The Washington times., 1912-08-20
PRESIDENT YUAN, OF
CHINA, PREPARES TO
MEET RESISTANCE
Surrounds Himself With
Troops-Civil War
Threatens.

PEKING, Aug. 20.-President Yuan
Shi Kai made vigorous preparations to-
day to meet whatever trouble may de-
velop for him out of the execution Of
Sun Yat Sens friends, Generals Chang
Tsen-Chu and Feng Wei whom he had
shot last week when they accepted his
invitation to come to Peking from up
country to talk politics with him.
Strong forces of troops were on duty
everywhere. The presidential head
quarters in particular was surrounded.
Street gatherings were broken up scores
of times during the day. Members Of
the advisory council and of the national
assembly, in both of which there are
anti-presidential majorities, were under
surveillance.
A reign of terror prevails in the city
No prominent man of republican affilia-
tions considers himself safe. Even
though Yuan may hesitate to arrest and
have them executed with a pretense of
tornality. as calculated to aggrevate the
situation farther, they are afraid he
will have his soldiers attack their
houses and kill them, after which they
think it likely enough that he will pun
ish the assassins.
Fears Assassination.
1t is of assassination that Yuan
himself is most in fear-with excel
lent reason No one whom he is not
absolutely sure he can trust, is al
lowed to approach him and he does
not dare to venture owt of doors even
under guard. Everyone arriving in
the city either by rail or by boat Is
suspected as dare to die" and close
ly watched until the police are salts
fed that nothing is to be feared from
him-or her. for some of the most
aSn art hnT h-t hrn r.
ing the revolution we're women.
Unless he should be assassinated.
Yuan has the whip hand in the north.
He has a well-trained army and the
troops are loyal to him. The north
ern people, unlike the southern, care
little what form of government they
live under so long as they. are not
taxed too heavily and Yuan, in antici-
patton of some such crisis as the pres
ent, has been careful not to antag-
onize them.
predominate in about one half of
China, are to overthrow the president,
they can only do 1T by making war
on Yuan's northern army and who
Ii His Enemy.
One extremely valuable friend whom
Yuan has turned into a formidable
enemy, is Vice President Ii Yuan
Hung. Generals Chang and Feng
were of LIS military command in
Hupeh province and as soon as he
nets nest by having the two generals
killed. Yuan sought to shift the re-
sponsibility upon Ii. who refused to
accep accept it. Tho Though IT is said Lii has
from the first he has co-operated with
him Loyalty. Henceforward he will
undoubtedly oppose him.
Ii Yuan Hung was the first military
hero OF the revolution. He led tho
publican troops who overthrew the i'm
perialists at Hankow, and was pro-
republic of Han, giving away later to
Sun Yat Sen, who, in turn. gave way
to Yuan Shi ,Kai; Both by foreigners
and Chinese he Is probably the most
is regarded as possessing ability equal
to Yuan. without his triCkiness and
cruelty, and all of Sun Yat Sens sin.
common sense which manv think Sun
lacks, and certainly with vastly greater
administrative and military experience.
In the event of civil war between
north ana SOUTH General Ii would un-
doubtedlv command against Yuan, and
foreign military experts, as we'll as the
Chinese, agree that there is not an
abler soldier in the country.
Dr.. Sun At Sea.
Confirmation of rumors that Sun Vat
Sen has been killed is lacking here, nor
Is the story believed. So far as can be
learned Sun is at sea somewhere be-
tween Shanghai and Tientsin. on his
way to the capital 1t IS agreed. how
ever. that from the moment he lands
he will be in the utmost danger.
Though in the long run 1T is the con-
census OF opinion Yam has made. a
capital blunder. indications are that
he has brought about a temporary sit
uation which will make easy the estab-
lishment OF the dictatorship. at which
lie is believed to have been aiming
Even the view that his course will
prove finally to have been mistaken is
dissented from bv foreign residents of
China, who. as traders interested solely
in the stability of business, have all
along favored the presidents stron-
hand policy. and still hope he will make
"a success of 1t.