The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-09-28
Ex-President OF China Pris-
oner In Land He Once
Ruled
GOVERNMENT KEEPING
HIM FROM ADHERENTS
Those Officially In Charge
Now Are Growing Strong
er Every Day

PEI(ING, August Correspond,
encc of The Associated Prcss) - III
Yuan-hung, once President of the
Chinese Republic, possesses today
less power here than the lowliest
coolie. He is prisoner in the cap
ital of the land over which he once
ruled, and for the first time in many
years he holds no office, and except
for that of Prince WI vi, he holds no
title.
1t is Lii Yuan lungs desire to leave
Peking and seek rest in Tientsn, but
the Government has repeatedly denied
this request Premier Tuan Chi-ju and
Acting President Feng Kwochang ap.
parently have no intention of allow
ing the veteran warrior to depart for
any settlement where he would be in
revolutionists in the south. The gov
ernment is said to realize how potent
the name of LII Yuan.hung would be
were he to be made President of
southern Republic such as Sun Vat
sen, Tang Shao-yi, c. 7. Wang and
other Kuomintang leaders are endeav-
oring to establish in Canton.
Since he surrendered the presiden-
cy a month ago and allowed General
Chang Hsun to take over the central
government, Ii Yuan-hung has divid-
ed his time between the French Hos
pital and his home in the Tartar CT
ty, without the walls of the Forbidden
City. He also took refuge for short
time in the Japanese Legation, and
he handsomely rewarded the Japan
ese soldiers and officers who protect
ed him in the trying period when the
Republicans were ousting the boy en-
peror, Hsuan Tung, and overthrow
ing the shortlived monarchy set up
by Chang Hsun.
Lii Yuanhung's illness was not ser
ious enough to make his retirement to
the hospital necessary. But the
French Hospital is in the Legation
Quarter. 1t is under the protection
of the foreign guards. And LII Yuan
hung was not the only Chinese who
was ailing at the time conditions were
so unsettled outside of the foreign set
Element Hotels, hospitals, legations
and private houses within the Lega-
ing when Tuan Chijuis troops moved
against Peking on July II.
During the years that Lii Yuan-hung
served as vice president under Yuan
Shin-kai his position was much the
same that it is at present. 1t is trne
he then held the title of vice-presi-
dent, but it was Il shallow honor. He
had no power. He had no freedom.
Most of those years were passed in an
isolated palace on an island in the
Forbidden City. He was seldom per,
mitted to leave the walled compound
7
mission of the all-powerful. Yuan Shi
kai,, who lived on the mainland in a
palace Ii Yuan-hung could see across
the lotus-covered lake
The central governments power to-
day apparently grows stronger every
hour. 1t has the support of the great
foreign powers. They have no thought
of recognizing a struggling band OF
parliamentarians in the south who
have only the lukeWarm support OF
the provinces south of the Yang tie
All hope of reconvening in a legal
way the parliament which l. Yuan
hung dissolved under pressure has
apparently disappeared. The Kuc
min tang, or party which is opposed
to Premier Tuan Chi-jui and Presi
dent feng Kwo-chang and their gov
ernment, controls far less than a
quorum of the disbanded parliament
Consequently, even if they could mus
ter their complete strength at Can
ton under Sun Yat-sen and Tang
Shoa-yi, they would not, it is declar
ed, have enough to satisfy their de
mands for government strictly under
the conditions of the Marking provi
sional constitution.
Compromises have already beer
suggested by various leaders who are
endeayoring to harmonize the north
and the south. Guilds, chambers o
commerce and other commercial or
ganizations are tired of the politica
strife, Overseas Chinese are not lib