The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-01-12

Ceived anonymous letters warning
them OF approaching revolution. The
delegates held a meeting and decided
remain in Pekin. The remainder
about a hundred. returned to their
homes.
In the meantime steps had been ta
ken to call an assembly destined to
succeed where the delegates had fail
ed. The nine year program provided
for the Inauguration during the third
year of a national assembly to meet
at Pekin and to serve as a training
ground for the future parliament. Ac
cordingly, on March II, 1910, the eleC
tion Of members began, and on May
5, 1910, an edict was issued giving a
list of those nominated by the throne
Further, the assembly was brought
together as an advisory body pure and
simple. This was clearly laid down in
it's regulations and was emphasized
by the prince regent when he opened
the assembly Oct. 3, the underlying
theory of his speech being that what
ever measure of popular government
the throne had decided to allow was
granted as a gift and not as a right
The entire session, however, was q
fiat contradiction Of this theory On
Oct. % the assembly appointed a com
mite of six to draft a memorial de
manding an earlier convocation OF
parliament
The confidence of the assembly
to impeach the grand councillors, and
next TO demand the formation Of a re
sponsible cabinet. The Impeachment
failed. but the demand for a cabinet
succeeded On Dec %, a few days
before the assembly was dissolved. ar
edict ordered a cabinet to be formed
In May, 1911, the cabinet came into
existence and article II Of its consti
tuition stated that laws, imperia
rescripts, and imperial edicts having
reference to state affairs shall bt
countersigned by all the ministers o
state"
The Revolution.
The meeting OF the national assem-
bly, this year has conceded so aptly
with the outbreak of revolution tha
there is good reason for supposing tina
the two events were planned to talk,
place simultaneously. BE that as /
may, the immediate occasion of rebel
lion was the edict of May 9 last ma
tionalizing all the trunk railways. The
railway question had been an acut,
one ever since June, 1909. when three
financial groups, the Deutsch-Asia
tische bank the Hongkong and Shan
ghai bank and the Banque de lIndo
| Chine. made preliminary agreemen
with the late grand councillor, Chan,
/ Chih-tung. TO lend the Chinese gov
ernment s275Oo, 900 to enable it 4
/ build a railway from Canton to Han
/ kow and from Hankow TO Ichang Ov
/ ing TO various difficulties the LOAF
hung fire till May last year, when
was finally arranged and signed.
The government appeared to be get
ting the rebellion in hand. when o
/ Oct. IL news reached Pekin that WI
f, chang. which is just opposite HankoV
had been captured by rebels and tina
the viceroy had fed. On the follow
ing day Hanyang was taken, togethe
with the arsenal in Hankow. and
became clear that the long expecte
anti.Nanchu revolution had at las
broken out under the military leade
ship of Brig. Gen Ii Yuan Heng, n n;
tive of Hupeh, educated in Tientsil
and the civilian leadership Of Huan
I Tanghauling. president Of the Hupe
provincial assembly. and Sunyu. brotl
er OF Or. Sun Vat Sen. the famou
Cantonese revolutionary.
With extraordinary rapidity th
torch OF revolution has been hande
from province to province. and no
flares from nearly every city Of In
portance. In the midst OF these event
the national assembly met au'
through them. the revolutionary
have been able TO snatch everi We
tige Of power from the throne