The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-17
The Republic of China
The Chinese Revolutio
BY Frederic J. Haskin

another three days the native CITY Of
Hankow. a short distance up the river.
went over to the republican cause.
A sa~nturnalia Of anarchy then began
in both cities. The vengeance of the
soldiers and the rabble was directed
particularly against the government
banks and offices, but private pawn
shops and dwellings of rich citizens did
not escape. Later In the revolution,
Following alternate reverses and VIC
tories, both imperialists and revolu-
tlonists were guilty of such o~ffenses,
made more horrible by needless burn
Ing, looting, murder n rapine. This.
together with heavy loss of life on
both sides in the battles of Hanyang
and Marking, and the burning Of Han
Row., made the rebellion anything but
the bloodless affair which enthusiasts
have been prone to proclaim it.
In still another three days, or on Oc-
tober 10, the rebels, uniting with hun
dreds of raw recruits, got their first
taste Of actual fighting. They met and
easily defeated the much smaller force
of dlshearteped imperialists. 1t, was a
sk1rmlsh rather han a BATTLE but the
moral effect was staggering. Imme-
dlately raw recruits by the hundreds
Joined the peoples army and word
came that more or less trained troops.
former imperialists. were on the way
from Canton and other Southern points.
The rebel army soon numbered 20. 900"
men, fairly well armed but unframed.
At this time the revolutionary cof-
fers We're also in a healthy state, owing
RI tho 90 ~ II, -r ~. -.-<- -, =,
mint at Hanyang.
BY this time Pekin was galvanized
INTO action. General Yin Chang, presi-
dent of the board of war, dispatched
5000 regulars of infantry to Hankow
at once. Artillery was also ordered
to the front, and a base established at
Mellow, about IS miles north of Ham
koW. Soon between $4,000 and 10000
men were modified at that point, and
from that time the military phase of
the revolt turned distinctly to the adj
vantage of the imperial cause.
THE peoples army took a stand at
kilometer Ten, n numbered possi-
bly, 10000, perhaps less, mostly rabble,
enthusiastic hut undisciHlined. On De-
tober q they opened with artillery on
the imperial base at Neikow, six miles
away. The imperial artillery replied,
sound the range quickly, and the rebels
We're driven from their position with
considerable loss. Hankow was put to
the torch later, in order to drive the
rebels from the native city. On No
vember q, Hanyang fell before the
lnperiallsts, due partly to the deser-
ton of the Honan troops. In the
three battles of Marking the imperial
lists first lost the city, regained it,
and lost again. This was the last
battle of the revolution. Both sides
fought creditably throughout in the
main. The imperialists were not only
loyal but efficient to a degree, which
surprised all foreign observers. The
revolutionists showed intense earnest
ness, bravery and resourcefulness.
But these imperialist successes, con-
Tined as they were to a small part of
the empire, failed to check the pat
rlotic flame. 1t spread up and down
the Yangtze valley and to the four
Winds. Admiral Sab, with his 10 ships,
practically the entire Chinese navy
turned revolutionary. Shanghai, Sian
fu and other cities, followed by n
province after another, overthrow
Manchu rule with startling finality.
There was very little bloodshed in the
transition. In many cases the Off
clals merely changed allegiance.
Vain were the frantic efforts of the
Manchu princes to still the storm.
Yuan Shi Kai was recalled to power.
becoming at once their mainstay and
their dictator. Shoals of abject edicts
from the throne fell on indifferent
ears. A full pardon was offered to
all rebels who would recant, and a ma
tional assembly was provided for, on
paper, october 80. But the rebellion
grew, and on Christmas day DR.. Sun
Vat Sen reached Shanghai from Paris.
January / saw him inaugurated as
provisional president by virtue of the
vote of the Marking assembly. Peace
negotiations between WI Ting Fang,
former minister to the United States,
acting for the republicans, and Tang
Shao VI, emissary of Yuan Shin K'ai
ended IN Iang,s complete conversion.
4uan Shin kai. favoring a limited
monarchy, accepted reluctantly. The
c emperor abdicated on Feb
ruary II, Sun Vat Sen subsequently
resigned as president of the revolution
airy government, by agreement, and
on March 10 Yuan Shuh K'ai, by
agreement, in Pekin took the oath of
ofilce as first president of the pro-
Vlslonal republic of China, to hold Of
nee as such to January 10, 1918, or I'M
I'll a president is elected by a limited
suffrage and the republic and consti-
tuition formally installed,
(IOnOrrOW-The Republic of China \