Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1917-09-20
SECRET HISTORY OF
THE GREAT SURRENDER.
The Relation between Dollars and
Convictions.

CONVICTIONS.
Chinese historians when they come
to write of recent events in Pek-
ing will be somewhat put to it to
say whether Thursdays fighting
was battle, or not a battle. Some
OF the constituent elements of a
battle were present sure enough,
such as numbers engaged, mighty
expenditure of ammunition, infinite
noise, and so forth. But the bloody
attacks. the fierce repulsss the kill
ed and the wounded, and the faith
fulness unto death Of the true sol
der and the ardent patriot, all OF
which are exemplified in warlike con
flicts when many men are engaged
were conspicuousiy absent at the
Debaclo of Picking. Ii the conflict
on this occasion were between ex-
perts on the preservation of the
skin, or on the transference of wealth
we'll, it could he said of it that it
was not battle, but a Battle Royal
Let us throw a glance towards the
VI iANe'Ciiy Siid iSbNSNS ~
on what happened there ON Thurs
day morning. All the men and all
the horses and all the guns OF the
Republican Army were there assem-
bled for the undoing of the Hsuchow
warriors, and the Qualification of
the Republic. They Of Hsuchow were
the Kings men, pledged to die for
their Imperial Master. No surrender
was their motto. They had been
offered their lives, and had dis
claimed the offer. Their honour and
their obligations to the Ching House
came first with them Thus were
present the elements OF fight to
a finish, namely, two forces each
with cause dearer to them than
life.
The Republicans began at 4:30
a. NJ and created the devils own
noise with their guns and their
rifles Probably ten thousand of
them surrendered the Royalists, who
numbered $500 When the ten thou
sand had loosed off enough ammu-
milton to make Hades chill by COM
parison, they had killed three men
and hurt few, and were still no
nearer victory Indeed they realized
themselves far from it, so far that
they saw no prospect OF it without
closing in and making an assault.
But they were much too clever to
do so foolish thing. They were
not going to risk the lives of two
men and a boy merely to get at a
( lot of dirty scoundrels with pigtails.
So they sent men in to parley and
see if they could not secure victory
and safety by strategy.
The Royalists We're only too glad
to enter into negotiations, and after
some pleasant conversation washed
down with tea Chang Haun's heroes
told the Republican heroes that for
three months pay all round, a total
of 700, they would chuck it al
together, and see Chang Haun, and
the Ching House, and their moral
obligations to He'll for ever and ever.
These glad tidings were conveyed
to the General, Tuan Chihkuei, who
transmitted them to the Premier,
'Tuan Chi-jui, at Tientsin, who was
unspeakably overjoyed at the splen
did triumph of his noble soldiers.
There was one small difficulty. The
Royalists would accept the price
only if the money was paid over at
p. m. in hard cash--they said no,
thank you, to Bank of China or
any other kind Of notes. Now Tuan
had to wire that it was impossible
to get the money up from Tientsin
before 10 o'clock while the Royalists
had sworn that if the shekels were
not there by seven to the tick they
would Immediately recommence their
slaughter of the Republicans Tuan
Chih-kuei was filled with terror at
the idea of the money being late,
but he wasn't a Monarchist last
year and Republican this year for
nothing. With supreme ingenuity he
sent delegates to the Yokohama Spe-
Gle Bank in Picking, one of the most
cautious institutions in the whole
world. He didn't send to the Hong,
kong Bank, or the Russo-Asiatic Bank
or any other Of the Banks that will
give you loan with a pound of
tea lie sent to the Japanese bank,
because he was clever enough to
know that the Japanese have an
enormous tenderness for China, and
would extend to him not only finan-
cial assistance but heartfelt SYM
PATTY that could never be expected
from any of the more squeamish
European or American bncketshops.
Owing to the scarcity of printing
paperss- this narrative must now
come 10 a close. Suffice it to say
that the gentle .Jep produced the
spondulicks and saved the psaudo-
republican skins Chang Hsun's men