The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-12-12
OF China rendered to Him b,
the Council Of the State
at Picking.

tnf ASSOCIATED esEsG
PICKING, Dec. 11.--Yuan Shl-kal
president Of the Chinese republic. has
accepted the throne Of China rendered
to him by the council OF the state.
Acting as parliament, the council
OF state today canvasscd the vote on
the question Of change In the form
of,the government Of China to mon
archy and found that the votes OF
1898 representatives out of 2.043
qualified to vote on the proposition
were favorable to the change.
The council OF state Immediately
sent to Yuan Shl-Kai a petition urg-
Ing him to accept the throne. He de-
clined at first. but when the petition
was forwarded to him q second time
he accepted with the proviso that he
would continue to act as president
until a convenient time for the coro-
nation.
In recent years Yuan Shi-kai has
become the most conspicuous person
atty Of the Orient through his efforts
&c bring his 100000 fellow yellow
men into line as citizens OF the new
republic Of China. The task OF turning
this most ancient and backward OF
Kingdoms into republic within whose
confines there was fifth of the
worlds inhabitants--a republic four
times as large as the United States
was obviously no easy one and the
man who attempted 1t did not escape
storms of criticism from those who
held that he was dictator, virtually
founding new dynasty. But among
foreigners generally Yuan Shi-kai was
given great credit for as able an ad-
ministration as could be expected I'M
der the circumstances.
Man of Aspirations.
Long before Yuan Shi-kai was wide
ly known abroad he had been accept
ed by the Manchus. the Chinese. and
the foreigners In China as coming
man.
Born In 1859. the son OF district
governor in the province OF Honan.
Yuan ShiIkai aspired TO an official
position. but the rule was that official
life was open only to those who passed
in ancient classics. Yuan utterly failed
In ono of those government tests at
which thousands OF aspirants are
closeted for three days undergoing
examination.
He went into Korea ms secretary
with the army. and three rose rapidly
through his display OF military and
diplomatic ability. The famous Grand
Chancellor Ii Hung-chang recognized
in him man Of action and appointed
him Chinese resident at Seoul. This
was the highest post in the empire.
and Yuan held II when he was only
- years old. When the Japanese drove
the Chinese out Of Korea. he was one
of the few TO return TO Picking still In
the favor Of the court.
He rose 10 great prominence
through his effective reorganization
OF the army after the war with ia
pan had shown Its weakness. 1t is
generally held that he assisted the
empress dowager in effecting n coupe
d'etat in 1898 by which she wres.ed
the throne from the Emperor Euang
shu, and he was popularity accused
OF betraying the emperor. The dow
ager appointed his governor Of Shan
lung where, during the Boxer rebel
lion. he displayed his astuteness.
Invited to join the Boxer sect. he
dared not frankly refuse, although
he had no sympathy for their fanatl-
rism. He agreed to join the Boxer
movement is its leaders would prove
to him their contention that those
Of their sect were immune to foreign
bullet. He told them he had one of the
foreign guns In his own house and
that IL the lenders would meet him
In his own garden the next day he
would stand them up against the
wall and try the foreign devils
magic" on them. II the bullets did
not hurt. Yuan would become a
boxer. So sublime was the faith of
one leader that he submitted to the
test. and. according to the story, fell
dead at the frst rife bullet. when
pierced his heart. Yuan Shi-kai was
thus freed from any obligation to join
The fanatic movement of the Boxers
as matter Of fact. he was given
credit for material assistance to the
foreigners during the warfare which
the allies wagei in China.
Child Emperor.
With the death of the empress
dowager and the Emperor Kuang
Hau. almost incidentally. and posi-
bly, each by poison at the hands OF
the other. the child emperor, Haun
Tung. came to the throne under the
regency Of Prince Chun. Yuan, pre-
sumably because he had gained such
a control of the army, was dismissed
In disgrace. although nominally on
preteSt OF curing sore leg"
When the anti-Manchu rebellion