Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-20
SON OF SH|H-KAI
. LVESAS RECLUSE
Heir of China's Late Presi-
dent Loses Interest in
Politics.
BY WILLIAM II. GILES.
Correspondence of The Star and Chi
eago Daily News.


eaEo Daily News.
Copyright, 1890.
CHENGTEFU, Honan, via Peking,
China, July 5.-Chengtefu is one of
the largest towns in the province of
Honan. 1t is also one of the most an
eient and in the district where many
Of the old pottery figures of horses
and vases of the Sung period were
upearthed during the building of the
Picking Hankow railway. and the dig
ging for the foundations of the va
fiouS missionary churches and houses.
Near here the late President Yuan
Shih-kai was buried and here his ED
est son now resides. The Yuan Shin
kai family home is a typical Chinese
structure, but the grounds include
vast area. 1t was to this place that
Yuan Shih-kai retired after he had
been dismissed from Office. when the
old empress dowager died and the
young emperor assembled thethrone
| under the regency of his father
Prince Chun.
Prince Chun, who was the brother
of the late Emperor Kuangsu, bore a
considered that the latter had be-
trayed the emperor in 1898, when he
attempted to make q prisoner of the
empress dowager. so that he would be
free to carry out reforms. 1t was for
this reason THAT he dismissed Yuan
the greatest and strongest of the
grand councillors.
Son Avoids PelkinE.
From that time until the outbreak
of the revolution, when the man who
had driven him into exile begged him
to come back and save the Manchu
throne. Yuan Shih-kai lived in his
home in Honan. protefted by some
2.OOe of his own soidie. part of the
first modern army which he raised in
Tientsin. He spent much time in
fishing and study, bQt kept his finger
on the pulse Of political affairs. and
1t is safe to say that when the reyo-
luton broke out he was prepared ior
it. When he left his home in Honan
to assume the responsibilities of ne
eotiating with the southern revolu-
tionary government he did not return
until he was carried back 2 CORPSE;
yuan Kuo-ting, the presidents cid
Since that time he has occupied the
family home and estate. refusing to
return to Picking, although he has
been requested many times to do So
AS / know him well. and he is the
owner of the house l occupy in Pek-
ing. I called upon him. He received
me courteously and expressed delight
at seeing some one from the capital.
After inquiries concerning his
brothers and other members of his
family ! asked him why he did not
return TO Picking. He replied that he
did not do so because his arrival there
would cause comment and rumors and
it would be thought that he had some
political object in view.' He explained
that he was no longer interested in
politics and intended to pass the re-
mainder of his life in retirement and
study.
Lacks Ietesest I'm Politics.
Yuan Kuo-ting speaks English,
French and Latin, and is now study
ing Greek under the guidance of an
unfrocked priest. He seldom leaves
his own estate and does not look we'll.
Five years ago he fell from his horse
the bone resting on the brain has re-
suited lin partial paralysis.
1t was apparent to me that Yuan
Kuo-ting had not the slightest inter-