Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-06


lister ReinsCh at Picking announced
the death Of Yuan Shi.kai, presi-
dent OF China
Picking. June 6. (NOon.)-Yuan Shi-
kai, president Of the Chinese republic,
died today Premier Tuan Chi Jul i'm
mediately advised Ii Yuan Hung, the
vice president, of his succession to the
presidency.
Yuan Shi-kai had been i'll for sew
eral days with stomach trouble, which
was followed by a nervous break
down.
Quiet prevails today in the capital.
The death of the president apparently
solves the heated political crisis. Ii
Yuan lungs succession to the presi-
dency meets the demands OF the lead
ers in the southern provinces.
Yuan Shi kai was reported to have
ben taken seriously i'll on NAY IS. 1t
was reported in Picking but was de-
MED by the Chinese ambassador at
Washington. who insisted the president
was not i'll.
Yuan Shi Kai died while the storms
Of revolution were gathering. The re-
volt broke out in December, 1915, when
the president announced his inten-
ton Of establishing a monarchy and
ascending the throne. His corona
ZION was set for early in February of
this year, but was postponed owing
to the extraordinary rapidity with
which the revolt spread through south
ern China. Several attempts we're
made upon the presidents life and a
bomb plot was discovered IN the i'm
perial palace.
The establishment of a monarchy
was strenuously opposed by Japan
and the final abandonment of the plan
was largely due to the representations
made by Toxic.
Was Able Chief.
In recent years Yuan Shi-kai had
become the most conspicuous person
alIty Of the orient through his efforts
TO bring his 400. 10000 fellow yellow
men into line as citizens Of the new
republic of China. The task of turn
ing this most ancient and backward of
kingdoms into a republic within whose
confines there is fifth OF the world 5
inhabitants republic four times as
large as the United States-was OBJ
yiOusly no easy one and the man who
attempted it did not escape storms of
criticism from those who held that he
was a dictator, virtually founding a
new DYNASTY But among foreigners
generally Yuan Shi-kai was given
credit for as able an administration as
could be expected under the circum-
stances.
Long before Yuan Shi-kai was wide
" know abroad he had been accepted
by the ManChus, the Chinese and the
foreigners in China as coming man.
Born in 1859, the son Of a district
governor in the province of HOnan,
Yuan Shi-kai 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 one Of those government tests at
which thousands Of aspirants are clos
eted for three days undergoing exam
nation.
He went into Korea as a secretary
with the army. and there rose rap
idly through his display of military
and diplomatic ability. The famous
Grand Chancellor Ii Hung-chang rec
ognized in him man Of action and ap-
pointed his Chinese resident at Seoul.
This was the highest post in the en-
pire, and Yuan held it when ne was
only % years old. When the japanese
drove the Chinese out OF Korea, he
was one Of the few TO return to Pc
king still in the favor Of the court.
Gained Fame in Jap War.
He rose to great prominence through
his effective reorganization OF the
army after the war with Japan had
shown its weaknesses. 1t is general
ly held that he assisted the empress
dowager in effecting coup d'etat IN
1898 by which she wrested the throne
from the Emperor kuang Shu, and he
was popularity accused of betraylng
the emperor. The dowager appointed
him governor of Shantung, where.
during the Boxer rebellion, he
displayed his astuteness. Invited
to join the Boxer sect, ne
dared not frankly refuse, al
though he had no sympathy for their
Ianaticism. He agreed TO join the Box
er movement if 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 ana
That If the leaders would meet him IN
MS garden the next day he would
stand them up against the wall and
Try the foreign devils magic on
tnem. If the bullets did not hurt.
Yuan would become a Boxer. So su-
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