The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-01-15

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Revolutionists entering CITY,"
Longfellow wrote in the modest
long ago:
"And yonder by Marking, behold
The tower of porcelain, strange and
old"
But the former things are passed
away. The heather tower is no more
and the city's idols were demolished
by the soldiers on Easter Sunday.
Thus the giant awoke to his resur-
rection.
On Oct 10, 1911, an ordinary colonel
in the Hupeh army of China stood
unfinchingly facing band of revo-
lutionists in Wuchang. One was Liu
King, student not long back from
Japan, a mere slip of boy. He was
now largely in charge Of the revolu-
tionists. He sat looking suspiciously
at the military man before him. Above
the officers neck glistened half a
dozen narrow swords, held by dark
clad men who awaited instructions to
send into eternity the man who has
become one Of the most noted in
world history today. That colonel
was Ii Yuan-hung. The honor OF
leading the revolutionists was offered
him. He was told he must agree or
! y nil fn1 or
swords bearing down upon his neck
helped to impress him with the ne
cessity of a quick decision. Finally
he agreed. His behavior since that
night has shown the wisdom of the
choice. He so thoroughly caught the
spirit of the occasion as to declare
forty days after: "China must be a
republic founded on lines laid down
by the United States. The United
States of China must be opened up
with all speed
He is now provisional vice-presi-
dent.
1t was our privilege to celebrate in
Pekin the first anniversary of the
above incident. The capital city was
in her gala dress, and the foreigners,
with the nations high officials, were
received and feted by the president.
1t was China's first 4th of July. No
wonder the newspapers, printed in
! red, recounted the fact that the most
glorious page in Chinese history was
written with we'll nigh bloodless
pen. Within one month after the rev.
olution began the party of the repub-
lie had 10 out of the IS provinces.
The prophets declared it never could
be done. But often it is good thing
for prognosticator to pass on quick
ly and forget to have his mail for
warded; as church record once mad
vertently stated of a deceased mem
Der, Removed. Address. unknown"
DR.. Edmund J. James, in memo
randum concerning the sending of an
educational commission here, said a
little time since: "China is upon the
verge of revolution. 1t will not,
of course, be as rapid as was the rev.
olution in Japan, if for no other reas-
on because of the vastness of the
nation and the enormous extent of it's
history"
Some months ago one long in gov
eminent employ was asked if his 80
years in this country led him to be-
lieve that the Chinese could be awak-
ened or galvanized into some semb-
lance of modern life. He exclaimed:
mo, never! 1t cannot be effected from
within. The motive power is not
here. They do not see that anything
is the matter and do not want to be
regenerated. Not until foreign bayo-
NETS prick them do they feel. Until
they cut their queues there is no
hope. They can never be men while
they wear petticoats and soft soled
shoes. A century of European tyran-
ny might make men of them; after a
century or two of enlightened struggle
for ty-then-united China and
the millennium"
Within hearing distance of the fore
going prophetic" utterances the fol-
lowing from the "China Press" of
October 31st, is very interesting:
1T is considered at the foreign lega-
tions CPekin) that if the provinces
come forward and assist in meeting
it's financial necessities the republics
difficulties will be practically over
The increasing power of the cen
trail government is giving rise general
ly to the most favorable comments.
F.. Q. Brown.
P. S. Slocum.
Pekin, China.