The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-25
The Republic of China
IX.-General Ii Yuan-hung.
BY Frederic J. Haskin

| friendly, easy manners which put
humber Chinese at ease and Whicn
take well with the foreigners. Great
good nature is one of his unfailing,
traits. Optimism abounds in him.
But there Is no suggestion of the
easy going man who a be handled.
Everything about him portrays the
leader of men, the man of action, the
keen thinker, the skilled campaigner.
A strict adherence to military du-
ties kept him free from that civil
officialism which has spoiled so many
good Chinese, eve though its tradi-
tional Squeeze" enriched them. Gem
eral Ii talks English very well, and Is
immensely popular with foreigners.
He had several foreign instructors
under him during the revolution. One
was Colonel Arthur G. Sharpley, OF
Manila, formerly a lieutenant in the
United States army. General Ii Is a
firm friend of the missionaries, and
intends to SEND his two boys and three
girls to college in the United States.
When the revolt was prematurely
touched off all of Lii Yuan-hung's men
n most of his officers went over to
the new cause for which they had
pCCI WI Ming ocNICtly loI IHOIlllS. AS
an advocate of modern methods and
an ardent friend of the people Lii
sympathized with the movement, but
felt that the time was not ripe for
such a gigantic undertaking. Ger
tainly, he had no thought Of leading
the rebellion. The leader Of insur-
gency in that section was Liu King, a
young scholar in his twenties, but
lately returned from Japan, where he
became a convert of DR.. Sun Vat Sen.
Liu King picked Ii Yuan-hung to lead
the "army of h people," and the
blood curdling way in which he made
the reluctant Ii see the light pro-
vided n of the many thrilling Incl
dents of the remarkable revolution
which followed.
Liu King and six men armed with
swords met Lii Yuan-hung in a mail
room. The army colonel refused point
blank to command the rebel forces.
Liu King raised his hand and the
soldiers stepped forward. Six glisten-
ing swords pressed against his bare
neck. Liu King again offered the
dangerous honor. For the second time
! Ii refused. The honor was too great
for such a humble man, he mumb!ed.
Someone else should have it, etc. The
short, slim swords then nipped the
flesh. Fol the last time he was urged
to take up the task, another refusal
meaning instant decapitation. LII
saved his head. He did more thar
that. He saved a great cause and led
a worthy people out of the wilderness.
The civilized world soon realized
that a new great man had appeared.
1t was seer that General LII Yuan
hung was not only a successful soldier
but a statesman, a humanitarian. His
course throughout was marked by
moderation, by a desire for peace, by
a wish that all his people might be
free, united and happy. Witness his
celebrated edict. his first. issued when
he took command of the rebellion, a
document which proclaimed to the
world that New China had come to
stay:
Il am to dispel the Manchu govern
ment and to revive the rights of the
Han people. Let all keep orderly and
not disorderly military discipline. The
rewards of merit and the punishment
Of crime are as follows: Those who
conceal any government officials are
" bS IbSlSouSN. IIoSC II IIlliiSN II
juries on foreigners are to be be-
headed. Those who deal unfairly with
the merchants are to be beheaded.
Those who interrupt are to
be beheaded. Those who give way to
slaughter, burning, adultery are to be
beheaded. Those who attempt to close
the markets are to be beheaded. Those
who supply the troops with foodstuffs
LIN ,--N.
ammunition are to be highly reward
ed. Those who can afford protection
to the foreign concessions are to be
very highly rewarded. Those who
guard the churches are to be highly
rewarded. Those who can lead the
people to submission are to be highly
rewarded. Those who can encourage
the country people to join will be re-
Warded. Those who give information
as to the movements of the enemy are
to b rewarded. Those who maintain
the prosperity of m are to be
rewarded. The Eighth Moor of the
46o9th year Of the Huang Dynasty"
This was Ii Yuan-hung's Golden
code, and he followed it as closely as
possible. Success did not breed in him
greed for more power. When Sun
Vat Sen arrived he divided his au-
thority and helped make the doctor
president of the provisional govern
ment. In order to have peace he gave
way to Yuan Shin K'ai. He accepted
the vice presidency Of the new re-
public and has sine devoted himself
to the restoration of law and order
in the Yangtze. When Yuan Shi!l
k'ai steps out Lii Yung-huIug viii.
step up.
Tomorrow: The Republic Of China.