New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-12
Declines at First, but
Yields to Councils
Second Offer.
ELECTION SHOWED
ROYALIST MARGIN
Bankers Now Refuse Advance
and Peking Hints Hostility to
Germany Is at Fault.

Peking, Dec. 11.-Disregarding the
change Of government be delayed un-
til the war in Europe is over, Yuan
Shih- -kai, President OF the Chinese Re
public, to-day accepted the throne of
China rendered to him by the Council
of State.
The vote on the question Of return
to monarchical rule was canvassed to-
day by the Council Of State, sitting as
Parliament, and it was found that
1898 representatives out Of 2,4o3
qualified to vote on the proposition
were favorable to the change.
The Council of State Immediately
sent to Yuan Shih-kai a petition urg
ing him to accept the royal Office. He
declined at first, but when the petition
was forwarded to him second time he
accepted, with the proviso that he
would continue to act as President un
til convenient time for the corona
tion.
Speedy Reversal to Monarchy.
Indications of plans to abandon the
republican form of government and re-
vert to the monarchical system were
first apparent in August last Events
followed fast. The machinery for OBJ
tanning an expression OF the nations
opinion of the proposed change having
been put into operation, it was an
nounced on November that fifteen Of
the eighteen provinces had voted in
favor Of a monarchy.
Meanwhile the Entente Powers point
ed out TO China that such step in the
midst Of the European war was not de-
sirable, as tending TO lessen the stabil
ity Of conditions and possibly lead TO
internal outbreaks which might ulti-
mately endanger the peace of the ORR
ont Japan took a leading part in the
representations.
China, however, answered with a dec
lination TO postpone the decision and
assuring them that the government had
been divided by the provincial officials
that they would be able to maintain
tranquility in the event a monarchy
was reestablished.
Bankers Withheld Advance.
China's financial affairs have become
much involved with her international
tangles. For several months the gov
ernment has been endeavoring to obtain
an advance Of 100000 taels, or about
Sl4, 100000 Mexican, from the quintuple
group of bankers. with the surplus from
the salt monopoly as security.
The Chinese did not seek this money
as an out-and-out loan, but merely as
an advance to be paiG within two years
from the proceeds of the salt revenue.
This security is considered adequate,
and the bankers of the five countries
which made the original loan on the
salt monopoly were at first willing TO
undertake the additional advance.
However, as the monarchical govern
ment developed, there were rumors that
the 100000 taels were TO be used for
restoring the monarchy. Then came
the request Of Japan, backed by Rus
sia, France and England, that the mon
archical movement be postponed. The
foreign bankers cooled in their enthusl-
asm, and it became apparent that there
was diplomatic pressure against this
financial step.
The Minister of Finance, Chow
Hsueh-hsi, urged that the funds were
necessary for the improvement Of the
revenue collection system and the re
demption Of the deprecated currency
notes in the various provinces. This
assurance, however, has not moved the
quintuple group of bankers, and there
is no indication that the funds will be
advanced in the near future.
There are also reports that France,
England and Japan did not care TO CO.
operate with Germany in such an agree