New-York tribune., 1911-12-03
MILITARY SEDITlON RIFE.


greatest danger lay i'm the question ot
the loyalty Of its troops. Those stationed
along the Yang-Tse Valley had shown
themselves TO be untrustworthy. Many
of those who had not openly reNolted
refused to fight. which was almost as
bad. and the spirit Of sedition was so
apparent among thousands of others
that they had to be disarmed. Even
this. however. did not make the cause ol
the throne hopeless. There were still
thousands of troops in the north Of
China who might prove loyal In fact'
the army which went TO recapturc Han
kow was composed of these northern
troops. and they seemed entirely willing
10 fight. Presently, however. certain
northern troops adopted a new attitude,
made political demands upon the throne
and gained tremendous concessions.
Their part is a separate chapter, as 1t
was most important and was the turning
point Of the whole movement.
While stirring events were occurring
in the southwark, the second annual
meeting of the TIE Cheng yuan. or the
National Assembly, took place in Peking
This body, an experimental forerunner
Of the promised parliament, consists or
delegates from all the provinces, half Of
them elected by the provincial assent
blies and the rest appointed by the CEN
tral government The attitude Of this
sanf-ll
ment was of the utmost importance.
Scarcely had the first meeting been held
when it was seen that the attitude of
the body was distinctly belligerent.
The first incident Of importance con-
cerned ono Sheng Hsuan-huai. Minister
of communications, who was held re-
sponsible for the governments Sze-
Chuen railway policy. He was no more
personally responsible than the other
members of the Cabinet. nor even than
the throne itself, for all Of his actions
had been sanctioned first by the Cabinet
and then by imperial edict. But the As
scmbly impeachcd him in the bittcrest
manner. II was really an impeachment
of the throne itself
INSIST ON SHENG S DISMISSAL.
The Assembly struck hard. 1t de-
manded Shengs dismissal and de-
manded that it be handed in at once
Members threatened to leave the city if
an answer were not forthcoming from
the throne by the following day. This
was alarming. The influential members
of the Assembly were powerful men with
great powers for revolution, and their
that they would go back to their re-
spective PROVINCES to foment rebellion.
So the government succumbed. Sheng
was dismissed as ANONYMOUSLY as could
be. 1t was an important capitulation OF
the throne, and IrcsaGed further trouble.
1t was also a shameless act, showing
lack Of courage and fatlAiulness. as
Shene was the most able Of all the min
listers. But the government was alarmed
over the progress Of events in the south
and was willing to make a scapegoat
even Of the venerable Sheng
Quickly following up this notable vic
tory the National Assembly made fur
ther demands upon the throne. Now.
indeed. was the situation becoming Sc
ricus for the Manchus. With revolution
rapidly spreading throughout the south,
and the temper Of the people rising
steadily. it was apparent that there was
real danger. Reports came up from the
South that il was Manchu heads the
rebels were after, not merely constitu-
tiCnal government and political reforms.
There were other substantial indicat tions
that the rebels planned a separate gov.
ernment south Of the Yang-Tsc, consti-
tuting a division of the empire The
National Assembly assumed an impor-
tant role never intended for it. The body
has no real legislative powers granted
t. IT by any edict or law, but during the
last fortnight it has come into such n
powerful position through its moral in
fuenco upon the throne that it is to-
day as powerful rs if it Were regu-
larly constituted parliament.
The Assembly quickly demanded a
constitution. Il representative Cabinet Ia
which no members Of the imperial clan
or The royal blood should have place
a daring prOposition-and pardon for
certain political offenders. men who es-
capped from the decapitation party held
for reformers by the Empress Dowager
in 1898. These demands were bold and
forreaching.
The real crisis Was brought about
however. l., action from a totally unex-
pccted quarter Ou October ~ the