El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-24

killed at the first opportunity, his
widow now directed prince Chun to lay
the statesman's head on the block.
Prince Chun and the Manchu princes
were willing, but they feared united
action on the part of the foreign in
terests. So distinctly Chinese thing
happened In an imperial ediet Yuan
Shin k'ai was lauded for his great
ability and past services, but because
of the rheumatism in his leg he would
be permitted, yea ordered, to diYest
himself of all offices, titles, emolu-
ments, etc. the better to enable him
to retire to the restful shades of his
old Honan homei Yuan stood not upon
the order of his going. The lamented
rheumatism did not interfere with a
hurried journey to the home Of mis-
fathers.
Apparently Yuan the ReformeT,
China's Strong Man, had run his course.
There he stood at so, hated by the
Manchus scorned as a traitor by the
reformers, now feared by none, de-
graded. powerless and i'll He seemed
destined to go down in history as
China's Cardinal Wolsey- That was
four years ago. Today he is president
ever, acting as only he can act the
dual role of Diaz and Washington,
at once the solution and the enigma
Of the complex Chinese problem in
its present phase
Made Premier BY Throne.
When the revolution broke out on
October TO- 1911, Yuan Shih Kai had
been in .obscurity three years. He did
not stir in behalf of the revolt, nor
did he lift a hand to support the be-
leagured throne. The rebels were
afraid to ask him to become one Of
them, and the regent, prince Chun,
felt that in restoring Yuan to power
he would be taking an adder to his own
bosom. But there was no one else IN
all of China who could meet the crisis
k-rn At
Wuchang. Yuan Shin Kai was ap-
pointed TicerOy Of the HUI huang prov
inces, to act as he saw fit in the sup
preston of the revolt He refused, and
refused again, accepting only after the
Manchu court sent Cen Yin Chang 10
plead with him personally In another
month he was in the city Of Peki1,
called there to be premier OF the empire
with unlimited authority. He made
dramatic entrance, thanked by out
riders armed with headaxes, he him
self wearing the imperial yellow jacket,
a garment which gives the Wearer alb
sOlute power of life and death over all
who come before him, and one which
even the prince regent did not wear
when he received Yuan at the royal
palace
From that moment Yuan Shin Kai
has been the ruler of China. He quick
" reached an understanding with the
national assembly, a new Legislative
body which didn't legislate, thanks
to the Manchus, the members of which
sympathized with the revolution With
in a month he brought about the res
ignation" of prince Chun, the regent
who had dismissed him three short
years before. Although his comprO-
mise cabinet went to pieces, his trained
army in the Yangtze valley kept the
rebel forces at bay. In the meantime
the revolution spread to other parts
of the country, and he convinced the
Manchus that only the abdication OF
the emperor would save them all from
ruin. At the same time he carried on
a long peace conference with the RED
els.
Inaugurated As President.
On January 1 the revolutionists made
DR.. Sun Vat Sen president of the in
surgent government Yuan Shin K'aIs
peace envoy, Tang Shao vi, reported
after his conferences with WI Ting
Fang, in favor of a republic. On Feb
ruary u came the abdication OF emf
perOr Pu vi, five years old. Yuan
Shih Kai was given sole power TO
treat with the rebels. Sun Vat Sen
offered to resign if Yuan would agree
to a republic and accept the Presl-
dency. Yuan was inaugurated in Pekln
March 10, last year, just five months
after the Manchus recalled him from
disgrace. He has successfully with
stood fierce internal strife since then
and doubtless will continue to rule Tor
many a year.
In a recent number of the China
Press, Shanghai, marking the first an
niversary of the revolution, he pleads
for peaceful and united China, and con-
cludes:
Might this be accomplished it would
be my most ardent wish to bid adieu
to the field of political activity and
return to those of my rural home. there
to emulate Washington in personal at
tentiOn to the cultivation of my acres,
supremely happy in the fulfillment OF
a life times heart felt desire"
Still. there are those who say Yuan
Shin K'ai would be a king Only Yuan
Shin K'ai knows. Should a king come
to China out of all this turmoil it VIII
be he.
Tomorrow: Gen. Ii Yuan hung.