Evening star., 1913-10-06

PEKING, China, October e.-Yuan Shi
Kai was today elected President of the
Chinese republic for, q term of i've years.
He received the necessary two thirds
votes of the united houses OF parliament
on the third ballot
OF the $50 members of the house of rep
resentatives and senate 759 were in at
tendance. On the final ballot Yuan Shi
Kai received 5O7 votes. only one more
than the. necessary two thirds. ;. Lii Yuen
Heng. provisional vice president re-
ceived 179 votes. The other ballots were
dates. Lii Yuen Heng, it was declared.
had asserted that he would not take the
nomination. s..s
The announcement of the result was re-
ceived with enthusiasm. The proceedings
lasted twelve hours.
The vote on the first ballot was: Yuan
Shf Kai, Al; Ii Yuen Heng, 153; neces-
sary to a choice, 506 The remainder of
the 100 ballots were scattered among
twenty other candidates. The casting Of
a second ballot was ordered at once.
The constitution of the republic pro-
vides that at least two-thirds of the
members of parliament. present must cast
their votes for candidate in order to
accomplish his election. 1t also calls for
the presence at a presidential election
Of three-fourths Of the members of both
houses.
Great Interest in Election.
In all parts. of the country the greatest
interest was manifested in today's pro-
ceedings, the first presidential election
in the history of the new republic.
When the united houses. of parliament
came together this morning the register
recorded that 759 representatives were
present.
The first ballot took considerable
time, owing to the fact that the deputies
and senators were not familiar with the
proceedings. The candidates included. be-
sides Provisional President Yuan S;hi
Kai, Tsai Heng, BLACK horse candi-
minister at Washington, and DIR. Sun Vat
Sen. leader OF the republican movement.
The second ballot resulted In vote of
497 for Yuan Shi Kai and 162 for Ii Yuen
Heng. A third ballot was therefore
necessary
Before the third ballot was taken La
Yuen Heng, who is the, provisional vice
president. declared that he would not ac-
cept nomination for the presidency.
Held Important Posts.
Yuan Shi Kai, first president of the
Chinese republic. Is fifty-four years old.
He was born in the province of Ho-Nan
in 1859. During most of his adult life he
has been in official life. Az the age OF
twenty-three years he was sen. with a
Chinese detachment to Korea, snd three
years afterward became Chinese i'm
perial resident at Seul. He remained
there twelve years. until he was expelled
during the Chinese-Japanese wax
On his return to, China he occupied
various provincial posts until 1902
when he became consulting minister tc
the government
Yuan Shi kai took a prominent part
in the reorganization of the Chinese
army on modern lines. and. in the clos.
| Ing years of the empire became its
1 most influential and powerful sta tes.
| man. He was always thoroughly prac.
tical In his methods Of admfnistratio
and by this means worked his way ur
to the premiership in 1911 Early n
! 1912 IL was he who was given full pow
| ers to arrange the terms of abdfcatfor
Of the throne and to organize q repub
ltcan government in conference witt
/ the republican leaders. shortly after.
| ward. in February. he was elected pro
visional president of the republic b,
| the national council at Nankine anc
| took the oath of Office March 10.