The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-10-22
Unrest In China

.nESPAlCHES have announced that i'll No
~ yember the Chinese voters are to be given a
chance to determine at the polls whether or not
the Empire is to be reestabshed. Such vote
may split China into two sections the south a
Republic and the north an Empire. 80
Reports from Canton say that Southern China
does not take kindly to the movement to make
Yuan Shih-kai Emperor. Southern China from
whence hail the majority of the Hawaiian Chinese,
seldom takes kindly to any movement emanating
from the northern part of the Republic But the
restoration of the Empire is project especially
distasteful to the great commercial center of South
ern China. Most Of the wealth of China is center
ed there and in Hongkong and Shanghai and the
Cantonese have always been extremely independ-
ent They financed and encouraged the two recent
revolutions.
Many progressive Cantonese have become ex-
tremely wealthy through the development of the
mines in the Strait Settlements. Others have made
great fortunes in Java. And most of the wealthy
Chinese in the United States are from the Canton
neghborhood. Many Of these men, are reformers
who back their views with money, as Honolulu
knows.
Even before the Society for the Preservation of
Peace set forth its plan for the restoration of the
Empire there was extreme dissatisfaction with
General Lung, the military governor named by
President Yuan Shhkai to direct affairs in Can
ton War conditions made business bad Then
the floods came and intensified the unrest While
inspecting the damages done by the food, General
Lung was injured by a bomb hurled at him by a
reformer. A few days later two bombs were found
in his house which had been struggled in by a
cook bribed by reformers,
General Lung has 5000 troops in the vicinity
Iof Canton and the Yuan Shih-ka government has
been able to pay them regularly so far. But in
China there is always the danger that enemy
will offer more money aud win away the military
and naval forces This happened before in Can
ton, and If 4he wealthy reformers were to. advance
sufficient motley to finance the opponents of the
imperial moVeBient foreigners residing there are
reported to be apprehensive OF the results
Southern China has been under the influence of
Hongkong so long and through its extensive for
eign trade is so closely nt.touch with the outside
world, that it resents the domination of northern
China. The desire for a separate government in
southern China is always uPpermost in the minds
Of the reform element Reformers seek every ex-
cuse to advance their views and Seizing upon
the movement to restore the Empire as reason
for revving their efforts to throw off the control
of what they regard as the more backward section
| OF the country qd W.
| Shanghai, Nanking Hankow and the other cities
along the Yang-ts ekiang are we'll under control
of the Picking government. Warships patrol the
Yang-tSekiang river and it is easily accessible by
rail from Pekiug The Pearl River is n. ore re-
mote Canton and other cities along this stream
are not accessible by rail from Picking. Forts
along this river are located in densey settled
country where there many reformers who have
in the past seized the forts and defeated nava
movements against Canton.
| Every precaution is taken now to protect Can