Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-20
HARD TO FIND OUT
TRUTH ABOUT CHINA
Government Papers Minimize Re-
bellion and Opposition Press
Msgnifies 1t.
BELIEVED FORMIDABLE ENOUGH

Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
PICKING, Jan. 19.-Wild rumors
continue to center about Humans
revolt and its probable effect on
Yuan Shi Kai. Friends of the rev.
olutionists report Szechuen, Kwei-
chow and Kwantung provinces in a
state OF foment and the government
denies these reports with regularity.
A censorship has been placed on all
dispatches from the scene of trouble
and little news of reliable charac-
ter is coming out except that re-
ceived by the foreign legations in
Picking and the Chinese government.
fEven messages signed with the names
of leaders of the various factions are re
pudiated with such frequency that It is
impossible to ascertain the truth.
Forgeries have been alleged in connection
with a number of dispatches. Suppress
sion and alteration of news is charged
against the government by papers hos
tile to It. while the government is making
similar charges against newspapers
printed in foreign concessions beyond its
control
Wants Paper Suppressed.
Following the suppression of a Chinese
daily in Picking which charged, japanese
with fostering the revolution. the Chinese
foreign office asked Mr.. Hiold the Japa-
nese minister. to suppress a Japanese
daily In Picking which the government
insists is printing dispatches. distorting
and enlargng on the Yunnan revolution
reports in such a manner as to threaten
the very foundations of the Picking gov
eminent. Mr. Hiod promised to investi-
gate the charges. but the Japanese paper
was not suppressed.
In the midst of uncertain dispatches
and wholesale distortion Of news. a num-
Der of salient facts stand out which show
the Yunnan revolution to be a movement
OF great Importance, and even the most
ardent supporters of Yuan Shi Kai now
say 1t probably will take six months to
subjugate Yunnan ana restore order in
the country. Meantime they insist Yuan
Shi Kai should take his seat upon the
throne and thus remove all doubt as to
the actual existence of the monarchy.
The number of troops really at the dis
position of the Yunnan revolutionists is
Variously estimated from 1000 to 10000
Kweichow province, whose condition is
very uncertain because of its proximity
to Yunnan and the great hold Tsai 40,
the Yunnan leader, is said to have on the
officials OF Kweichow, probably has 1000
more troops.
VIII Send Four Forces.
At present the central government Is
making every effort to settled the Yunnan
trouble automatically and there are evf-
dences ON all sides of an indisposition to
rush into an actual military engagement
However. the government has announced
that four expeditionary forces will be sent
TO suppress the Yunnan revolt. The vicin-
ity Of Chaotungfu, Yunnan province, is
expected to be the main battle ground.
According to the announced government
plans, as soon as Chaotungfu is occupied
by the north force the Yunnan revolu-
ton will be finished and peace will be
virtually restored.
The outbreaks in Kwantung province
are regarded generally by the central
government as the work OF bandits. So
far the Kwantung movement has not
spread to any large center. Apparently
the general policy of the revolutionists
has been to stir up minor troubles
wherever possible, and thus defeat gem
eral movement on the part of government
forces.
In many ways the present revolt is en-
tirely different from that of 1913. Tsai 40
and other leaders are former friends Of
Yuan Shi Kal. Many of them are ami
mated by personal dislike for the presl-
dent OF course. young China is with the
revolutionists. and with the young China
contingent there are many serious and
intellectual progressives While the mon
archlcal movement is constantly spoken of
fsht 90
really is movement against Yuan Shi
Kai personally. The monarchleal move
ment is secondary
More Formidable Now.
The opponents of Yuan Shi Kai are far
more formidable than those who lined up
against him In 1913 There is general dis
trust In official circles and much doubt
exists as TO what officials are really loyal
TO the president. Furthermore, the lead
ers OF the present movement havo really
oreanized troops at their disposal, a con-
dition which did not exist in 1913.
Peking was alive today with rumors of
plot to blow up all the palaces In the
Forbidden City and kill yuan shi Kai The
presidents office admitted that grave
suspicion rested on certain persons living
In the Forbidden City, but after their
arrest and trial all were dismissed through
lack OF proof against them, according 10
an OFFICIAL statement No explosions Of
any sort occurred and the plot is reported
to have been discovered before IL was
developed in great detail.
Rumors Of executions in the Forbidden
City. as result of the plot. are en-
phateally denied by officials close to the
president, who depreeate the tendency to
magnify what they describe as a foolish
plot which was detected before it reached
any considerable proportions.
The most commonly accepted story in
Peking is that plotters had arranged TO
cut the lighting circuits in the Forbidden
City and expected to dynamite the presi-
dents palace and other buildings while
they were plunged In darkness. 1t is not
positively known whether any explosives
had actually been Struggled into the For