Dowager and the Emperor caused a swift change. The present regent, and his son, the baby emperor of today, came into power The splendid body of Chinese that Yuan had placed in cb of nffina of course, at the head of them The new powers to be hated Yuan and every one associated with him. ~So a sleping giant that was being slowly aroused. China, with her indolent and infantile new rulers went back to sleep it was a complete reversion. It was too com plete; even China noticed it.
 The result was the upheavel at Wu- chang. 1t found the whole Chinese na- ton in sympathy with it. The fact that the Chinese for once were united spelled the end of Mancllu rule and the throne was quick to realize it.
 Until very recently there has been little of what is known in America as patriotism, or national feeling in China If man was from Hupeh he was a Hupeh man. Or he was Cantonese, or a Szchuenese. He was a loyal to his province. His ancestors were buried there and wander where he might it was always his idea to go back to his native province for burial among his forefathers. But in the last few years while there has been no diminuton of ancestor worship, nor of devotion to the native province, there has been develop ing a strong national feeling. Many thousands of independent Chinese news papers have sprung up. The granting Of a constitutional form of government with parliament, provincial assemblies and so on, the spreading of railroads, telegraphs and a modern postal service over the empire-all these things have tended to weld the empire together, so that when the rebellion came the news spread fast to every part of the country.
 The revolutionary organization was ready at all strategic points and tue turn over" as the Chinese describe it by turning their hand from palm 10 palm down, was accompanied without 5loodshed in city after city. The revo- iutionaries simply notified the consular bodies where such existed, and the Chi nese officials, that they would take charge at certain hour, and that for eigners would Be given every protection and when the hour came they tooh charge.
 As sample of their readiness it may be mentioned that the first proclama-
 
 cl leader guaranteeing safety to for cigners, advising the people to continue their business pursuits peacefully and without turbulence as though nothing were transpiring, and refusing to honor the government currency, were written by him three years ago in Japan
 They are several factions or parties among the Chinese. The revolutionists call themselves republicans and have established a provisional government Negotiations between the rebel leaders and Yuan Shin Kai. are now in prog ress. Probably the best thing for China, at the present time, would be to permit the present dynasty to con tinue on the throne but without power "a limited monarchy with the national and provincial assemblies, a strong cab inet and so on. Later on a republic, perhaps A sudden and radical change might now, considering the conditions of the patient, prove fatal. Almost surely it would bring chaos.
 But no matter (maskee as the Chi nese say) which way it goes, limited monarchy or republic, the Manchus are done the iron hand about the Chinese throat has been stricken away and it