Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-11


Peking, Dec. 11.--Yuan Shl Kai, pres
ident of the Chinese republic. has ac-
cepted the throne Of China, rendered to
him by the council of state.
Acting as parliament, the council
Of state today canvassed the vote on
the question of change in the form
of the government of China to a mon
archy. and found that the votes Of 1888
out Of 2,043 qualified to vote on the
proposition were favorable to the
change.
The council Of state Immediately
sent Yuan Shi Kai petition urging
him to accept the throne. He declined
at first but when the petition was for
warded to him a second time he ac-
cepted, with the provision that he
would continue to act as president un-
til convenient time for the corona
ton.
Most Conspicuous Oriental.
In recent years Yuan Shi kai has be-
come the most conspicuous personality
his 400,000,000 fellow yellow men into
line as citizens OF the new republic Of
China. The task of turning this most
ancient and backward Of kingdoms in
to a republic, within whose confines
there was fifth of the worlds in
habitants-a republic four times as
large as the United States-was OBJ
viously no easy one and the man who
nkx AZ E<7t 49,. <,f
criticism from those who held that he
was dictator, virtually founding q
new dynasty. But among foreigners
generally Yuan shi kai was given
creditsfpr. as able an administration as
could be epecteds under the circum-
stances. ~ s9z III
4 Long before Yuan shi-kal was wide
ly known abroad he had been accepted
by the Manchus, the Chinese, and the
foreigners in China as coming man.
Born in 1853, the son Of district
governor in the province OF Honan.
Yuan. Shi kai aspired to an official
pcs!t!en, hut the rule was that nffi-
cial life was open only to those. who
passed in ancient classes. Yuan ut
terly failed in one Of those govern
ment tests at which thousands of as
plraQCS are CtOSoIGu lOr Three udSS
undergoing examination.
Ally Of Dowager Empress.
He rose to great prominence thru his
effective re- organization of the army
after the war with Japan had shown
it's weakness. It is generally held that
he assisted the empress Dowager in
'effecting a coup d'etat in 1898, by
which she wrested the throne from
the Emperor Kuang Shu, and he was
popularity accused of betraying the
,empsror. The dowager appointed him
governor of Shantung where, during
the Boxer rebellion, he displayed his
astuteness. Invited to join the Boxer
sect, he dared not frankly refuse, al
tho he had no sympathy for their
fanaticism. He agreed to join the
Boxer movements II its leaders would
prove to him their contention that
those Of their sect were immune to
foreign bullets. He told them he had
one Of the foreign guns in his own
house and that If the leaders would
meet him in his garden the next day he
would stand them up against the wall
and try the foreign devils magic" on
them. If the bullets did not hurt, Yuan
would become Boxer. So sublime
was the faith OF one leader that he sub
mitted to the test, and, according to
the story, fell dead at the first riffs
bullet which pierced his heart. Yuan
Shi kai was thus freed from any obli-
cation to Join the fanatic movement of
the Boxers AZ q matter Of fact. he
was given credit FOR material assist
ance to the foreigners during the war;
fare which the allies waged in China.
Rsoslisd by Manehu Regency.
With the death Of the empress
dowager and the Emperor Kuang Hsu,
~almost coincidentaly. and possibly each
by poison at the hands Of the other,
the child emperor. Ilsun Tung, came
to the throne under the regency OF
Prince Chun Yuan. presumably be-
, cause he had gained such control OF
the army, was dismissed in disgrace,
aItho nondnally on pretext Of curing
sore le9."
when the anti- Manchu rebellion
broke out In October, 1911, the
;Manohu regency, in despair urged
Yuan to return. The latter replied that
his leg Was not yet we'll. but when
given authority as supreme command.
er Of all forces Of the north, he ,ac-
cepted. He also became the first pre-
rnier OF the responsible cabinet
which the regency offered the rebels
a. concession OF peace. But neither
the rebels nor Yuan were satisfied. The
/ SabdicatioY, or the Manuia rulers wsss
forced, ana the boy emperor. at the
d,cafIon az Yuan Shi Kali authorized
fbe premier to organ.ze VITA the robe