Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-31
NDERPUL CHANGE
COMES OYER CHINA
President is Popular With
asses and Lives Outside
4 the Forbidden City.
lCATH0LIC COMMUNICATE

yrrespondenee Of The Associated Press)
eking, July 20.-Li Yuan-hung 5
<ession to the presidency has
brked wonderful change in China.
L whole spirit of public life in Pek-
B has been altered. Democracy
Gems to have come into its own
again. The new president lives in
Hrrhally at his palace outside the
gbidden City and drives about Pek-
in an automobile with only two
Soldiers to guard him.
Ii Chinese of all factions have a high
PERSONAL regard for Ii Yuan-hung,
Rnd his lite seems to be in no danger.
He moves about at will, and conducts
himself in a manner which would
oeen wholly impossible for Yuan
hi-ksi. The lamented president
eldonl left the palace and was be-
lived to be in danger even within its
1tecting walls. He was man Of
On and had ruled by military power
Ind by that alone. Consequently he
had many bitter enemies and few
warm personal friends. Even his
closest advisers admired him more
for his power than for any personal
charm.
Ii Yuan-hung is Christian, COM
municant of the Roman Catholic
church, and has always been strongly
opposed to the connection of church
and state. He has at different times
Openly opposed efforts to make Con-
Spcianism the state religion of China
. nd stands for absolute religious free
iom in the republic.
-, In Both Army and Navy.
Until 1911 Ii Yuan-hung was little
known in China. He was born in
Hupeh province in 1864, studied for
six years at the Peiyanr Naval coll
|lege and served on a cruiser during
the Chino Japanese war. After the
War he entered military service at
Qankirg, and later went to Wuchang,
where ne assisted in the organization
bf modern troops under Viceroy
YChang Chih-tung. For two years he
'studicd Notifications IN Japan, and on
- 81 return became major in the cav
)Eiry. His service was chiefly at W.
chang, the capital of Hupeh province,
which lies on the Yang-tsc river, i'm
mediately opposite the important
commercial city Of Hankow.
Ii Yuan-hung sprang into national
fame as commandant of the revolu-
Aionary forces at Wuchang in 1911.
e was the chief leader in arranging
br the Shanghai peace conference and
litter the abdication of the Manchus
was elected vice president of the re-
public. He was reelected vice presi-
dent October 7, 1918.
Popular with People.
Ii Yuan-huugs popularity with the
masses was in no way diminished
by his service under Yuan Shi-kai. Al
though he and the late president had
|'been intimate friends for years, Ii
Yazn-hung absolutely refused to en-
dofsc Yuan Shi-ka7s monarchia1
movement, and declined all imperial
honors which Yuan Shi-kai attempted
to heap upon him. The late president
issued edicts making Ii Yuan-hung a
prince and comforting great wealth
upon him. Ii Yuan-huns absolutely
declined to accept such honors and re-
psatedly expressed his disapproval Of
an plans to abandon the republic: He
was finally permitted to move without
the Forbidden City, and for months
has lived in a palace provided for
him by the government in the best
sidentia1 section of Peking. 1t was
ssire to return to his native prov
bf Hupeh, but Yuan Shi-kai re-
led to grant him permission to do
), And he lived in Peking practically
5 1 prisoner during Yuan Shi-kai's
ri months.
other man in China is as uni
lily beloved as Ii Yuan-huns. He
always enjoyed the reputation of
& honest and patriotic. Many
cNer leaders are more forceful, more
energetic and have a better grasp of
public affairs. But Ii Yuan-hung is
the one man who enjoys the complete
confidence Of the Chinese people,
southerners as we'll as northerners.
ANy ApuTv az Ron mn HEuN