The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-29

There cannot be any doubt that within
 the last few months following the for
 nation of a republic, the political sit
 uation in China has assumed new phase, says the Shanghai, China, Re- publican. More things have happened
 since President Yuan Shih-kai's assurnp-
 ton of the office of Provisional Presi-
 dent than within similar period at any
 other time in the history of China, both
 internally and externally. Internally.
 President Yuan early showed the di- rection in which his predilections lay.
 that is to say to make inroads on the rights of the people who had set him up In office. Despotism within has only been equaled by the governments sheer inability to preserve intact the integrity of the country.
 The first year of republican regime
 has been made eventful by the loss of Mongolia with a fair prospect of Tibet following a like fate. This has some what shaken the faith of both China and
 of the outside world in the republic, who argue that when China's dependen- cies can slip away so easily it does not strengthen the hope of a cohesive re- public. This view at first sight would appear to have the advantage of sound
 reasoning and suggest the reflection that. after all, the establishment of 8
 republic is somewhat premature. But on closer scrutiny, this view will be found to be begging the question It is not that the time is not ripe for re- public in China but it is the kind of government that has administered the affairs of the country for the last 12 months and more that has given rise to the current belief in certain foreign circles that the republic is a failure.
 It is peculiarly unfortunate that the first republican administration in China should have been enlisted from the ranks of those who are blind to the real interests of China and care only to strengthen their own position and ex- tend the scope of their ambition. How could the world in all conscience, have expected the government to preserve mongolia when the government was all the time engaged in secret plotting and dark intrigues? We are accused by our contemporary. the Picking Daily News Of being engaged in campaign of villi- fication against Yuan Shi-kai. In the first place, whatever our contemporary says loses much of the value and con vicAon which 1t would otherwise possess had it been an independent organ. But 1t is not. It's policy as we know, is controlled by its master. to-wit, Yuan Shl-kaf, and it is naturally expected to belaud President Yuan regardless of his actions We have before been accused of plotting against Yuan Shi-kai But We congratulate ourselves that we have been plotting in the full glare of day light. so that Yuan might at least know who are his opponents We have not professed friendlness the while harbor- ing fiendsh designs.
 The murder of Mir Sung Chiao-jen and the trapping of General Chang and Feng at a banquet in Picking and their subse- quent execution are cases in point, of the kind of tactics resorted to by sthe government. From the very beginning We have been against the election of Yuan Shin-kai as president We know Yuan's character, and we distrust him. The country lacks confidence in him. The world will not have forgotten the part he played in the coup d etat of 1ssS when he most shamefully and shame lessly berayed the unfortunate Emperor Kuang Hsu. The Boxer outbreak which disgraced China in the eyes of the world and saddled on the nation an indemnity of 450.000,0O0 taels, was the reaction of the reform movement for the suppress sion of which Yuan was mainly respon- sible. It brought deep Humiliation to the countr wand imposed on the nation an ignoble futelage which IS still in force. The part Yuan played during the revo- lution was also none too glorious When we consider these things, can we do aught but condemn the man who ha s kept back the hand of progress in China for all these yearse ana has now by his intrigues brought fresh t.'oubles upon a hapless nation whose cup of misery has already been filled to the brim. The China republican has been termed an organ of the Kuo Min Tang. We are less an organ of the Kuo Min Tang than The Peking Daily News is an organ of the government, whose actions it up- holds. We happen to belong to the party but We are not like our contem- porary. subsidized by those with whose policy we concur.
 As member of the party we are bound to obey pr. Sun. who Is president of the Kuo Min Tang. in everything ex- cept according support to Yean Shih. kai with which. policy we have consist ently differed all along Nobody cai complain oc lack of support by pr. Sun to Yuan. In the past too much support has been accorded him. which, as we have seen. was misplaced and ill-de- served.
 We dare say that since the cailous murder of Sung Chiao-jen the faith of