The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-19
Manchu Conference.

Picking. Jan. 19.-The princes Of
the imperial clan. several leading
Manchu cials and members OF the
government, had protracted confer
ence this morning with the dowager
empress at the palace. but again sep
arated without arriving at a decision
OF the question Of abdication.
The leading princes favored an un-
conditional abdication Of the throne.
The three younger princes, together
with Tieh-Liagg. former Tartar gem
eral OF Marking would not. however.
agree to the courts retirement to
Jehol. although he didn't suggest an
alternative.
The ex-regent, Prince Chun. and the
former premier. Prince Ching. visited
Premier Yuan Shi Kai this afternoon
and had long conference with him.
1t appears the court hasn't produced
the gold It promised to provide, and
the imperial soldiers don't show any
anxiety to fight for glory
"A rising in the capital has been look.
% Tor many times in the last few
months and precautions have been
taken In anticipation of it-needlessly.
however and the outbreak may not 90.
cur tomorrow.
A placard indicates that the Manchu
threats may be fulfilled. It calls up.
on all local Manchus and Chinese to
resist the abdication of the emperor to
the death.
Tho street near the Office of the Chi.
nese foreign board. at which Yuan Shi
kai resides. is heavily guarded by the
premier's own men. Of whom it is said
there are $500. Many Chinese who
have not yet deserted the city are pre-.
pairing for flight tomorrow and promi.
nent followers of Yuan are taking re.
fuge outside their own homes tonight,
SYS
they will not be found.
Charges that Yuan Shi Kai has been
disloyal to the Manchus. although pre-.
tending to support them. are attracting
the attention OF foreigners. as we'll as
Manchus and Chinese. Some of the
revolutionaries have long been saying
that he was working for the overthrow
1t has been thought that this charge
was designed discredit the premier
with the Manchus. Others accuse
Yuan OF working for his own interests
and say he intended to become dicta.
tor. if he did not assume the throne.
The impertalists who distrust him
point out that he has persistently with.
drawn his army, although the trained
imperialist troops could easily disperse
the unframed army from Nanking waa
at Yuan Shi Kais orders.
Even after obtaining sufficient mon.
ey from the empress doWager and tho
princes for months campaign and
after a request by the generals that
they be permitted to fight, Premier
Yuan continues to withdraw his forces.
The proposition which he is now max.
ing to WI Ting Fang. the republican
minister of Justice. Is thought to be
tantamount to a dictatorship. 1t is
understood that he offers a compro-
mise of abdicaion If the government 10
left in his hands until properly
elected national assembly shall decide
the form of government.
Some Of Yuan's right hand men are
Cantonese and other southerners from
provinces which are recognized as reb-
ell. and several of his immediate sup.
porters do not attempt to hide their
nti-Manchu feelings.
Whether the suspicious against the
premier are false or true. they are
given sufficient credence to cause the
organization of naturalization bodies.
against which Yuan Shi Kai has been
compelled to take measures of defense.
and 1t Is authoritatively stated that the
dynamite bomb outrage against his life
was the work Of Manchu faction.
So complex indeed is the situation
that the foreign ministers no longer
attempt to elucidate It for their gov.
ernments.