The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-16
(Specia, Dispa,ch.)
PEKIN. Nov. Is.

4 Il the election OF Yuan chtn-Nai! 10 ttie
Presidency of the Republic OF China and
tho recognition OF that republic by the
Powers OF the world will have an influ-
cnce for good upon the chaos At present
existing in the country tho advocates Of
that optimistic theory will be Justified.
Since the election of Yuan Shih-kai as
President all OF the Powers have signifed
,he,r Willingness 10 give to China the
privilege Of speaking 10 them In their
iron, ,arlocs rather than in the metaphor
zeal back rooms which have been utilized
during the last nineteen OF twenty months
For some reason that is difficult to
ascertain tho pcssimists in China have
ascrbcd tho lack OF control in the prov
incca, the alut!nous charactc7 OF soldiers,
The bunglinG OF financial affairs, the mis-
management OF foreien questions and the
.nuddled state OF all departments to the
refusal Of tic Powers to recognize the Re
public as fit and proper Stale to asso-
cja,e with them IN the diplomatic play
ground and to the delay in securing the
formal election OF Yuan Shih-ka! as Presi-
dent To the close observer there would
appear 20 DO little to support the theory.
Rather has the chaos been fostercd by
the nisft Of republican principles upon
country which for centuries has been bet
ter ruled by al absolute monarch than ii
van be by constitutional" President.
in short; tho emancipation was too precp-
ita;c for people so ll-prepared for the
responsibilities which accrue 10 the in
div!dual citizen in the free State.
The Manchu Uniform Missing.
China's trouble can be summed up IN q
few words. Liberty has been misunder-
stood to be license; equality has been con
strucd 10 mean that laws are only for the
amusement OF those who make them, and
fraternity has been regarded as recogni-
lion that Jack the coolic IS a good rs his
master, the literau and the official.
For these reasons there has been disro-
gard of authority among the civil classes
and payment OF taxes has been refused by
those who hitherto checrfully paid their
dole to the mandarin. because the old
NIanchu headgear and uniform OF the tax
collector has been replaced by a shoddy
hat or cap from Japan and cloth suit
OF alleged European cut from the village
taller. What self-respecting land or prop
crty owner could be expected 10 pay money
out to a v;.,ga bond looking person who ar
rINcs without vestge OF authority and
who is no whit differently clad than the
Taxpayers cook can be If he so wishes?
AS FOR the military clement. they quick
attraction which mostly lured the official
classes to place and power. and rapidly
they developed like tendencies 10 succumb
TO its scductivencss. They found there
we're buyers in two camps. and they were
ready To sell alleged service to either.
The highest bidder took the support.
Loyalty. ii ever such thing existed in
China, seems TO have died natural death
with the inauguration OF the new time.
Yuan Chinese 10 the Core.
Among observers OF the Kaleidoscope
changes which arc taking. place IN this
newest OF repubirss, thgre arc those who
believe that 10 master such :, situa ton
as this Yuan Shih-kai is the man par
excellence. lie is Chinese 10 the core.
There is no veneer OF foreign "civilizaiion'
about him. lie knows the old Chinese
methods, and has the old Chinese men al
lis hand to carry them ont if he obtains
tho chance. lie is not influenced by what
Mill or Tuskn, or any OF the later day
school say on economics. political or other
wise. and really he tiocsn', care a snap OF
his fingers for AL tie degrees of all the
universities OF the world rolled into one
Ilc simply knows Chinese trend OF thought
and Characteristics. He knows the meth.
obs that best govern them and how t.
apply them, and he knows that the great
ouili OF the people do not know Of or car,
.is about, constitutional COVE. nmcnt,
or any other new tangled political no
ton sarnercd in the outer world.
FOR ihs reason, and for the reason tina
ne ma mad great administrative expert
cucc Yuan Shih-l,a is believed by man:
20 ., the best man 10 take the rcins O
government IN this country. lie IS no
the ideal ruler from the point OF view Q
the American or European educated I'll:
dent. lie is crude, and without the potts
Of tue graduate, but he cannot bc callc
,ceactionary. lie is conservative. with
progressive tenGency-a man likely (
listen 10 edY!ce oc trusted counsellor.
Unhapp!y. much Of this advice does nc
SAVIOR OF modernism. ana for that reaso
Yuan Shih-kai Is mostly blarned. ii,
Chief henchman IS the astutc Cantones
Lang Shiny: a man who keeps GU, {
Inc lime light ana pulls whatever string
ne can get hold VI.
The Long Hand OF Linng Shih-yi.
"a ruasi of tbn r,ol,t+naI ,/,o,..,,.-,,, -.