Evening star., 1920-03-28

The unrest was intensified by one of
the serious periodical floods which oc-
CURED In the winter of 191o-11, as a
result of which millions of people
were starving and dying.
Still further. an attempt was made
to nationalize railroads. which those
IN the separate provinces claimed
should be under their control. Tho
doctrine of states rights. then as
now, is particularly strong in China.
Birth Of the Republic.
The republic was destined from ifs
very beginning to a stormy career.
Seihsh ambitions. intrigues. plots
and counterplots have been all too
manifest Immediately after the alb
dication of the emperor, Sun Yat-sen.
evidently Influenced by patriotic mo-
tives and desiring to unite the whole
country. resigned and asked that Yuan
| Shih-kai be chosen as president Tho
! latter was elected as provisional
president at Nanking February Is.
1912. and then for definite term Of
Eve years. at Peking on October 6.
1913
national assembly, representing
all provinces of the country. was
elected and convened at Peking April
D. 1913. Its first task was to frame
constitution. but its only achieve
| ment was provision for the election OF
a president and vice president. It
! was dissolved by. President Yuan in
the month following his election. In
the month of December. 1915, he IS
sued a proclamation declaring his in
tention to assume the position OF en-
peror. This was Immediately followed
by uprisings in some of the provinces.
and he withdrew his proclamation in
the following March.
There is great difference Of opinion
among Chinese and foreigners familiar
with China as to the character and aims
OF Yuan Shih-kai. 1t is universally con-
ceded that he was one Of the ablest as
well as one Of the strongest men in
China He showed a disposition to adopt
progressive ideas in. education and in
administrative reforms One of his
many proteges. now governor of one
OF the leading provinces. stated to
me last autumn that his action In
seeking to become emperor indicated
| that falling health had impaired his
mental vigor; because Yuan had re-
peatedly told him that his one ambi-
tion was to be the George Washing
ton of China" and that the republic
must be established on perpetual
| foundations. but failing health and
the importantly of favorites led him
TO make the abortive attempt to as
sumo the imperial title. 1t is alleged
that he became convinced q repuhl;c
was impossible and that the sooner
a monarchy was restored the better
for China.
On the other hand. many of his ac-
t1ons are clearly condemnatory of him
and indicate that instead of being =
patriot he was a-shrewd and resource
full self-seeker. When given contro,
by the Manchu rulers. his LOYALTY r.,
tEem was doubtful and the most oh-
vious Interpretation of his course IS
| that he was scheming to become fbe
lead of the republic as q stenntns-
stone to the foundation of a new dv-
nasty with himself as its first SOW
| ereign. 1t is certain that his brief
rule was at the same time more force-
full and more absolute than that Of
the dynasty which was overthrown
He dfed in July. 1916, after having
ruled most of the time in the absence
OF any legislative assembly.
Brief Monarchic Restoratdon.
His successor. President Ii yuan
hung. who had taken a prominent mart
In support of the revolution. recon-
vened the assembly on August 1. 1915
During the following year, an attempt
was made by Chinese general to re-
| store the Manchu dynasty. He gained
! possession of Peking and restored
the child emperor to power for the
| brief period of eleven days. from
July 1 to July IL. 1917. when he was
overthrown.
President Ii, patriotic and univer-
sally trusted as a friend of the re-
public, but disguised by the constant
friction between himself and his cab
met and apparently lacking in firm
| ness. dissolved the national assem-
| bly, in June, 1917, and resigned on the
occasion of the Manchu restoration.
He is now living in a beautiful home
| in the English concession Of Tientsin.
In an interesting interview with him,
he expressed the utmost concern for
the future of China and for the
: friendship Of the United States. He is
still vigorous. resembling somewhat
, the late President Roosevelt. Every
one seems to have a good word for
him. but many express the opinion
that he failed in time of emergency.
AS a result of this dissolution and
the course of events at Peking. prov
inces and parts of provinces center
ing around Canton seeded and estab-
lished a separate government at Can
ton, with five commissioners exercis-
ing the executive power. among them
being Sun Yat-sen. Wu Ting-fang.
well known in the United States,
where he was twice minister from
China, and Tang Shao-yi. one of the
most intelligent Chinese. educated at
Columbia.
Since that time there have been two
governments in China and two par
liaments; one at Picking. the other
at Canton. The northern parliament
is made up of members chosen since
the dissolution by President Ii: the
southern, Of members chosen at the
original election in 1913. Repeated
efforts have been made to bring the
two sections together. but thus far
the a6erts have failed. / visited the