The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-10-14
IN EMPEROR'S PALACE
YUAN ASSUMES OATH
Into Office as First Pres
ident of Chinese Republic.
CONSERVATIVE IN TREND.
hr1ihance and Dignity Mark Scene OF
Inauguration of Erstwhileo
Savior of Manchus.

Pekihg, Oct. H. Yuan Shi Kaf
was yesterday inducted into Office as
nrst President of the Chinese re-
public. The ceremaaE oRFfriaueura-
ton was surroundea with Eastern
brilliance, attended by throngs of dis
ungulshed Chimes and foreign on
cials,y diplomats and Hfitaly offfters
and took placefin the interiof~6f the
Iai-Eio palace. in which, many of the
Ming and Ching emperors had been
crowned. .ll9--ts--l -
The choice. of the, palace of inau-
guratioH was aHurther -efrcroa chment
on the sacred precincts of the en-
peror within the Forbidden CITY. The
souSher half of its extensive inclos-'
ure was open to the guests who tra-
versed hall after hall and court after
court towards the present residence
OF the little dethroned emperor. The
ceremony was enacted in the Iast
building called the Tai-Ho Tien or
Hall of Supreme Peace, which sits
high up on triple terraces of marble
and is decorated everywhere with
dragons and imperial gold. 1t was
here that the emperor formally re-
ceived New Years greetings from. the
Manchu and suzerin princes.
SILKS AND BRoADCLoTH.
The Chinese officials present, as
well as priestsr-u of the various relig-
ions, wore garments OF colored silks
OF many hues, but the members Of
the Chinese parliament we're dressed
in Western frock coats and ntnh.
hats, which they had adopted as/Fss
official costume Many of the
of Turkestan, Tibet -
and also some of tn
Manchus appeared ilP
sombre garb. The ch.
eign legations were {.
ceremony in chairs.
Yuan Shi Kai wore a blu
uniform. He read his decl.
which were tantamount to taxi
oath OF Office. from the dragon
of the emperor over which repubh,
flags had been draped.
After the delivery Of the inaugural
address the President, surrounded by
the members Of the foreign legations,
reviewed 10000 troops, equipped in
modern uniforms, from the front of a
pagoda Of the Forbidden City.
.. FEARED A PLOT.
Extensive precautions, both police
and military, had been taken for sew
eraT days, as it was feared that some
Chinese rebels who had cut off their
ceremony, disguised as Japanese. 1t
was not possible for the authorities
to limit the number of invitations
sent to the Japanese legation without
doing the same in other cases and
for this reason it was decided to re-
duce the number all around. In
spite of these precautions it was
found that the rebels had succeeded
in tainting the loyalty of the chief
of the Peking mounted police. This
was discovered in time and he was
arrested. He confessed that he had
been bribed to assassinate the Presi-
dent.
President Yuan Shi Kai, in his in
augural address, avowed his inten-
ton of maintaining firm and steady
policy. THE first principle of a
stable government" he said. 'is
clear definition and promulgation OF
its legal systems and the establish.
ment and maintenance of public or
der After this, in compliance with
the requirements of time and circum-
stances, efforts should be made to
unite the people in their march along
the path Of progress"
CONSERVATIVE IN TREND.
The President admitted his prefer
ence for conservative rather than ex-
treme radical methods. He referred
to certain restrictions which hitherto
mad not allowed free hand for the
advance OF the nations interests and
asserted his intention of introducing
reforms one by one in present condi-
tions in China
Yuan Shi Kai tt en- emphasized the
need for capital and the necessity of
education, especially of technical ed
ucation, in order to promote China's
industrial resources and for the de-
velopment of the natural assets OF
the nation.
After his Inauguration Yuan Shi
Kai received Prince Pu Lun, former
president of the national assembly.
The prince on behalf of the emperor,
the imperial family and the Manchu
people. offered his congratulations
and assured Yuan Shi Kai of Manchu
good will and cooperation.